Eye health and contact lenses

Person Inserting A Contact Lens.

Many people enjoy the freedom contact lenses offer – with over 4 million people in the UK now wearing them, contact lenses have never been more popular. However, not as many people are familiar with the potential effects on their eyes. Contact lenses can restrict the eye’s intake of oxygen, resulting in many people experiencing contact lens induced dry eyes.

Symptoms of contact lens induced dry eyes can vary from person to person, but typically include:

  • a gritty feeling
  • itchy eyes
  • dry eyes
  • excessive watering
  • the feeling of something being in your eye
  • redness

Rest assured, there are a number of ways contact lens induced dry eyes can be managed. Take a look at our tips below to see how you can alleviate these all too common symptoms.

Clean your lenses

It’s easy to let routines slide, but not taking proper care of your lenses can be one of the primary causes of eye irritation and discomfort.

Be sure to follow the instructions for your lenses carefully and take into account any recommendations your optician made. Not doing so could lead to a build-up of protein deposits, or infection as a result of bacteria in the eye.

Try Vizulize All-in-One Contact Lens Cleaning Solution to clean your lenses and leave your eyes feeling moisturised.

Give your eyes a break

It’s important to let your eyes recover, as wearing contacts too frequently or for too long can intensify feelings of dryness and irritation. Follow the advice of your eye care professional, switching back to glasses every so often to give your eyes a break.

To give your eyes a real treat, remove contacts and apply a warm compress, which can help your eyes feel moisturised and refreshed.

Check for foreign objects

If your eyes are feeling irritated, remove your lenses immediately and check for any signs of pollen or dust. Take time to clean, rinse and disinfect your lenses thoroughly before reinserting. You may also want to consider an eye bath, such as Vizulize Eye Wash, which can gently wash away foreign objects in your eye.

If your lenses look damaged or torn, do not reinsert them – contact your optician to arrange a replacement.

Lens suitability

If you’re relatively new to contact lenses, it may be that you haven’t found the right lens for you yet. Discomfort can also be caused by lenses that don’t quite ‘fit’ your eye as well as they should. With so many different lenses and brands, it’s worth exploring the differences between them and finding the ones that suit you perfectly.

Talk through your different options with your optician – they’ll be able to make recommendations if your current lenses don’t feel comfortable.

Try eye drops

Eye drops and mists are a convenient way to significantly reduce irritation caused by contact lenses. Our extensive range of products are specially formulated to hydrate, moisturise and relieve the eyes from a range of symptoms.

Try Vizulize Intensive Dry Eye Drops for fast-acting, effective relief. If drops aren’t for you, take a look at Vizulize Dry Eye Mist, which can be sprayed on closed eyes. Both can be used without the need to remove contact lenses.

 

If something doesn’t feel quite right, don’t put your eyes at risk. It may be that something altogether different is affecting your eyes – such as excessive screen time, the menopause, or an underlying health condition.

Whatever the case, if your lenses feel uncomfortable, seek advice from your optician or a healthcare professional.

Related products

Vizulize All-in-One Contact Lens Cleaning Solution 360ml.
Vizulize All In One Contact Lens Cleaning Solution
A superior solution which cleans, lubricates and disinfects all types of lenses.
Vizulize Intensive Dry Eye Drops 10ml.
Vizulize Intensive Dry Eye Drops
Our most intensive formula for relieving and soothing dry and sensitive eyes.
Vizulize Triple Action Dry Eye Mist 10ml.
Vizulize Dry Eye Mist
A simple and convenient alternative to eye drops that soothes and relieves dry eyes.

Related advice

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