10 Contact Lens Problems You’re Probably Ignoring But Shouldn’t

Do you count yourself among the 45 million contact lens wearers who often brush off those annoying lens problems? Contact lenses give you convenience and better looks compared to regular glasses, but they come with their share of risks. The chances of losing vision from contact lenses are actually 5 times higher than from laser eye surgery. This eye-opening fact shows why you need to take lens-related problems seriously.

Dry eyes and blurred vision are common issues that signal problems you shouldn’t ignore. You might have felt that scratchy feeling or worried about your lenses getting lost behind your eyes, which is physically impossible. Other complications can develop when you wear your lenses for too long. Modern solutions like silicone hydrogel lenses let your eyes breathe better, and daily disposables help you avoid the buildup that happens with two-weekly and monthly lenses. Laser eye surgery could eliminate these worries. This piece will walk you through the ten most common contact lens problems. You’ll learn why they happen, what risks they pose, and practical ways to keep your eyes healthy and comfortable.

Burning and Itchy Eyes

Your eyes feel like they’re on fire and itch when you wear contact lenses. This isn’t just annoying – your body wants to tell you something’s wrong. You need to learn why it happens, understand the risks, and know what to do before serious eye problems develop.

Burning and itchy eyes cause

Allergies top the list of what makes contact lenses uncomfortable. Nearly half the world’s population deals with some type of allergy each year, and over 25% of UK residents have at least one allergy. Your lenses can trap allergens like pollen, pet dander or dust against your eyes, which makes your allergic reaction worse. Dry eye syndrome often explains that burning feeling, especially when your lenses limit tear flow and oxygen to your cornea. The fit of your lenses matters too – lenses that don’t match your eye’s exact shape create friction and irritation. Bad hygiene makes things worse. Dirty hands transfer makeup, soap residue, or hand sanitiser right onto your eye’s delicate surface. Wearing lenses longer than recommended starves your cornea of oxygen, creating what doctors call “contact overwear syndrome”.

Here are more reasons this happens:

• Lens solution sensitivity
• Blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid)
• Digital eye strain from too much screen time
• Contact lens-induced conjunctivitis (also called giant papillary conjunctivitis)
• Tiny scratches from damaged lenses

Burning and itchy eyes risks

These symptoms can lead to serious problems if you ignore them. Keratitis – corneal inflammation – ranks as the biggest concern. It can turn into microbial keratitis when bacteria invade the corneal tissue. You might need a corneal transplant or even go blind in severe cases. Your eyes could develop corneal abrasions (surface scratches) or hypoxia (oxygen starvation) from ongoing irritation. You might have to stop wearing contacts if you let early warning signs go unchecked, as your eyes become intolerant.

Burning and itchy eyes solutions

Take your lenses out as soon as they bother you. This simple step lets your eyes breathe and recover. Use preservative-free artificial tears to wash away any debris after removal. A cold compress on closed eyelids helps reduce inflammation quickly. All the same, you need to fix what’s causing the problem to feel better long-term.

Keep your lenses clean by:

1. Using clean hands to handle lenses
2. Using fresh solution (never add new to old)
3. Getting new lens cases on schedule

See an eye doctor if problems continue. They might suggest daily disposables to avoid protein buildup or hydrogel lenses that stay moist if dry eyes cause your trouble. Whatever causes your discomfort, don’t try to tough it out you could damage your vision permanently.

Gritty Sensation in the Eye

That uncomfortable “sand in your eye” feeling many contact lens wearers experience isn’t just annoying, it’s a warning sign that your eyes need attention. This gritty feeling usually gets worse as the day goes on, and by evening, you’re desperate for relief.

Gritty sensation causes

Dry eye syndrome causes that sandy, scratchy feeling in your eyes. Contact lenses disrupt your natural tear film by soaking up moisture and making tears evaporate faster. Your lens blocks oxygen from reaching the eye when it sits on the cornea, which makes it hard for your eyes to produce enough natural tears. Lens deposits add to this problem a lot. Proteins, calcium, and other substances build up on the lens surface when you wear them longer than recommended. Screen time, heating, and air conditioning make things worse by slowing down your natural blink rate from 15-20 blinks per minute to as few as 5. A poor-fitting lens creates friction on your eye’s surface that disrupts the tear film and makes the gritty feeling worse. Each time you blink, the friction between your eyelid and a dry lens can damage your eye’s sensitive tissue.

