Three Ways To Combat Contact Lens Discomfort

5 December 2016

Jaime Allen

While contact lenses are generally safe, they can sometimes be irritating for new wearers. Fortunately, there are ways around this discomfort. Here are just a few tips to keep your lenses comfortable.

Focus On Your Diet

A common source of discomfort for new contact lens wearers is irritation due to dry eyes. The drier your eyes are, the more you can feel the contact lens. Eye drops offer some relief, but artificial tears aren't exactly the same as natural tears. Consider focusing on your diet to help boost your tear production for a better outcome.

Overtime, foods that contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and flaxseed oil, can both help improve tear production and slow down the rate at which tears evaporate, keeping your eyes moister.

Tough It Out

If your contact lenses are causing pain, take them out and speak with your physician. However, if it's just mild discomfort, it might be wise to just tough it out. In most cases, it's not that there is something wrong; it's simply that you have to get adjusted to wearing them.

The more you force yourself to keep them in, the more you will get used to the way they feel and the more natural wearing them will become. Start off wearing them for a short amount of time at first and slowly increase the amount of time you wear them until they start to feel better.

Treat Your Allergies

If you suffer from allergies and you are experiencing discomfort, focus on treating your allergies. When you are exposed to allergens, eye irritation is often a symptom. Unfortunately, wearing contact lenses often only exacerbates the issue and intensifies the level of discomfort you experience.

The ideal solution would be to stay away from the allergen. However, you can also speak with your physician about a daily allergy medication you can take to help avoid symptoms. If you are experiencing allergy-related irritation, make sure you aren't rubbing your eyes. You might even consider taking the lenses out for a few moments to give your eyes a break if the irritation is intense.

If you're experiencing issues with your contact lenses, it's always wise to address the concern with your physician. As previously mentioned, the discomfort generally isn't anything serious. However, it's always wise to allow your physician to ensure there isn't any underlying issue that needs to be treated.

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