Contact Lens Irritation
What is Contact Lens Irritation?
Contact Lens Irritation can be caused by variety of factors such as dryness, environment, wear time and lens material. While most people adapt well to contact lenses right away, some people may feel slight irritation which resolves as the eye gets used to the sensation of Contact Lenses.
However, some patients may not adapt to contact lens wear. In some cases, contact lens irritation can persist and may cause other symptoms such as foreign body sensation, burning, itching, tearing and redness. This may indicate that the patient is having an allergic reaction to the contact lens, not enough oxygen being transferred through the contact lens, eye infection or CLARE.
If you are experiencing prolonged contact lens irritation, remove your lenses immediately. If your discomfort doesn’t stop, then check your lens for damage, dirt or other foreign bodies within the lens. If the lens is damaged, do not return it to your eye, but place the lens in its storage case and contact your eye care professional. If the lens appears dirty but undamaged, clean and disinfect your lenses thoroughly and reinsert the lens. If the problem persists after reinsertion, remove the lens and contact your eye care professional immediately.
If discomfort and other symptoms continue after removing your lens, do not reinsert. This could be due to serious conditions such as an eye infection, corneal ulcer, neovascularization or iritis. Discontinue contact lens use and see your eye care professional immediately for identification and prompt treatment of the problem.
In order to avoid Contact Lens irritation and other complications, it is important to care for them properly and follow the maintenance and replacement schedule recommended by your optometrist. These guidelines are meant to help keep your eyes healthy and comfortable as you wear your contact lenses, so improper usage won’t lead to any eye complications.
If your contact lens irritation is not improving, then please visit our clinic so one of our optometrists can assist you with this issue.
