Why Do My Contacts Feel Scratchy? 8 Ways to Keep Your Contacts Comfortable – Part 1
This is Part 1 in a 3-Part series on keeping your contact lenses comfortable. If you’ve worn lenses for a day or a lifetime, you know that when your contacts feel scratchy, you need relief! The first step in curing that discomfort is identifying why your eyes are comfortable.
In Part 1, we’ll discuss three of the most common issues: Dry Eyes, Allergies, and Eyelid or Corneal Inflammation.
1. Dry Eye
If you’ve ever suffered from dry eye, you know it’s something to cry about. Only problem is, your tears are the root of the problem. Poor tear quality or an inadequate amount of tears is the chief cause of dry eye—the common term for what happens when your eyes don’t have enough moisture to keep themselves well lubricated.
Redness, scratchiness, itchiness, and an overall feeling of discomfort are characteristic signs of dry eye. When you put your contact lenses in, your eye feels irritated and you experience even more discomfort.
If this sounds like you, talk to your optometrist about your options. Sometimes dry eye can be cured through drinking more water, wearing sunglasses when it’s windy outside, or over the counter eye drops. But, if your dry eye doesn’t resolve that easily you may need prescription drops or to change contact lens types.
2. Allergies
Dust mites, mold, pollen, and dander are the enemy if you suffer from allergies of any kind. Seasonal allergies, food allergies, and indoor allergies can all create itchy, runny (over-tearing), or red eyes. Allergies can make your eyes feel just plain terrible.
If you wear contact lenses and suffer from allergies, be careful! Your extended wear contacts can trap allergens in your eyes to irritate them further. Worse yet, allergens could build up on your lenses causing new irritation every time you put them in.
If allergies are an issue for you, consider switching to daily disposable lenses—so you can start fresh with a new pair of lenses each day. You can also consider over the counter allergy medications—including nasal sprays and eye drops—that can help alleviate your symptoms.
3. Eyelid or Corneal Inflammation
If your eyelid or cornea feels uncomfortable—if it burns, looks red, or stings—then you may be dealing with inflammation.
Eyelid inflammation happens when you get bacteria or a foreign substance (such as make up or dirt) clogged into your eyelid or lash line. The condition, known as Blepharitis, can make it extremely uncomfortable to wear your contact lenses (or blink!). When you stop blinking, your eyes get even drier, contributing to the problem. If you feel stinging or burning in your eyelids, see that your lid is swollen or see any other type of obvious inflammation, take your contacts out for a few days and use warm compresses until the skin around your eye heals.
Seek medical help from your optometrist if it doesn’t start getting better right away. You may need an antibiotic in prescription eye drops.
Corneal inflammation may not look as obvious, but it will feel obvious! Your eyes will feel scratchy and painful and your vision may be blurry. Bacteria, parasites, fungus, and injury (like wearing your contacts for longer than you’re supposed to!) all cause Keratitis—the technical name for inflammation of cornea.
If you think Keratitis may be causing your discomfort, take those contact lenses out and go see your optometrist. You don’t want to leave this condition untreated. It may clear up on it’s own after a few days without your lenses in. Or, you may need medication.
Read Part 2 where we’ll discuss what happens when you have something in your eye, get make up in your eye, or scratch your eye.
