Can Contact Lenses Cause Dry Eye?
How Contact Lenses Affect Your Tears
Your eyes rely on a thin layer of tears to stay smooth, clear, and comfortable. When you put a contact lens in, it sits right in the middle of this tear film. While modern lenses are designed to be breathable, they can still disrupt the natural balance of moisture in your eye.
Soft contact lenses contain water. To stay soft and flexible, they need to stay hydrated. If the lens dries out, it can act like a sponge, absorbing the tears that are supposed to coat your eye. This leaves less moisture for the surface of your eye, leading to that tired, scratchy feeling.
The cornea (the clear front window of the eye) needs oxygen from the air to stay healthy. Although our ophthalmologists prescribe advanced materials that let oxygen through, a contact lens still acts as a barrier. Additionally, a lens can sometimes stop fresh tears from circulating freely across the eye, especially if the lens fits too tightly.
To understand dry eye, it helps to know what makes up a tear. A healthy tear film has three layers:
- Oil Layer: The outer layer that stops tears from evaporating into the air.
- Water Layer: The middle layer that cleans and hydrates the eye.
- Mucus Layer: The inner layer that helps tears stick to the eye surface.
Contact lenses can disrupt the oil layer or break up the mucus layer, creating dry spots on the eye that affect your vision.
Symptoms of Contact Lens Intolerance
Many patients in the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area come to us thinking they have an eye infection, only to find out it is severe dryness caused by their contacts. Recognizing the symptoms early can prevent more serious issues.
The most common symptom is feeling like there is sand or grit in your eye. You might feel the edges of your contact lens more than usual. This sensation typically gets worse as the day goes on.
If your vision starts clear in the morning but gets blurry by the afternoon, dryness is often the culprit. When the tear film breaks up, the surface of the eye becomes uneven, which distorts light. Blinking might clear your vision for a second, but the blurriness usually returns quickly.
When eyes are dry, the blood vessels on the surface may swell, causing the white part of the eye to look pink or red. You may also experience a burning or stinging sensation, especially when you are around heating vents or air conditioning.
Risk Factors for Dryness
Certain habits and environmental factors can make contact lens discomfort worse. Our team evaluates these factors to help you find relief.
When you stare at a computer, phone, or tablet, you blink much less often than normal. Blinking is what spreads fresh tears over your contact lenses. Reduced blinking causes the lenses to dry out faster. This is a major factor for our patients working in offices throughout Marlton and Mount Laurel.
Not all contact lenses are the same. Older lens materials may not hold moisture as well as newer technologies. Furthermore, dirty lenses or cases can harbor bacteria and protein buildup. This buildup creates friction against the eyelid, making dryness feel much worse.
Living in New Jersey means dealing with dry indoor heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. Both of these lower the humidity in the air, which evaporates tears more quickly. Windy days can also strip moisture from your eyes if you are not wearing protective sunglasses.
Prevention and Treatment
You do not always have to give up contact lenses if you have dry eyes. Our multispecialty team, including ophthalmologists and optometrists, uses advanced technology to find the right solution for you.
Daily disposable lenses are often the best choice for dry eye sufferers. You throw them away at the end of every day, so there is no time for proteins or allergens to build up on the lens surface. You start every morning with a fresh, sterile, moist lens.
Artificial tears can help keep your lenses hydrated. However, it is vital to use drops that are marked 'preservative-free' or specifically designed for contact lenses. Standard drops with preservatives can stick to the lens material and cause toxic irritation over time.
To combat digital eye strain, use the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, take a break from your screen and look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This relaxes your eyes and reminds you to blink fully.
Sometimes the issue is not the lens, but the eyelids. Blocked oil glands in your eyelids can lead to poor tear quality. Using warm compresses or specialized lid wipes can help keep these glands open, improving the natural oil layer of your tears.
When to See a Specialist
If home remedies and changing your lens solution do not help, it is time to visit ReFocus Eye Health Marlton. You should also seek immediate care if you experience pain, light sensitivity, or discharge, as these can be signs of an infection.
Our practice uses advanced diagnostic tools to look at your tear film. We can determine if your dry eye is caused by a lack of water (aqueous deficiency) or a lack of oil (evaporative dry eye). This helps us prescribe the exact treatment you need, rather than just guessing.
If standard contacts do not work, our specialists can fit you with specialty lenses. Scleral lenses, for example, vault over the cornea and hold a reservoir of fluid against the eye, which can actually treat severe dry eye while correcting your vision.
Frequently Asked Questions
We generally recommend against sleeping in contacts, especially if you suffer from dry eyes. Sleeping in lenses significantly reduces oxygen supply to the cornea and increases the risk of serious infections. It also tends to make the eyes feel very sticky and dry upon waking.
Yes, for many patients they are. Silicone hydrogel allows more oxygen to pass through to the eye compared to older soft lens materials. Many of these lenses also contain wetting agents that help lock in moisture throughout the day.
Absolutely. Allergies can cause inflammation, which destabilizes the tear film. Additionally, many antihistamine medications used to treat allergies have a side effect of drying out the mucus membranes, including the eyes. Our doctors can help you manage both conditions simultaneously.
Staying hydrated is good for your overall health and can help support tear production. However, drinking water alone is rarely enough to cure contact lens-related dry eye. It is usually best combined with other treatments like artificial tears and proper lens hygiene.
Expert Eye Care in Marlton, NJ
At ReFocus Eye Health Marlton, we believe you shouldn't have to choose between clear vision and comfort. Whether you live right here in Marlton, in nearby Evesham or Voorhees, or commute from the Greater Philadelphia area, our team is here to help you find the right balance. By combining advanced medical knowledge with personalized care, our ophthalmologists and optometrists can help you enjoy wearing your contact lenses again.
Dr Grossman and his staff are professional, caring and do a great job taking care of my eyes. An extra shout out to Leslie who was very professional and thorough!
Rich Shakarjian
Dr. Andrew’s was great! Very thorough and answered all of my questions. The staff in Marlton were all very nice and pleasant to speak with.
Carolyn Bried
Highly recommend Dr Charles Glass. Did a great job on my cataract surgery. He listens to patients and helps you figure out what works best for you! Could not be happier with him and The Refocus Marlton Team!
Jacquelyn DePiano
Dr. Heuer was awesome. She’s efficient, friendly and thorough. She answered all of my questions patiently.
Mike Dibenedetto
I am so impressed with Dr. Andrew’s He is extremely knowledgeable with age there are something’s we are more prone to get and I was looked at for all.
Margaret DeCarlo
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