As someone who suffers from seasonal allergies, you already know how miserable spring can be. However, when you start wearing contact lenses, spring gets downright irritating. There are three easy ways you can tone down the effects seasonal allergies will have on your contact lens wearing experience.
Don't Itch
Taking allergy medication is not always enough to keep the itchy eyes at bay. However, rubbing your eyes when you are wearing contact lenses must be avoided. Not only can you damage the lens if you rub your eyes too hard, but you can also dislodge it. Looking for a lost contact lens is a time-wasting irritant in itself.
If your eyes are starting to itch, go grab a washcloth and run it under some cold water. Close your eyes, and place the washcloth over them to help ease that irritation. A ten-minute washcloth soak should help reduce the itchiness you're feeling.
Use Artificial Tears
Once you start wearing contact lenses on a regular basis, make sure you keep a container of artificial tears close by. You can purchase artificial tears at your local chemist. When your eyes start to itch, a few drops are all you need to wash the irritating allergens away.
Artificial tears are also great when you're suffering from dry eyes. Dry eyes make contact lenses feel scratchy against your eyeballs. Keeping the lens lubricated makes your eyes feel a lot more comfortable, so add a couple of drops of artificial tears when you feel the gritty feeling settling in.
Clean Carefully
When you get new contact lenses, your optometrist will advise the best way to keep them clean. Contacts need daily attention to keep them in good order. However, it is easy to get a little lax on the cleaning side when life gets busy.
Careful, regular cleaning is particularly important during allergy season. Make sure you do your daily cleaning, and if you find the lenses to be particularly irritating, give them an extra rinse during the day with saline or a preservative-free solution. Additionally, if you are wearing disposable contact lenses, consider replacing them as needed rather than wearing for the prescribed length of time. For example, if you have monthly disposable lenses, you may find you need to switch to new ones every two or three weeks during the height of allergy season. This costs a little more as you will go through your lenses more quickly, but it does keep your eyes comfortable.
Don't let seasonal allergies put you off wearing contact lenses. With a little extra effort, you can make sure your eyes feel comfortable every day of the year.
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