Discomfort when wearing contact lenses isn’t uncommon, but many people suffer in silence, assuming there’s nothing that can be done to the least the discomfort. If you experience contact lens discomfort, relieving that discomfort could be an easy fix. Oftentimes, it comes down to lack of proper care for contact lenses.

Contact lens discomfort can be eliminated for good with LASIK eye surgery. However, if LASIK isn’t an option for you at this point in time, there are several other options for easing the discomfort associated with wearing contacts.

The first step in relieving contact lens discomfort is to schedule an appointment with your eye doctor. A comprehensive eye exam will rule out any potential serious underlying conditions that may be causing your discomfort. Your eye doctor may also be able to help you determine the cause of your discomfort.

Below are a few of the most common causes and remedies for contact lens discomfort:

Burning — Do your eyes burn when you put your contacts in? Burning is likely caused by contamination of your lens. Wash and rinse your hands thoroughly before putting your contacts in to avoid getting lotion, perfume, oil, cosmetics or soap on your lenses. If your eyes begin to burn, remove your contacts immediately. Flush your eyes with water and rinse your lenses with contact lens solution.

Feeling of foreign object — Oftentimes, contact lens wearers complain of feeling as though there is dirt or another foreign object in their eye. This may be do to poor lens fitting. Contact lenses must be fit for your eyes’ specific diameter and curvature. If they are not fit properly, they will not feel comfortable when you wear them. Additionally, this feeling could be cause by a small rip or tear in your contact lens. Torn lenses should not be worn. To avoid this, do not wear your contacts longer than recommended. Most lenses are meant to be replaced every few weeks, unless they are daily wear contacts.

Dry eyes — Do you smoke or drink coffee or alcohol? If you are getting a lot of caffeine in your diet and not enough water, your eyes will become dry, which can lead to contact lens discomfort. If your eyes are consistently dry, be sure you are drinking plenty of water, and add a nutritional supplement such as flaxseed oil to your diet to improve eye moisture.

Dry eyes can also be caused by medications like antihistamines or blood pressure medicine. In this case, eye drops will temporarily relieve the dry eyes. Flaxseed oil or other dietary supplements will help relieve dry eyes long-term. If you regularly experience dry eyes, talk to your doctor about contact lenses suited for patients with dry eyes.

Most contact lens discomfort can be relieved with proper hygiene and contact lens care. Wash your hands before putting your contacts in, clean your contacts in proper contact lens solution and do not wear them longer than your doctor recommends.

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