{"id":24460,"date":"2021-04-15T11:15:42","date_gmt":"2021-04-15T18:15:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clearly.ca\/thelook\/?p=24460"},"modified":"2022-08-19T09:41:57","modified_gmt":"2022-08-19T16:41:57","slug":"contacts-for-dry-eyes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clearly.ca\/thelook\/contacts-for-dry-eyes\/","title":{"rendered":"Why are my contacts so dry? Are my eyes dry or are my contacts?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You know you\u2019ve got a problem, but you can\u2019t identify the underlying cause: you\u2019re constantly rubbing your eyes because they\u2019re dry, but are your contacts making your dry eyes worse? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve been wearing them for so long at this point, it may seem impossible to remember life before contact lenses. Did your eyes bother you this much before you started wearing them? Do you just have naturally dry eyes?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless, it is possible that your contacts are making the dryness worse. Before you can solve your dry contact issue, it\u2019s important to understand the root of the problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why are my eyes so dry? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are several reasons you may struggle with dry eyes: you could be taking medication that has that side effect. You could be experiencing the aftereffects of an allergic reaction. As you get older, your eyes naturally become a little dryer.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might also have dry eye syndrome (also known as dry eye disease or DED). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dry eye syndrome<\/a> is a condition that keeps your eyes from making their own moisture, and it\u2019s more common than you might think. If you consistently feel irritation in your eyes due to dryness, talk to your eye doctor about dry eye syndrome.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do have dry eye syndrome but can\u2019t imagine life without contact lenses, don\u2019t worry: there are specific contacts and solutions <\/strong>designed to help ease dry eye discomfort, and we\u2019ll go over those later on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"dry<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why are my contacts always so dry? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you only experience dryness in your eyes after wearing your contacts for a few hours, then you\u2019re probably not letting your contacts soak in enough solution<\/a>. Or worse, you\u2019re letting them soak in old contact solution.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can dry out your contacts, which will make them stiff and brittle and cause a lot of irritation when you wear them. And to make things worse, it\u2019s also possible for dry contacts to scratch your corneas, so be sure to properly moisturize your contacts before putting them in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also feasible that you\u2019re asking the wrong question \u2014 you believe your contacts are causing the dryness when, in fact, your eyes were already dry to begin with. If so, or if you have DED, then your contacts could very well be making your dry eye condition worse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 reasons contacts may make dry eye symptoms worse <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What is it about contacts that seem to worsen dry eye conditions? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Wearing contact lenses makes you blink less.<\/strong> You automatically blink less when staring at blue light (which you\u2019re doing right now \u2014 consider this a reminder to do your 20\/20\/20 exercise<\/a>), and believe it or not, you blink even less if you\u2019re staring at screens while wearing contacts. Blinking resets the moisture in your eye. If you have dry eyes, blinking less can cause even greater irritation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Contact lenses can trap dust and tiny particles.<\/strong> For people with normal moisture production in their eyes, they can simply blink away an eyelash or anything else that falls into their eyes. But contacts make this a bit more difficult.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your eyes feel dry and irritated, your contacts may have sealed in some unwelcome debris and no amount of blinking is going to untrap it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Contacts require you to touch your eyes.<\/strong> If you\u2019re not conscious of what\u2019s on your hands when you reach up to adjust or remove your contacts, you could be transferring germs or allergens that can cause irritation, dryness and other side effects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best contacts for dry eyes <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you wear contacts regularly and you have dry eye syndrome, it\u2019s likely that you deal with discomfort<\/a> on a daily basis. But it doesn’t have to be that way.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Switching to a different contact lens brand \u2014 one that offers greater moisture retention and increased oxygen flow \u2014 can give your eyes some relief. These contact lenses can create a more welcoming environment for moisture: <\/p>\n\n\n\n