Gritty sensation risks

This constant grittiness can lead to corneal abrasions or ulcers if you don’t address it. The damage to your eyelid’s edge (lid wiper epitheliopathy) shows up in 80% of symptomatic contact lens wearers. In comparison, only 13% of people without symptoms have it. Your lens tolerance might decrease over time, forcing you to wear them less. Discomfort and dryness are the main reasons people stop wearing contacts. The constant friction creates perfect conditions for infections to grow, especially if you don’t take care of your lenses properly.

Gritty sensation solutions

Daily disposable lenses help a lot since you never have to worry about protein buildup. Silicone hydrogel lenses let up to five times more oxygen reach your eyes compared to traditional materials. Good lens hygiene is vital, never use old solution or wear your lenses longer than recommended. Preservative-free artificial tears can give you quick relief, though they won’t fix what’s causing the problem.

Simple changes to your environment can make a big difference. The 20-20-20 rule helps during screen time: look at something 20 feet away every 20 minutes for 20 seconds. Drinking enough water and using a humidifier can make your eyes feel better, too. You should see an eye doctor if your symptoms don’t go away. They might suggest switching to a hydrogen peroxide-based cleaning system, which often makes lenses feel more comfortable. Laser eye surgery could be your best option if nothing else works, since it eliminates the need for contact lenses.

Blurred Vision with Contacts

Is your vision getting blurry through your contact lenses? Blurred vision is one of the most frustrating problems contact lens users face. You should never ignore this warning sign. Clear vision affects everything you do in your daily life.

Blurred vision causes

Your prescription might be outdated. Eyes change naturally over time. This happens especially when you have ageing-related conditions like presbyopia. Your current lenses might not give you the proper correction anymore. People with astigmatism need special toric lenses to see clearly. Dry eye syndrome is another big reason for blurry vision. Your contacts can’t sit right on your cornea if you don’t produce enough quality tears. This makes everything look hazy. Many contact lens users deal with this problem, which gets worse as the day goes on. Protein deposits and debris can block your vision. This happens most often with monthly and two-weekly lenses that aren’t cleaned well enough. Even well-maintained lenses can get cloudy spots if you wear them longer than recommended.

Here are other common reasons:

• Your allergies cause too many tears, so your lenses don’t stay in place
• You put your lenses in wrong (flipped inside-out or mixed up left and right)
• Your lenses moved out of position
• Your eyes need time to adjust to new prescriptions

Blurred vision risks

Ongoing vision problems might point to something serious. Keratitis (corneal inflammation) is the biggest concern. It can turn into microbial keratitis when germs infect your cornea. The worst cases can lead to scarred corneas, permanent vision loss, or the need for a corneal transplant. Doctors warn that microbial keratitis poses a real danger to contact lens users. Sudden blurry vision is a key warning sign. This is a big deal as it means that wearing your lenses when your vision is blurry raises your risk of these complications.

Blurred vision solutions

You need regular eye exams – at least every two years or whenever your eye doctor recommends, got new lenses? Give your eyes 10-12 days to adjust before you worry. Good lens care makes a huge difference. Clean your hands before touching lenses. Use only fresh solution, never water. Don’t swim or shower with contacts in. Follow your replacement schedule exactly. Daily disposables might work better if deposits keep building up despite good cleaning. Dry eyes making things blurry? Try lubricating drops made for contact lenses. Your eye doctor might give you prescription drops or suggest special dry-eye lenses for more challenging cases. Take your contacts out right away if they suddenly get blurry and your eyes hurt, look red, or have discharge. These signs might mean you have an infection that needs quick medical attention.

Red or Bloodshot Eyes

Do your eyes look bloodshot after wearing contacts? You just need to pay attention to this warning sign right away. Doctors call it conjunctival injection. Your eyes turn pink or red when tiny blood vessels on the surface become swollen and inflamed. This common problem usually means something’s wrong with how you wear or care for your lenses.

