Medical and colored contact lenses are an excellent alternative for eyeglasses and give a new and attractive look. They are generally safe when you properly clean, maintain, and replace them at the right time.
When choosing a contact lens, we recommend you consult a specialist since the eye is a delicate organ and lenses’ unsuitability or misuse can lead to many side effects, one of which is dry eyes.
Most common dry eyes symptoms
- Redness and sensitivity of the eye.
- Itching and irritation.
- Difficulty opening the eyes when waking up and a sensation of dust within them.
- Unclear vision might also occur.
Reasons behind dry eyes symptoms
Many factors play a role in dry eyes; it’s not just about the lenses, some of which include the following:
- Low Lacrimal glands (tear glands) functionality.
- Immune system disorders, like Sjogren’s Syndrome that results in Lacrimal and Salivary glands’ malfunction.
- Medication that causes dry eyes, like hormonal medicine, blood pressure medicine, and antidepressants.
- Menopause and associated hormonal changes.
- Eyes aging.
- Eyes sensitivity to weather factors.
Dry eyes treatment
It is better to consult a doctor for the issue, who generally prescribes lubricant eye drops for you to use twice or three times a day.
In extreme eye dryness, the doctor might block tear ducts, keeping the tears inside to provide adequate moisturizing for your eyes.
If you wear contact lenses and suffer from dry eyes, you should replace the lenses as a first step, then use lubricant eye drops.
Types of contact lenses
According to duration of use
- Daily use contact lenses: You only wear this type of lenses for a day, and then you throw them away. It is the best choice if you suffer from dry eyes since they ensure cleanliness with no microbes or protein accumulation. They also provide oxygen transmissibility and comfort for the eyes.
- Monthly use contact lenses: You can keep these lenses in a medical solution and replace them each month.
- Yearly contact lenses: you only replace these once a year. Make sure to use a high-quality solution for proper sterilization and preservation of the contacts.
According to manufacturing and components
Soft Contact Lenses
They are made of hydrophilic plastic-like substances and are not suitable for people with dry eyes since they draw tears to keep their moisture, causing more dryness.
There is a more suitable alternative for soft lenses; Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses, made from hydrophilic hydrogel and high oxygen transmissibility silicone. They are less hydrophilic than regular soft lenses and provide more eye moisturizing features. They are available as both colored and medical lenses.
Rigid Contact Lenses
They are made of gas-permeable plastics and are the best choice for you if you suffer from dry eyes since they do NOT absorb the tears allowing the eye to keep its moisture. They also provide the eyes with adequate oxygen intake.
They are generally medical lenses used for Astigmatism and other visual issues; the downside is that they can easily slide off their place.
Hybrid Contact Lenses
These lenses are made of a rigid gas-permeable center for clear vision, surrounded with silicone hydrogel for eye comfort. This type of lens is ideal for people with dry eyes who couldn’t adapt to rigid contact lenses.
How to choose the suitable lens for dry eyes
Contact Lenses components
Generally, the more the lens contains hydrophilic substances, the more it absorbs tears, and you feel eye dryness and discomfort.
Rigid contact lenses are made of high oxygen-permeable substances and are the best choice for dry eyes.
Silicone Hydrogel soft contact lenses provide better comfort and moisturizing for the eye than regular soft Hydrogel only contact lenses.
Brazilian Solotica Contact Lenses are your go-to choice to avoid dry eyes. They are available worldwide and at MetroBrazil Store for the Arab World with the fastest delivery and most reasonable prices.
Water level in the contact lenses
The higher the water level in the contact lens, the more it causes eye dryness. Therefore, when suffering from dry eyes, make sure to choose the lens with the lowest water level.
Levels of water differ between contact lenses; Solotica Contact Lenses contain 62% polymacon and 38% water, making them suitable for dry eyes, providing them adequate moisturizing.
Contact Lenses Solution
If you are still suffering from dry eyes even when using high transmissibility contact lenses that preserve eye moisture, then the issue lies in the lens solution. Try replacing the solution as it might contain preservatives that cause eyes sensitivity and lacrimal glands malfunction, resulting in dryness. Consult your doctor for a suitable solution.
Contact lenses proper cleaning
The reason behind dry eyes might be protein and microbes accumulation on the lenses, causing eye irritation and dryness.
Ensure replacing the lenses when due and cleaning them properly by rubbing them softly with the solution until the accumulated substance subsides. Replace the container’s solution before placing the lenses back into it, and just like that, you ensure the lenses are clean and sterilized for next day use.
Lubricant drops
Lubricating Saline eye drops are your most reliable companion as a contact lenses wearer; they provide constant moisturizing and comfort for the eyes.
Read more: How contact lenses are made?