The Best Contact Lenses For Dry Eye
- What Are The Best Contact Lenses For Dry Eye?
- Why Patients Love Scleral Contact Lenses for Dry Eyes?
- How Scleral Lenses Can Help Your Dry Eyes!!
Dry eye is a common concern for many contact lens wearers, and finding the right lens can bring much-needed relief. Our goal here is to share information on contact lenses with advanced materials and innovative designs to specifically help with dry eye symptoms. By focusing on lenses that maintain or add moisture, reduce friction, and offer superior comfort, we aim to guide you toward making an informed decision for your eye care needs.
Understanding Dry Eye and Its Impact on Contact Lens Wear
Dry eye occurs when the eyes do not produce or retain enough tears or when the quality of the tears is suboptimal, leading to discomfort and reduced quality of vision. This condition is common among non-contact lens wearers as well, but has a greater impact on contact lens wearers. Contact lenses can exacerbate dry eye in a variety of ways, from impacting the delicate balance of your tear film, absorbing moisture, or creating friction with the eye’s surface. Dry eye is a multifactorial disease, which means that there are a variety of causes that often interact with each other, for example addressing only tear retention, may neglect to address inflammation. Our eye doctors understand that every patient’s experience with dry eye is unique, and to treat dry eye for contact lenses requires a deep understanding of dry eye as well as being at the cutting edge of contact lens technologies.
How Contact Lenses Can Worsen Dry Eye Symptoms
Contact lenses are a fantastic tool for vision correction, but they can also be a culprit in worsening dry eye symptoms. Many contact lens wearers have experienced that familiar gritty, sandy sensation or the persistent redness and irritation that dry eyes bring. Here’s how contact lenses can make dry eyes even more uncomfortable:
The good news? Specialized contact lenses designed for dry eyes, like scleral lenses or those with advanced moisture-retaining technology, can make a significant difference. Pairing the right lenses with proper eye care and potentially switching to preservative-free solutions can help maintain comfort and clarity, even for those battling dry eye symptoms.
How to Select the Right Contact Lens for Dry Eyes
Finding the perfect contact lens when you have dry eyes requires careful consideration of lens material, design, and care regimen. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you make an informed choice:
The variety of factors that go into choosing the best contact lenses for a dry eye patient underscore the importance of consulting with our eye doctors who have both the expertise and experience to help you find the best contact lens for you. By taking all these factors into account, you can find a contact lens solution that not only meets your vision needs but also keeps your eyes comfortable and healthy throughout the day.
Top Contact Lens Modalities for Dry Eyes
When choosing contact lenses for dry eyes, it’s essential to understand the different modalities available. Each type offers unique benefits that can help manage dry eye symptoms effectively. Below are the top contact lens options with detailed explanations and examples of recommended brands and types.
Daily Disposable Contact Lenses
Daily disposables are single-use lenses that you wear during the day and discard at night. They are often recommended for dry eyes because they minimize deposit buildup and eliminate the need for lens cleaning solutions, which can sometimes cause irritation.
Popular Daily Disposable Lenses for Dry Eyes:
- Alcon Dailies Total1
Features a water gradient design, providing nearly 100% water content on the lens surface. - Acuvue Oasys 1-Day with Hydraluxe Technology
Designed to mimic natural tears and maintain hydration. - Precision1 by Alcon
Uses SMARTSURFACE Technology for enhanced moisture retention. - CooperVision MyDay Daily Disposable
Combines silicone hydrogel with Smart Silicone chemistry for balanced hydration.
Silicone Hydrogel Lenses
Silicone hydrogel lenses are available in daily, bi-weekly, and monthly modalities. They allow higher oxygen flow to the eye, which helps reduce dryness and maintain eye health.
Popular Silicone Hydrogel Lenses for Dry Eye:
- Bausch & Lomb ULTRA with MoistureSeal Technology
Retains 95% of moisture for up to 16 hours. - Acuvue Oasys (bi-weekly)
Known for its Hydraclear Plus technology, offering long-lasting comfort. - CooperVision Biofinity
Uses Aquaform technology to enhance moisture and comfort.
Scleral Contact Lenses
Scleral lenses are particularly beneficial for patients with severe dry eye conditions. Their larger design shields the cornea from the environment, reducing tear evaporation and protecting sensitive areas from friction. By resting on the sclera rather than directly on the cornea, these lenses also minimize the risk of debris accumulation. The fluid reservoir created by scleral lenses ensures that the eye is constantly bathed in a soothing saline solution. This immediate and continuous hydration can be a game-changer for those who experience significant discomfort with traditional contacts. Scleral lenses are custom-fitted to ensure they match the unique shape of your eye, offering an even more personalized and comfortable experience. This option is ideal for anyone who has tried standard lenses but still struggles with persistent dryness.