Red eyes cause

We traced most red eye problems to several contact lens issues. Contact lens overwear tops the list of common causes. Your cornea doesn’t get enough oxygen when you wear lenses longer than recommended. Contact Lens-induced Acute Red Eye (CLARE) happens because bacterial toxins build up on your lenses. People who sleep with their contacts often face this problem. These toxins usually wash away when you blink, but they stick to the lens while you sleep.

Here are other key causes:

• Allergic reactions to lens solutions or the lens material itself
• Poorly fitted lenses that rub against your eye
• Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
• Dry eye syndrome
• Eye infections like keratitis

Red eyes from contact lenses aren’t just annoying – they’re your body’s way of saying something’s wrong.

Red eyes risks

The Red eyes can lead to serious problems if you ignore them. Microbial keratitis stands out as one of the scariest risks for contact wearers. This severe eye infection might cause blindness or force you to get a corneal transplant in the worst cases. CLARE shows your eyes are fighting back under low-oxygen stress. Small infiltrates often appear, and they could turn into something more serious without treatment. You might develop corneal ulcers that can permanently damage your eyes. Think of bloodshot eyes as your body’s alarm system. These early warning signs protect you from conditions that could harm your vision forever.

Red eyes solutions

Take out your contacts as soon as you notice redness. This simple step often helps your eyes recover quickly. For mild cases, try using over-the-counter artificial tears. Cold compresses work well on closed eyelids, especially when allergies cause your symptoms. You should see an eye doctor if the problem lasts more than 24-48 hours. Treatment usually starts by stopping contact lens wear for several weeks, depending on how bad it is. Your eye doctor might suggest:

• Broad-spectrum topical antibiotics if corneal staining shows up
• Steroid/antibiotic combinations to fight inflammation
• A switch to daily disposable lenses after you heal

Note that any painful red eye needs urgent medical care, particularly if light bothers you or your vision changes. Never risk your eye health just to keep wearing contacts.

Contact Lenses Dry Eyes

Dry eyes affect between 30% and 50% of contact lens wearers at some point. This makes it one of the most common contact lens problems. Many people give up their lenses because of this issue. You need to understand how contact lenses and dry eyes interact to keep your eyes healthy and comfortable.

Dry eyes cause

Contact lens-induced dry eye (CLIDE) happens when the lens material limits oxygen flow to your eye’s surface. Your eyes can’t produce natural tears without enough oxygen. Modern lenses let oxygen pass through, but they still affect your tear film’s balance. Your tear film needs three vital layers, oil, water, and mucus, to work correctly. Contact lenses disrupt this balance in several ways:

• Lenses with high water content pull moisture from your eyes to stay hydrated
• Protein and lipid deposits build up on the lenses and irritate your eyes
• Lenses that don’t fit well create friction and mess up tear distribution

Screen time makes dry eye symptoms worse. Your blink rate drops from 15-20 blinks per minute to just 5 blinks during screen time. Your tears don’t spread evenly when this happens.

Dry eyes risks

Your cornea can develop abrasions or ulcers if dry eyes persist. The risk of corneal infiltrate events is 12.5 times higher with reusable lenses than with daily disposables. Dry eyes limit your daily lens wear time. You might develop contact lens intolerance and have to stop wearing them. Research shows dry eye discomfort leads to most people quitting contact lenses.

Dry eyes solutions

Daily disposable lenses prevent deposit buildup. The Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society recommends this switch to help people keep wearing contacts. Hydrogen peroxide cleaning systems work better for reusable lenses because they don’t have irritating preservatives. You can get quick relief with preservative-free artificial tears made for contact lenses. Prescription medications like topical cyclosporine help reduce inflammation and boost tear production in challenging cases.

Small changes in your routine can help a lot. Try the 20-20-20 rule: look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. Put your computer screen slightly down (10 degrees) to feel more comfortable and reduce dry eye issues. Do you deal with contact lens discomfort more than you’d like? Constant irritation, dryness, or dependence on drops might mean it’s time to learn about permanent options like laser eye surgery or lens replacement. Talk to a specialist at Precision Vision London about finding a long-term solution for your eyes. Moist heat compress treatments can add up to three hours of comfortable wear time. Your eye health might need you to rethink how you use contact lenses.

