Do you wear contact lenses to help you improve your eyesight and avoid the hassle of glasses? If so, you would be considered one of almost 41 million Americans who use contact lenses as a temporary vision solution. Unlike glasses, contacts do not fog up or get wet depending on the weather. You can also play sports with contacts without worrying about your glasses constantly slipping down your nose. That said, contacts are not as problem-free as you may think. Some people get Orange County LASIK because they suffer from a condition called contact lens intolerance.
In this article, we will explain what contact lens intolerance is, symptoms to look out for, and discuss how the best LASIK eye surgery in Orange County can help you improve your vision health.
What is Contact Lens Intolerance?
Contact Lens Intolerance (CLI) is a relatively common condition that affects the eyes due to irritation from contact lenses. In other words, your eyes will start to reject the foreign body (contact lenses) because of pain or discomfort. If you wear contacts as a temporary vision correction to a refractive vision problem such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, you have probably experienced contact lens intolerance to some degree.
Symptoms of Contact Lens Intolerance
Some common symptoms include dry eyes, itchiness, and redness of the eye. Some patients even experience inflammation, corneal ulcers, or corneal abrasions.
What Causes Contact Lens Intolerance?
While we do not know the exact cause of contact lens intolerance, it is suggested that allergies and poor contact lens care are closely linked to the condition. The longer a person wears contact lenses, the greater their chances of experiencing CLI are. We also know that older people who wear contacts are more at-risk of developing CLI.
Poor contact lens hygiene is a serious problem. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that millions of Americans could be in jeopardy of contracting serious eye infections all because they do not properly care for their contact lenses.
In addition to underlying health conditions like allergies as well as cleaning care of contact lenses, research from the American Academy of Ophthalmology has found a few other factors that can be linked to CLI:
- The way contacts fit in a person’s eyes and the material they are made of
- Type of disinfection and storage solution
While the severity of pain caused by contact lens intolerance may vary from person to person, you should never ignore the symptoms. If you suspect that you suffer from the condition, you should put a pause on applying your contact lenses and consult an eye doctor for medical advice. Your doctor may refer you to a LASIK surgeon in Orange County who can talk you through laser eye surgery.
Do not let your contacts hold you back from living life to the fullest. If you are interested in finding a long-term solution to your vision problems, consider scheduling an appointment for Orange County LASIK with Excel Laser Vision Institute.
