subject: Can contact lense wear cause dry eye? [print this page] Can contact lense wear cause dry eye? Can contact lense wear cause dry eye?
Eye irritations can be the result of intolerance of contact lenses and allergies to constituents found in cosmetics, the little applicators used to put them on, and the chemical preparations used to remove them.
You may have started wearing contact lenses|Contact lenses are generally prescribed to treat refractive errors, address incurable eye diseases, or to spruce up your looks (by changing eye colour, for example). The contact lens is one of the restricted extraneous objects that get into close, prolonged contact with your eye's sensitive tissue. It is, strictly speaking, a synthetic implant, equivalent to such manufactured objects as silicone breast implants, artificial heart valves, etc. The contact lens is likely to cause eye health issues because while it is lodged in your eye, it interrupts the normal operation and the protective mechanisms.
Dry eye can ensue from contact lens wear for many reasons.
Problems with Long-Term Wear
Over time, the unnatural pressure of contact lenses in the eye can deaden the nerves of the cornea. Decreased corneal nerve reactions can give rise to insufficient tear secretion and diminished blinking frequency. Irregular blinking can hurt the eye, as moisture is not well-spread throughout the eye. Ultimately, this can bring on a full-fledged dry eye syndrome.
A contact lens can improve vision only if the quality of your tears is adequate to float the lens properly. Tear films deficient in the watery tear layer or that evaporate too rapidly bar the contact lens from refracting light properly. The eye will get very painful from the strenuous exertions of uncorrected vision.
Problems with the Lens Itself
The lens exerts pressure as it rests on your eye's cornea. The constant pressure can deform the arc of the cornea and pack tight its fibrous tissues (called the stroma) into a denser layer. The mechanical damage can raise the temperature of the eyelids and the cornea, quickly causing inflammation.
Contact lens manufacture requires a high degree of precision in arcing the lens and a lens material that is clear, strong, safe, and non-irritant. These manufacturing demands are not always easy to match. Moreover, the cornea is a perpetually active membrane which unceasingly alters its curvature and depth during the day and over time. This makes fitting a contact lens very problematic. Inaccurate measurement can produce irregular astigmatism and other tforms of corneal damage.
The lens material also tends to sets up the internal environment for dryness. Soft contacts contain significant amounts of water. Paradoxically, as its water evaporates while the lens sits on your eye, the lens water can influence the eye's own moisture to vaporise along with it. Rigid contact lenses are impregnated with plastic material that repels water. In both instances, the lens itself provides the factors for dry eye syndrome.
The contact lens may also scrape the eye surface. They can catch dust particles or microorganisms, which stay under the lens, leading to inflammation and infection.
Complications from Inadequate Hygiene
A very widespread disease inconveniencing contact lens wearers is giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC). This disorder causes itching, redness, blurry vision, excessive mucous secretions, and even tiny globes of inflamed tissue on the lining of the upper eyelid.
GPC, contact dermatitis and other allergic reactions in the eye are encouraged to emerge when proteins and fats are left overlay the lens. These substances originate from many sources, such as make-up and preservatives (such as thimerosal) mixed in lens-care solutions.
In the case of make-up, the cosmetics do not necessarily have to be those applied to the eye area itself but to the hair, other parts of the face, or even the hands. A very frequent irritant is the emulsifier contained in water-based mascara (such as sodium borate and ammonium), which can irritate the inner lining of the eyelid (conjunctiva). Other frequent contributors of allergenic material are perfume components, preservatives and emulsifiers in different types of cosmetic products, as well as antibiotics and corticosteroids in topical medications.
To help avoid GPC and allergic reaction, perform enzyme treatments at least once a week on the lenses, comply with proper lens-care techniques, and make use of preservative-free lens care solutions. If you put mascara, make do with anhydrous, waterproof mascara instead. Thickening mascara and cream eye shadows are also less irritating than lash-lengthening mascara and powder shadows (which contain pigments and fibres that easily get into the eye).
Whilst contact lenses can be very helpful in vision problems and disease treatment, their application is not without risk. It is crucial to get updated information from your physician and to follow adequate hygiene. You can ask your doctor about medication to provide moisture to your eyes, such as cyclosporine combined with castor oil to induce tear production.