Difficulty Inserting Contact Lenses

The daily ritual of inserting contact lenses can become a frustrating struggle for many users. This seemingly simple task may trigger anxiety and discomfort even after years of wear. Learning about the causes, risks, and solutions to insertion difficulties will help you overcome this common contact lens challenge.

Insertion difficulty causes

Most insertion troubles stem from a natural fear and anxiety about touching your eyes. Your eyes’ protective reflex causes them to close involuntarily when objects come near. New wearers face additional challenges because they haven’t developed the needed muscle memory for proper technique. Dry eyes make the process notably more complicated since lenses need proper moisture to stick to your cornea. The lens might repeatedly slip off without enough natural tears. Your fingers’ contamination from cosmetics, hand lotion, or soap residue can also make lenses uncomfortable during insertion. Poorly fitted lenses create another obstacle, especially when you have smaller eyes or narrower eyelid openings. This fact emphasises why professional fitting from qualified optometrists matters so much.

Insertion difficulty risks

The immediate frustration of insertion problems might lead you to give up contact lenses despite their benefits. CDC studies show a more serious concern – about 55% of wearers don’t use a fresh solution each time, which significantly increases infection risks. Failed attempts can cause corneal abrasions or scratches. These surface injuries feel uncomfortable and can create entry points for bacteria, which raises your risk of serious eye infections.

Insertion difficulty solutions

Clean hands are essential – use antibacterial soap and dry them with lint-free towels to avoid fibre transfer onto lenses.

Try these insertion methods:

• Place the lens on your fingertip, hold your upper eyelid open with one hand, pull down your lower lid with your middle finger, then gently place the lens.
• Place the lens on your eye’s white part while looking upward, then adjust its position by looking around.

Let the lens rest against your eye for about one second before releasing. This allows corneal fluids to create adhesion. Remember to be patient – experienced wearers took weeks to perfect their technique. Preservative-free lubricating drops can help moisten your eyes before insertion if problems continue. You might also want to learn about permanent vision correction options like laser eye surgery that eliminate the daily challenge of lens insertion completely.

Difficulty Removing Contact Lenses

Have you ever tried to remove a contact lens that just won’t budge from your eye? Many lens wearers face this frustrating situation that can quickly become worrying if not handled correctly.

Removal difficulty causes

Dry eyes are the main reason contact lenses become hard to remove. Lenses stick more firmly to your eye’s surface when they lose moisture. This happens when you wear them longer than recommended, and they dry out. Your lenses might not fit right – that’s another reason they’re tough to remove. Lenses that fit too tight don’t move as they should and create more potent suction. Sleeping with your lenses makes things worse because your tear flow drops during sleep, and makes lenses stick firmly to your cornea. People with longer nails need to be extra careful. Using nails instead of fingerpads to pinch lenses could harm both the lens and your eye.

Removal difficulty risks

You might scratch your cornea or get corneal abrasions if you keep trying to remove a stuck lens. These scratches let bacteria enter your eye. The injuries hurt and might lead to serious eye infections. Poor lens care and corneal damage could lead to severe infections in the worst cases. Acanthamoeba Keratitis, though rare, stands out as a serious condition that could cause permanent vision loss or blindness.

Removal difficulty solutions

Start with lubricating eye drops made for contact lenses – they help make the lens more movable by adding moisture. The lens comes out easier if you slide it to your eye’s white part first, where there’s less suction.

A stuck lens shouldn’t make you panic or try to force it out. Here’s what to do instead:

1. Put in several drops of preservative-free lubricating solution
2. Blink multiple times to help the lens get wet again
3. Close your eye and gently massage the upper eyelid until you feel the lens move

Your optometrist can suggest special contact lens removal tools if needed. These include small suction devices or soft-tipped tweezers that lift lenses safely. If removing lenses keeps giving you trouble, you might want to think over permanent options like laser eye surgery at Precision Vision London.

Corneal Hypoxia from Contact Lenses

The cornea has no blood vessels but needs constant oxygen to work correctly. This unique feature makes contact lens wearers prone to corneal hypoxia. In this condition, the eye’s clear front surface doesn’t get enough oxygen.

