Many people suffer from the condition known as dry eye syndrome. It is where not enough moisture is being provided to the eyes to lubricate them and as a result it causes irritation and inflammation to the front (anterior) tissue of the sufferer’s eyes. In this article we provide some more info about dry eyes and how it affects contact lenses wear.
So what causes a person to suffer from the syndrome known as Keratitis Sicca (Dry Eyes)?
In most people it is as a result of them growing older and can especially affect women when they are going through the menopause. Some people may suffer from this syndrome as a result of medication that they are taking prescribed by their doctor. The types of prescribed medications that can lead to a person suffering from this condition are antidepressants, antihistamine tablets, some kinds of blood pressure and Parkinson’s medications. Plus women who take birth control pills may suffer from this problem.
Also anyone who lives where the climate is dry, windy and dust could develop this syndrome. Plus it is quite common for people who work in offices or whose homes have air conditioning or dry heating systems installed. Another reason why a person may also suffer from this condition is because they have developed systemic diseases like Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ocular Rosacea or Sjogren ’s syndrome.
Finally of course people who like to wear contact lenses for extended periods of time can be affected by dry eye syndrome as well. However there are certain things that they can do to actually combat and prevent this condition. The way they combat dry eyes when wearing contact lenses for any length of time is as follows:
1. Use some contact lens rewetting drops as it will help to temporarily relief the irritation one feels when the moisture in the eyes has been removed. If you have sensitive eyes then it is best to use ones that are free from preservatives.
2. Another way to reduce the effects that dry eyes have on contact lenses wear is to removed them during the day and soak them in saline solution again. Even just soaking them for a few minutes can prove effective in reducing the irritation you feel if you suffer from Dry Eyes when you are wearing your contact lenses.
3. Whether you wear daily disposables or the monthly types of contact lenses you must make sure that you take care of them properly. Also you should use new lenses as prescribed by your optician. If you don’t replace them on a regular basis then there is the opportunity for proteins to build up on them and as a result can lead to you suffering more from Dry Eye syndrome in the future. Also if you are cleaning your lenses after every use you may find that using a more powerful cleaning solution can aid in preventing this problem becoming worse.
If you keep in mind what we have discussed above in relation to info about dry eyes and how it affects contact lenses wear then you shouldn’t suffer from this condition in the future.