Many patients suffer from contact lens complications that are easily avoidable. Here are some of the most common complications that contact lens wearers suffer from, and how you can avoid them.
1. Corneal Edema
If you have ever fallen asleep in your contact lenses and woke up to blurred vision for a few hours then you have experienced corneal edema.
Solution: Change contact lens material to increase oxygen transmission and have a good pair of back up eyeglasses to wear before bedtime to avoid forgetting to remove your contacts.
2. Cornea Neovascularization
Visible only by your eye doctor during your examination; it is caused by over wear of contacts. Either wearing your lenses for too many hours or by infrequent replacement of your contacts.
Solution: Change contact lens material to increase oxygen transmission, back up eyeglasses to reduce wearing time, and replacing and caring for your contacts as recommended.
3. Contact Lens Related Red Eye
More common in over night wearers, it presents with acute redness and irritation upon waking.
Solution: Change contact lens material to increase oxygen transmission, back up eyeglasses to reduce wearing time, and replacing and caring for your contact as recommended.
4. Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis
Cause by an allergic or mechanical reaction to the tarsal conjunctiva (under the upper eyelid). More common in over night wear, contact lens over wear, and those with allergies in general.
Solution: Responds best to daily disposable contacts.
5. Infection
Multiple factors can result in infection. The most common risk factors are over night contact lens wear, smoking, history of previous cornea scarring, and a past episode of contact lens related red eye or giant papillary conjunctivitis.
Solution: Change contact lens material to increase oxygen transmission, back up eyeglasses to reduce wearing time, and replacing and caring for your contacts as recommended.
To learn more about reducing your risk of contact lens related complications, schedule an appointment with us today.
By Dr. Cook