Corneal hypoxia causes

The cornea gets oxygen straight from the atmosphere. Modern lenses have improved, but most create a barrier between your cornea and its oxygen supply. Sleeping with contacts is nowhere near safe because it reduces oxygen availability. The closed-eye environment provides just one-third of the oxygen compared to an open eye. Your lens material is a vital part of this equation. Standard soft lenses with high water content can block oxygen from reaching your cornea. The situation worsens in low-humidity environments like air-conditioned rooms. These conditions make lenses dehydrate and reduce their oxygen transmission even further.

Corneal hypoxia risks

Your cornea switches to anaerobic respiration when it doesn’t get enough oxygen. This process produces excess lactic acid and creates an osmotic load. Water gets drawn into the cornea faster than it can leave, which leads to corneal swelling or oedema.

The original symptoms include:

• Blurred vision
• Burning sensations
• Excessive tearing
• Scratchy feeling in the eye

Severe cases can kill epithelial cells. The condition might cause corneal cysts, and new blood vessels could grow into the cornea. This growth is serious because the cornea needs to stay clear and free of vessels.

Corneal hypoxia solutions

Silicone hydrogel or gas-permeable lenses let more oxygen reach your cornea. These lenses are the best way to prevent hypoxia. However, you should limit wear time even with these advanced materials. Never sleep in lenses unless your doctor prescribes them for overnight wear. Precision Vision London’s specialists can review whether laser eye surgery suits your situation if hypoxia problems persist. This option could free you from contact lenses altogether.

Eye Infections from Contact Lenses

Contact lens infections are the scariest complications you’ll face as a lens wearer. These infections can damage your vision forever if you don’t treat them quickly.

Eye infection causes

Bad hygiene leads to most infection risks, and sleeping with contacts causes 43% of cases. Bacteria start growing under lenses that aren’t clean enough or sit in dirty cases. Your risk of getting Acanthamoeba keratitis goes up a lot when you swim or shower with your lenses. Using tap water to clean lenses or adding new solution to old solution creates the perfect breeding ground for germs.

Eye infection risks

Eye infections spread faster and cause pain, blurry vision, light sensitivity, and discharge. Keratitis, which inflames your cornea, is the most common type. It affects 2-5 people out of every 10,000 lens wearers each year. Infections that go untreated can scar your cornea, take away your vision, or even cause blindness in the worst cases. Daily disposable lenses are nowhere near as risky as other types.

Eye infection solutions

Take your contacts out right away if you notice any symptoms. Getting medical help quickly gives you the best shot at recovery. Prevention is a vital part of eye care. Clean your hands really well before touching lenses, stick to recommended solutions, avoid sleeping in lenses unless your doctor says it’s okay, and get a new lens case every three months. Laser eye surgery could be your best option to end contact lens use if you keep getting infections.

Allergic Reactions to Contact Lenses

Contact lens wearers often mistake allergic reactions for simple irritation that causes itchy, red eyes. Research shows that allergies affect 15-20% of people worldwide, and 40-60% of these individuals experience eye-related symptoms.

Allergic reaction causes

In stark comparison to this common misconception, contact lenses rarely cause allergies themselves. These allergic reactions typically come from:

• Protein and lipid deposits that build up on reusable lenses
• Preservatives in cleaning solutions, especially when you have thiomersal
• Environmental allergens (pollen, dust, pet dander) that stick to lenses

People with existing allergic conditions face a five times higher risk of developing eye symptoms. The situation becomes more complex because allergy medications can reduce tear production and create a cycle of discomfort.

Allergic reaction risks

Left untreated, allergic reactions can lead to severe conditions:

• Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC) – large bumps appear on the upper eyelid with mucous discharge
• Contact Lens-induced Peripheral Ulcer (CLPU) – infiltrative keratitis linked to preservative sensitivity
• Superior Limbic Keratoconjunctivitis (SLK) – develops from hypoxia and solution reactions

These conditions often leave people with no choice but to stop wearing contact lenses.