The key benefits include:
- Oily LaExcellent for Severe Dry Eyeyer
The fluid-filled reservoir keeps the eye hydrated throughout the day. - Protects the Cornea
Their large diameter covers more of the eye than traditional contact lenses, acting as a barrier against environmental dryness and irritation. - Reduces Friction
By vaulting over the sensitive part of the eye and sitting on the sclera, they reduce friction, making them significantly more comfortable for dry eye sufferers. - New Optical Surface
One of the most significant benefits of scleral lenses is that they create a brand-new optical surface, providing massive improvements in visual clarity for dry eye sufferers with reduced visual clarity.
Hybrid Contact Lenses
Hybrid lenses combine a rigid gas-permeable (RGP) center with a soft, comfortable outer ring. This design provides the sharp vision of RGP lenses along with the comfort of soft lenses.
Popular Hybrid Lens Choices for Dry Eye:
- SynergEyes Duette
Ideal for dry eyes, combining comfort and sharp vision. - ClearKone (SynergEyes)
Reduces friction and provides long-lasting hydration. - SynergEyes UltraHealth
Specifically designed for patients with dry eyes and keratoconus.
Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) Lenses
Ortho-K lenses are rigid lenses worn only while you sleep. They gently reshape the cornea overnight, allowing for clear vision during the day without the need for contacts or glasses. Since lenses are not worn during the day, they are a great choice for patients that only experience dry eye symptoms during the day.
Insight Vision Center Optometry in Costa Mesa is a trusted pediatric vision clinic, with families referred to us from all over Orange County, including nearby cities like Irvine, Huntington Beach, and Santa Ana.
Additional Considerations for Managing Dry Eye with Contact Lenses
While selecting the appropriate contact lens is essential, there are additional measures you can take to further alleviate dry eye symptoms. Sometimes it isn’t just the lenses themselves that cause irritation but also the solutions and care products associated with them. Your eye doctor may recommend switching to a preservative-free lens solution if you have developed sensitivities. In other cases, simply opting for daily disposable lenses can eliminate the buildup of proteins, lipids, and other debris that tend to accumulate on reusable lenses. By switching to fresh lenses every day, you reduce the risk of irritation that can arise from deposit accumulation. For those who have a combination of dry eye symptoms and astigmatism, specialized toric lenses are also available. These lenses address the correction of astigmatism while still offering the comfort features that dry eyes demand.
The Highest Rated Advanced Eye Care Center In Orange County
What Our Patients are Saying
“So many Optometrists over these many years but never like this group. My vision has never been better but the entire staff and doctors are superior to most for sure. They fitted me with a Sclera lens that is tricky. “
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LD Christiano
“The quality of service and expertise is the highest I have ever received at any optometry office. I walked in with 20/200 vision and now see 20/25 with my new sclera lenses. Thanks guys!!”
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Chuck D.
What to Expect During Your Appointment
A detailed eye examination is essential to assess the severity of your dry eye condition and its impact on your contact lens wear. During your appointment, our eye doctors will review your symptoms, evaluate the tear film quality, and check for signs of corneal surface irregularity. They may also examine the fit and performance of your current lenses to determine if a switch would be beneficial. Advanced diagnostic tools, such as corneal topography, may be used to precisely measure the curvature of your eye. This data helps in selecting lenses that better conform to your eye’s shape, offering improved stability and comfort. For many patients, finding the right lens type can mean the difference between constant irritation and enjoying clear, comfortable vision all day long.
Final Thoughts and Next Steps
Choosing the best contact lenses for dry eye is about finding the right lens to address the causes of your dry eye. Our eye doctors are dedicated to helping you navigate these options. If you experience persistent dryness, discomfort, or irritation with your current contacts, schedule an appointment with our experienced eye doctors. We will work with you to assess your symptoms, determine the most suitable contact lens option, and provide personalized advice tailored to your lifestyle. Your comfort and visual health are our top priorities, so call our office today for a consultation and take the first step toward enjoying clear, comfortable vision with lenses designed with your dry eyes in mind.
Call us at (714) 942-1361 to book your child’s appointment, or schedule online.
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