Contact Lenses for Dry Eyes from Your Optometrist in Kirkland and Renton
Probably the most common complaint optometrists hear from their patients who wear contact lenses is "My contacts make my eyes feel dry." Dr. Golitz at the Eye & Contact Lens Center with offices in Kirkland and Renton has the solutions you need for dry-eye problems with contact lenses.
Are your contact lenses giving you dry eyes?
The symptoms of dry eyes are not hard to miss. Your eyes will feel scratchy. They will be red. They will be irritated. Contact lens-induced dry eye symptoms can be so uncomfortable that some people stop wearing contact lenses on their own. Other people suffer the symptoms dry eyes without telling their eye doctor because they are afraid they will be told that they cannot wear contact lenses anymore. Fortunately, your optometrist can prescribe a variety of new kinds of contact lenses and care products that prevent dry eyes so nearly everyone can find a way to continue to wear contacts.
What can your optometrist give you to prevent dry eyes from contact lenses?
Sometimes the answer for dry eyes is a different prescription for contact lenses. Several manufacturers have created contact lenses specifically designed to prevent dry eyes.
Silicone hydrogel contact lenses retain moisture for up to 16 hours. There is a brand of daily-use disposable contact lenses that contain up to 80 percent water in the part of the lens that fits over the eye. There are lenses made with high-water hydrogels that attract tears and keep the eye moist for up to 12 hours. And there are "extreme H2O" lenses that retain nearly all of their water content throughout a full day's wear.
Sometimes the answer for dry eyes caused by contact lenses is scleral lenses. These extra-wide contact lenses cover the entire surface of the cornea, keeping it from drying out. Scleral lenses can be made to fit irregular corneas and provide sharper vision than soft contact lenses. And sometimes the best way to avoid dry eyes caused by contact lenses is not to wear contact lenses (or glasses) at all. Lenses for orthokeratology are worn overnight to reshape the cornea and correct nearsightedness or farsightedness. By molding the cornea so corrective lenses are no longer necessary, contact lens-induced dry eyes cease to be a problem.
When dry eyes are a problem, it may also be necessary to change contact lens solutions. Not all disinfecting, cleaning, and storage solutions work with all kinds of lenses, especially with hydrogel lenses. Some contact lens wearers are allergic to the preservatives in contact lens solutions. Avoiding these preservatives can reduce problems with dry eyes.
For all your contact lens care needs, see Dr. Golitz at his Kirkland or Renton offices.
Don't hesitate to seek relief for dry eyes caused by contact lenses. Dr. Golitz at Eye & Contact Lens Center in Kirkland and Renton can help you find the relief you need. Request an appointment online today!