Contact Lens Problems: Causes, Symptoms & Solutions

Contact lenses often are a practical and convenient alternative to eyeglasses for many people. However, they may also cause problems that can result in discomfort, blurred vision and even pain.

Burning Sensation

• If your eyes begin to burn the moment you put in your contact lenses, then you could be contaminating them with a substance, including lotion, soap, moisturizer, makeup and perfume. The best way to avoid this burning sensation is to wash your hands with a mild soap and rinse them thoroughly before touching the contact lenses.

Dry Eyes

• Some contact lens wearers report that their eyes feel dry when wearing their contact lenses. If you experience a dry-eye feeling, you may try an over-the-counter eye drop to alleviate this discomfort. Your eye doctor may also recommend changing your contact lens prescription to one that is designed for individuals with dry eyes.

Discomfort

• If you feel discomfort when wearing your contact lenses, or if you have a feeling that something always is in your eyes, you could be wearing the wrong lenses. You will likely experience these symptoms if your contact lenses are the wrong diameter or base curve.

  Your lenses also may have lipid or protein deposits on them that can cause lens discomfort, in which case you should re-examine your lens care routine. You may also want to switch to daily disposable lenses to eliminate the problem of keeping your lenses clean.