What Is the Connection between Contact Lenses and Dry Eyes?

Many people who wear contact lenses complain of constant dry eyes. This is likely because the main connection between contact lenses and dry eyes is that the former often causes the latter. The popularity of soft contact lenses does not help matters, as this type of lens contains water. As the water evaporates from the lens throughout the day, it draws moisture from the eye. Additionally, people who have worn contacts for years may have damaged the top layer of the eye, leading to both an inability to comfortably wear contact lenses and dry eyes.

Most soft contact lenses contain more water than other types of lenses do, which may sound like a positive trait. Unfortunately, the more water a lens contains, the more it tends to take from the eye when it dries up throughout the day. Lenses are particularly likely to dry out quickly when exposed to cigarette smoke, windy conditions, air conditioning, or heating. Thus, people who want to avoid the cause and effect connection between contact lenses and dry eyes should consider using lenses other than the soft, water-filled kind.

It might sound preferable to wear Rigid Gas Permeable lenses instead, as they do not contain any water. Thus, they do not need to wick moisture away from the eyes. Unfortunately, this does not usually solve the issue since they repel water, which means that they do not work very well with the tear film. The rigidity and incompatibility with water often makes it even worse for dry eyes than soft lenses. A compromise between soft lenses and the Rigid Gas Permeable kind is the hydrogel type, as these lenses contain a small amount of water.

There is another likely connection between contact lenses and dry eyes, especially among people who have worn them for several years. Extensive use of contacts can result in damage to the outer layer of the eye, as the lenses may constantly rub on the surface and eliminate the specialized structures just outside the cornea. As these tiny structures have the job of keeping the tear film balanced, it should come as no surprise that serious damage to them can result in dry eyes. For this reason, those who have experienced an uncomfortable connection between contact lenses and dry eyes due to constant use of lenses may need to either take a break from them for a while to let their eyes heal, or switch to a contact that is easier on the eyes. Adding eye drops to the routine and avoiding smoke, excess wind, and heat may also help.