Millions of Americans wear contact lenses to correct refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. They’re more discreet than glasses and enhance your central and peripheral vision, which is why so many people rely on them.
Despite these benefits, contacts come with risks. If you don’t clean them regularly or insert and remove them properly, they can cause an eye infection, which can temporarily affect your vision and daily life.
At Wide Eye Optometry in Encino, Santa Clarita, and Palmdale, California, Mary Demirjian, OD, and our team know how irritating contact-related eye infections can be — and how quickly they need treatment to safeguard your vision.
To help educate contact-wearing patients, this blog highlights three of the most common symptoms of contact-related eye infections, so you can seek treatment if they appear.
Contacts often cause redness, irritation, and dry eyes, especially for new wearers. But these symptoms typically resolve after you remove your contacts or switch to a more breathable type.
If your eyes remain red for several days or feel gritty, as if something is stuck in your eye, even after removing your contacts or changing your wearing habits, it may indicate an infection.
Microorganisms, such as viruses, fungi, and bacteria, can come into contact with your lenses through your fingers, your contact lens holder, or the solution you use to store them. Any ongoing discomfort is a warning sign and should be investigated with a comprehensive eye exam.
New contact lens wearers often report that their eyes feel watery or tear more than usual. This happens because the eyes may treat contacts as a foreign object and try to flush them out. However, most excess tearing typically improves within a few days as your eyes adjust.
If your eyes continue to water for a week or longer, or the discharge isn’t clear, but yellow or green, it’s important to identify the cause. This is especially true if your eyelids feel sticky or the tearing interferes with driving and other daily activities.
The sooner you begin treatment, the sooner you can clear up your eyes and feel better.
Blurred vision and sensitivity to light are common side effects of keratitis, an infection of the cornea, or the clear, dome-shaped surface of the eye. Although symptoms are typically mild at first, without treatment, the infection can worsen, scar your cornea, and increase the risk of permanent vision loss.
If you wear contacts and notice either of these symptoms, don’t wait for an evaluation. After discussing your symptoms and completing a comprehensive eye exam, we can identify the cause and make personalized treatment recommendations.
Treatment for contact-related eye infections usually involves prescription antiviral, anti-fungal, or antibacterial eye drops, depending on the cause of the infection.
In addition to administering your eyedrops, we may advise you to:
Following these guidelines can help prevent an infection from recurring and keep your vision sharp.
Contact-related eye infections can make your eyes itchy, red, and uncomfortable. In severe instances, they may even affect your vision. If you suspect you may have one, don’t wait to get treated — we’re always here to help. Schedule a visit at Wide Eye Optometry in Encino, Santa Clarita, or Palmdale, California, today.