Anyone who wears contact lenses knows that they can sometimes be uncomfortable and cause great distress. Yet, few people understand the reasons for the discomfort. On the surface, the situation is simple: you are wearing lenses because your eyesight is weak. However, there is more to wearing contact lenses than just that. Not only do you have to care for your lenses but also make sure they are clean at all times. To make things a tad easier for you, here’s a look at some common factors which result in contact lens discomfort:
Size
The contact lenses you wear should fit your eyes perfectly. Keep in mind that the eye size and shape is unique for each individual so your contact lenses have to be made according to your size with precise measurements. Otherwise, the contact lens will not be housed properly in the eye. Not only will this defeat the purpose for which you got lenses in the first place, but can also cause discomfort. If your contact lenses are not of the right size, you might experience pain and redness in addition to your vision fluctuating between good and poor.
Moisture
As you would know, the eyes have to stay sufficiently moist for contact lenses to fit perfectly and be effective for improving your vision. However, sometimes, people get dry eyes after wearing their lenses for a while. In fact, some people are genetically inclined to produce fewer tears than usual, which cause their eyes to dry out, and as a result, they may suffer from contact lens discomfort. You might experience tired eyes in addition to the dryness if lack of moisture is causing your contact lens discomfort.
Allergens
There is always the risk of allergens from around you entering your eyes and when you put on the lenses, the allergens stick to them. This can cause a great deal of irritation as well as dryness. Your eyes might also turn red because of the constant irritation. This is the main reason why it is important that you clean your contact lenses on a regular basis. This will ensure any allergens which may have entered your eyes and stuck to the lenses are cleaned off.
Disease or Infection
It is quite possible that some underlying disease or infection might cause discomfort when you are wearing contact lenses. Therefore, you have to watch out for the symptoms you experience as a result of the discomfort. For instance, if your eyes swell or there is some discharge, you should get a checkup without delay. Any infection or disease which affects your eyes can cause contact lens discomfort. Also, keep in mind not to put on your contact lenses if you have an eye infection or any other eye related ailment.
These are some of the factors which can cause contact lens discomfort. As you can see, a few of these are preventable and as long as you exercise sufficient care, you shouldn’t face any major issues.
