If you wear or are considering wearing contact lenses, you want the experience to be great. There are many reasons why people choose contact lenses or glasses, and convenience is often at the top of the list. However, if dry eyes result from wearing them, they won’t be so convenient after all! We want your contact lens experience to be stellar, so today we are going to share a few tips to help you prevent dry eyes when you wear contact lenses.Tip Number One: Wash your hands before you touch your lenses. Every. Single. Time. It’s easy to transfer pathogens that cause infection from your fingers to your lenses, and so into your eyes. It is recommended that you wash your hands with water and mild soap, and finish by drying them off with a lint-free towel.Tip Number Two. Don’t sleep in your contacts, no matter how tired you are. This practice puts you at a much higher risk of developing an infection on your cornea because sleeping in your contacts keeps oxygen from reaching your eyes at the level that they need. This creates a bacteria breeding ground. Even if this doesn’t happen to you, sleeping in your contacts can upset your natural tear film and make a dry eye issue even worse.
Tip Number Four. Try BlephEx! Often times dry eyes are the result of blepharitis, inflammation of the eyelids that occurs when oil glands around your eyes become clogged. To remedy blepharitis and the dry eyes it causes, clean your eyelids using BlephEx, a new device that spins a medical-grade micro-sponge along your eyelids to clean them. BlephEx is an excellent way to exfoliate and remove dirt from your eyelids that may be causing dryness.
Tip Number Five. Warm compresses are a great way to combat dry eyes. Moist, warm compresses naturally relieve dry eyes, reducing swelling, itching, redness, and other irritations.
Tip Number Six. For a few hours every day, allow your eyes to breathe naturally by taking out your contacts. This will give your eyes a chance to get exposure to oxygen and receive their nourishment from your natural tear film without your lenses in the way. For example, a general rule should be to take your contacts out at least two hours before bedtime.
Tip Number Seven. Get a dry eye evaluation. See your eye doctor every year, or keep a schedule that helps you to always have an up-to-date prescription. He or she will take the required steps to ensure that your tear film is okay and that the contacts you are using are still the best for you. Don’t wait until a problem develops to visit your eye doctor! Your dry eyes may be caused by any number of things, and your eye doctor needs to assess them to evaluate your next steps.
Tip Number Eight. Use HydroEye! An over-the-counter item backed by research, HydroEye provides powerful support for dry eyes by delivering antioxidants and omega fatty acids to your eyes to soothe them. If you’re not seeing results within 2 months, you can even get your money back.
Here at Classic Vision Care, we care about the health of your eyes. Dr. Patel provides in-depth information to ensure that you are properly caring for your contacts and your eyes. Without proper cleaning, care, and use, contact lenses can increase your risk of eye infections and injuries. We are here to help you prevent that! Come in to see us for more tips and ideas on preventing dry eyes when you wear contact lenses.
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