Allergic reaction solutions

Quick relief requires these steps:

1. Take out your lenses as soon as discomfort starts
2. Use cold compresses to reduce inflammation
3. Try preservative-free artificial tears

The most extensive longitudinal study showed that 67% of people found relief by switching to daily disposable lenses. Daily disposables eliminate the problem of protein buildup. Newer-generation antihistamine eye drops (olopatadine, ketotifen) can help with persistent symptoms. You should use them twice daily—15 minutes before putting in lenses and after taking them out. The whole ordeal with allergic reactions might lead you to consider laser eye surgery at Precision Vision London as a permanent solution that eliminates the need for contact lenses.

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Conclusion

This piece covers ten common contact lens problems that many people wrongly ignore. Your eyes might burn and itch, or you might get serious infections. These warning signs just need quick attention – you shouldn’t brush them off. What seems like minor discomfort can become sight-threatening if you don’t treat it, especially with poor lens hygiene or wearing lenses too long.

Today’s contact lenses work better than older versions, but they still have their challenges. Up to half of all lens wearers deal with dry eyes. Protein deposits, allergic reactions, and lenses that don’t fit right cause ongoing discomfort for many others. These issues can affect your daily life and might damage your eye health over time. Do you struggle with contact lens discomfort more than you’d like to admit? When irritation, dryness, or dependence become part of your daily life, you might want to think about permanent vision correction options like laser eye surgery or lens replacement. A specialist at Precision Vision London can help you figure out if a long-term solution suits your eyes.

Your eye health should never take a back seat to convenience. Daily disposables, preservative-free solutions, and strict hygiene practises help manage common issues. Notwithstanding that, these approaches only deal with symptoms instead of fixing the absolute need for vision correction. You might want to think about alternatives to contacts that could give you the freedom, comfort, and peace of mind you deserve after dealing with lens-related problems for years.

Key Takeaways

Contact lens problems aren’t just minor inconveniences—they’re warning signs that could lead to serious eye complications if ignored. Here are the essential insights every lens wearer should know:

• Remove lenses immediately when experiencing discomfort – burning, itching, or gritty sensations signal potential infections or corneal damage that require prompt attention
• Daily disposables significantly reduce infection risk – they eliminate protein buildup and contamination issues that plague monthly and weekly lenses
• Poor hygiene causes 43% of contact lens infections – always wash hands thoroughly, use fresh solution, and never sleep in lenses unless prescribed
• Dry eyes affect 30-50% of contact lens wearers – this condition can progress to corneal abrasions and force lens abandonment if left untreated
• Persistent problems may indicate a need for permanent solutions – recurring discomfort suggests laser eye surgery could eliminate contact lens dependency entirely

The risk of vision loss from contact lenses is actually five times higher than from laser eye surgery, making proper lens care and recognising warning signs crucial for protecting your sight.

FAQs

Q1. What are the most common problems associated with wearing contact lenses? The most common issues include dry eyes, red or bloodshot eyes, blurred vision, difficulty inserting or removing lenses, and eye infections. These problems can range from minor discomfort to potentially sight-threatening conditions if left untreated.

Q2. How can I prevent eye infections from contact lens use? To prevent infections, always wash your hands thoroughly before handling lenses, use fresh solution daily, avoid sleeping in lenses unless prescribed, and replace your lens case every three months. Consider switching to daily disposable lenses, which have the lowest infection risk.

Q3. What should I do if my eyes feel dry or irritated while wearing contacts? If you experience dryness or irritation, remove your lenses immediately. Apply preservative-free artificial tears specifically formulated for contact lens wearers. If symptoms persist, consult an eye care professional. Consider switching to silicone hydrogel lenses or exploring permanent vision correction options.

Q4. Is it normal to have difficulty inserting or removing contact lenses? While some initial difficulty is normal, persistent problems with insertion or removal may indicate improper fit or technique. Ensure your hands are clean and dry, use lubricating drops if needed, and consider asking your optometrist for guidance on proper techniques or alternative lens options.

Q5. How often should I have my eyes checked if I wear contact lenses? Contact lens wearers should have comprehensive eye exams at least annually, or more frequently if recommended by their eye care professional. Regular check-ups help ensure your prescription remains current and allow for early detection of any potential eye health issues related to lens wear.