Contact Lenses For Dry Eyes

This informative video provides a brief introduction to what causes dry eye syndrome.

Improved Soft Contact Lens Technology

While we have performed a large number of contact lens examinations and have a wide variety of contact lenses available, we normally recommend a patient that has dry eye disease to stay away from contact lenses if at all possible.

 

However, with recent improvements in soft contact lens technology, we are now fitting patients who suffer from dry eyes with a couple of specific brands that have been proven to be gentler on the eyes.

 

What are the best contact lenses for dry eye?

The criteria that we highlight for contact lenses suitable for dry eye are:

• Soft Hydrogel lenses with low water content. Soft lenses usually have a high water content which allows the lens to absorb tears and moisture from your eyes which contributes to dry eye. Lenses that have a lower water content and surface coating will reduce the lens’ ability to absorb tears from your eye.
• Silicone Hydrogel contact lenses. These lenses require oxygen rather than water to maintain their shape and optical effectiveness, otherwise known as oxygen permeability. This has the effect of reducing the need for the lens to absorb tears and moisture from your eyes.
• Daily disposables with additional moisturizing components. When you blink your eyes, the lens releases moisture from within the lens itself. Because this keeps the contact lens hydrated, it reduces the absorption of tears from the eyes.

Cooper My Day. this lens combines a daily replacement regime with hydrogen silicone technology. It uses a material called stenfilicon A, which forms the silicon matrix of the lens into channels, making the lens more efficient at delivering oxygen to the cornea.

 

As a result, a lower silicon content of only 4.4% is required, which means that the lens is able to be more hydrophilic or wettable, leading to greater comfort.

 

The contact is available in a daily wear mode and we have also seen good results from our dry eye patients using these lenses.

Restasis – an Additional Treatment for Dry Eyes

 

In some cases, we are able to prescribe Restasis eye drops to help alleviate the symptoms of dry eyes. Restasis works by increasing the amount of tears your eyes make. We normally write a prescription for one drop in each eye twice a day. Dr. Reinders will let you know if these drops are compatible with your contact lenses.

 

Dr. Reinders has been providing dry eye treatment for many patients in the Burnsville and surrounding areas for many years. If you have been experiencing dry itchy eyes, it might be dry eye syndrome, eye allergies or perhaps something else. Your best course of action is to call us today and make an appointment to take care of your eye health.