THE COMFORTABLE CONTACT LENS
Do your wish your contact lenses were more comfortable? Do you wear your glasses more often because your contact lenses are too much of a hassle? In a recent study, 1500 glasses wearers were surveyed and 19% had previously worn contact lenses. A large 47% of those said that discomfort was the primary reason for no longer wearing the contact lenses. Another survey, given by the Contact Lens Council, showed that 69% of consumers were not aware of new lens materials that help to alleviate dry eye symptoms. Even if you are happy in your contact lenses, there are also a number of tasks you can add to your daily routine to help enhance your comfort level.
To improve upon the contact lenses you already enjoy, we can remind you of some basic steps that may be overlooked. The first is your solution. Many brand name solutions have extra hydrating and wetting agents in them that help make the contact lens more comfortable throughout the day. These agents are not always found in the generic brands of solution. Also, the rub and rinse cleaning step is something we all used to do and have fallen away from. Contact lenses sit in the tear film all day. They build up proteins and salts from your tears. Even if your solution box says it is not necessary, the fact is that the actual rubbing of the lens against your hand does get them much cleaner. Finally, the most important step to remember when caring for your contact lenses is to throw them away on time. Most patients wear some type of disposable contact lens. Studies show that only about 66% of patients are compliant. Not only does throwing away your old lenses optimize your comfort, it is much healthier for the eye making it cleaner and giving the cornea more oxygen.
If you are already a diligent contact lens wearer, and still cannot wear your contact lenses all day without having to clean them, maybe a new material is right for you. Over the past several years, silicone hydrogels have become very popular among both doctors and patients. These lenses allow more oxygen to the eye and can result in less dryness and less redness throughout the day. There are also new thinner materials like omafilicon A. This material is thin and non-irritating and has been shown to be a great lens for dry, irritated, allergy eyes. Finally, if you have never been able to wear lenses for more than 3-4 days in a row, daily disposables may be a good option for you. These lenses are light and thin and are thrown away every day. This way the eye gets a fresh contact lens every morning.
As you can see, many steps can be taken to make you a happier contact lens wearer. If you are interested in discussing contact lenses with us, please give us a call.
“Derail dropouts” By Mile Brujic, OD, and Jason Miller OD, MBA taken from the magazine Review of Cornea and Contact Lenses