Contact lenses are a great option for people who need to correct their vision but don’t want to wear glasses all the time. These lenses also provide accurate vision correction and better side vision compared to glasses. Because they are available in various types, it’s easy to find lenses that meet your individual needs.
As wonderful as contacts are, they can be uncomfortable to wear at times. If your lenses have been bothering you, follow these tips and see if they help. If they don’t, schedule an eye exam with your eye doctor in Brooklyn NY to rule out an underlying health problem.
Use Artificial Tears
Artificial tears can help relieve occasional dryness. It’s best to get a recommendation from your Brooklyn eye doctor because not all eye drops are compatible with all lenses. If you use the wrong drops, they could discolor or ruin your lenses. Your eye doctor will probably tell you to avoid products that “get the red out” because they constrict the blood vessels. While these drops are effective at reducing red eyes, they won’t help with dryness.
Take a Nutritional Supplement
Your diet plays a key role in your vision and eye health because you need the right vitamins and nutrients to produce tears and keep the eyes healthy. Research has found that omega-3s and flaxseed oil can produce high-quality tears that will not evaporate right away. You can get omega-3s in fatty fish or take a flaxseed oil supplement. Talk to your doctor for the correct dosage.
Change Your Eyecare Products
If you’re wearing the wrong contacts or using a solution that you’re sensitive to, changing these products will relieve discomfort. For example, some people need to wear hydrogel soft contact lenses because they hold more water. Others need silicone hydrogel lenses that bring more oxygen to the eye. Visit your eye specialist in Brooklyn NY to discuss the different contact lenses available.
Get Treated for Allergies
If you get a clean bill of health from your eye doctor in Brooklyn NY, consider seeing an allergist. Environmental allergens like dust, dander and pollen can stick to the surface of your lenses and cause irritation.
Cleaning your lenses every day is the best way to avoid buildup, but it’s possible that you are highly sensitive to these allergens and need something more. If you have allergies, your doctor may suggest allergy medications, antihistamine eye drops and/or daily disposable lenses.
In most cases, contact wearers find relief by treating underlying allergies, using artificial tears and switching to soft disposable lenses. Reducing the number of hours you wear your contacts can also be helpful. To discuss your options for more comfortable lenses, contact Empire Retina Consultants today.