What Causes Dry Eyes with Contacts and How to Prevent Them

Dry eyes is a common concern among contact lens wearers and non-contact wearers alike. Although dry eyes are mostly common in older adults, many young adults may also experience symptoms of dry eyes. These symptoms may be more pronounced because contact lenses dry them out as well. According to a study in Optometry & Vision Science, about half of contact lens wearers develop contact lens-related dry eye.

As tears provide lubrication across the surface of the eye, this allows your body to remove dirt or impurities that may come across your eye and keep your vision smooth and clear. In addition, the drainage ducts within the inner corner of the eye maintains the amount of tear on your eye. Dry eyes occur when the eye does not produce enough natural tears or drainage imbalances.

According to the AOA (American Optometric Association), people who experience dry eyes with contacts or no contacts will feel symptoms such as:

• Redness

• Stinging, scratching, or burning sensations

• Light Sensitivity.

• Watery eyes

• Stringy mucus near the eye

• Blurry Vision

• Tired or fatigued eyes

Specifically focusing on contact lens-induced dry eye, the cornea receives oxygen directly from the air. The main cause of dry eyes from contact lenses is because the contact lens somewhat blocks oxygen intake through the cornea. Although contact lenses are designed to allow oxygen to permeate the eye, many wearers still experience dryness. 

Another cause for dryness experienced by contact lens wearers is due to the contact lens itself absorbing natural tears. Contact lenses absorb moisture from its surroundings in order to maintain its shape and structure. If contact lens wearers don’t produce enough tears in their eye or wear their contacts in for too long, this in turn may cause the contact lens to irritate the surface of the eye. Other causes of dryness include:

• Wearing the wrong prescription

• Changes to your eye shape- lens don’t fit properly 

• Aerial allergens

• Air Conditioning

One way to minimize the effects of dry eyes from contacts is to consider switching to a different type of lens. Daily disposable contact lenses are single-day use lenses in which are the first recommended option for those with dry eyes. Since these lenses are thrown out after every day’s use, it prevents protein buildup and dirt from accumulating, and therefore are less likely to dry out due to improper hygiene.

Another type of lens to consider are the most innovative and up-to-date lens available: silicone hydrogel contact lenses. These lenses offer more comfort than established hydrogel lenses as they permit 5 times more oxygen into the eye than traditional lenses. This overall reduces dryness and increases eye comfort.

Rather than changing the type of lenses, supplying more eye vitamins through your diet may improve eye comfort. Eye vitamins and supplements such as lutein, zeaxanthin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Omega-3 are commonly known effective products to supply extra nutrients to your eye and therefore increase eye health. This may improve eye health and improve dryness.

A short-term method to quickly improve dryness from contact lenses are the use of eye drops. Eye drops are an easy to use product in which moistens and instantly refresh one’s eyes to improve comfort. Be sure to use eye drops that can be applied while contact lenses are in your eye. Other ways to improve dryness may include:

• Low water content contact lenses

• Preservative-free contact lens solutions

• Hygienic contact lens care routine

Many contact lens wearers understand that dryness is a given effect from long-use of contact lenses. However, researchers are constantly discovering more innovative ways to improve contact lenses and more potential treatments to improve dry eyes. Overtime, these innovative changes will allow for better vision and comfort to allow one to improve their quality of life.