Dry eyes is a function of the tears not producing enough water, oil, or mucin to keep the eyes moist. The patient will experience redness, dryness, or blurry vision. Contact lenses wrap around the eye, not letting it breathe as much as it should. Thus, it is often not a good idea to wear contact lenses while experiencing dry eyes. This is because there is an increased risk that the contact lens will scratch the cornea. If you feel the need to rub your eyes, even when the contact lenses are out of the eye, you may have a scratched cornea.
There are different contact lens brands on the market that are more geared towards those with dry eyes. Certainly, daily lenses gives the eyes the feel of fresh lenses everyday. We often reccomend Alcon Dailies Total 1 or Accuvue Oasys as a daily contact lens that is designed to keep the eye moist and prevent dryness. Gas Permeable lenses are also a great option, as they retain more water.
While there are vrious options of contact lenses suitable for those with dry eyes, when experiences dry eyes, it is always best to err on the side of caution and avoid wearing contact lenses until you see one of our Worcester eye doctors. Our Optometrists are trained at identfying the praticular type of dry eyes and if it inhibits your ability to wear contact lenses. Give us a call at 877-866-8566 to discuss further.