Contact Lenses for Dry Eyes At Our Optics&EYECARE in Ashburn, VA

Dry eye is bothersome for many reasons: It makes your eyes feel gritty, can produce the sensation of foreign objects being present, can make your eyes red and watery, and more. This condition can also make it hard to wear contact lenses. We at Optics&EYECARE of Ashburn, VA are happy to let you know that there are solutions to this problem that don't involve going back to glasses.

Why do Dry Eyes Interfere with Contact Lens Usage?

Typical contact lenses are meant to rest on the film of tears that should be present on top of your cornea. When you have little or no tears in this location, the lens directly touches your eye, which is uncomfortable at best.

Dry Eye Caused by Contact Lenses

Some cases of dry eye are directly caused by contact lenses. This happens when you use a type of lenses that pull too much moisture from your eye. Fortunately, for most people, simply getting a change of contact lens types will fix this problem.

Dry Eye from Other Issues

If your eyes are dry even when you're not wearing contacts, it is likely that something else is causing them. There are contact lenses for you, too, but they will likely be of a different type than those used when the lenses are the issue.

Options for Dry Eye Sufferers

Those whose dry eyes are caused by standard lenses should be prescribed a variety that has more moisture already present. One type is Bausch + Lomb Ultra silicone hydrogel lenses, which are made to help seal moisture against your eye instead of sucking it up. Another option is Alcon's Dailies Total 1, which have the unique property of having most of their internal moisture concentrated on their fronts and backs instead of in the middle. Many other brands meant to conserve eye moisture also exist.

If your eyes are dry even without contact lenses, the approach taken is a bit different. Then, it's often better to use a lens that doesn't contact the cornea at all. Scleral lenses are a bit bigger than regular ones, and their edges rest on the sclera – or white part – of your eye. This completely avoids corneal contact.

Another option is to use orthokeratology or ortho-k. With this system, you wear lenses only while you sleep. During that time, they temporarily reshape your cornea so that it focuses light better. These lenses are removed during the day, so you get better vision with no lens discomfort.

Contact Our Optics&EYECARE in Ashburn, VA Today!

If you've been suffering dry eye symptoms while wearing regular contact lenses, make an appointment for an exam and consultation today. We're Optics&EYECARE, and we're in Ashburn, VA. Call us at 703-687-4719.