Why do lenses make your eyes red and what to do about it?

What to do to eliminate the symptom?

If it is not possible to immediately visit a medical facility, a few simple tips will help that will relieve unpleasant symptoms:

• Make sure that your home medicine cabinet always contains eye drops to cleanse the visual organ of harmful substances and contaminants;
• Wash your face several times throughout the day. This will not get rid of redness, but will enhance the effect of the droplets;
• Change the solution;
• Don’t forget about sunglasses, they will “save” you from harmful ultraviolet radiation and prevent dust and debris from entering your eyes.

Wash your face several times throughout the day.

What to do to eliminate the symptom?

When it is not possible to see an ophthalmologist, you will find recommendations that will certainly ease the discomfort associated with red eyes.

So, if you wear contact lenses:

• make sure that you always have special drops at home that will help cleanse your eyes of harmful substances - they are used for instillation as often as possible;
• you need to wash your face several times a day - this, naturally, will not remove the redness, but helping the drops in their therapeutic effect will help;
• it is necessary to replace the solution with one that has a better composition ;
• You should not neglect sunglasses - they will not only protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation, but will prevent various particles and allergens from entering them.

you need to wash your face several times a day; this, of course, will not relieve the redness, but helping the drops in their therapeutic effect will help;.

Red blood vessels after wearing lenses

Pronounced red blood vessels in the eyes are a typical sign of impaired blood supply and oxygen metabolism when worn regularly. Occurs against the background of the following problems:

• allergy;
• trauma or mechanical impact on the cornea;
• conjunctivitis;
• keratitis;
• corneal dystrophy.

If you removed the lens and discovered that your eye is now red, you should contact a specialist as soon as possible. This may be a sign of a serious illness or infection that requires immediate treatment.

It arises against the background of the following problems.

Poor hygiene

Failure to comply with and neglect the rules of hygiene (putting on and taking off with dirty hands, rarely changing the solution, washing the container with plain water, using optical products after the expiration date) can lead to infection and the development of various inflammatory processes of the eyes. This is often why the optic membranes turn red.

Then the product is poured into a storage container and the devices are placed in them.

Allergies, if your eyes turn red and hurt - how to treat them

Eye pain occurs with increased sensitivity to the material, composition of the solution for storage and care. Allergies most often begin with an acute form, accompanied by irritation, itching and severe redness of the mucous membrane and eyelids. To check for a pathological reaction, it is enough to replace the care solution or optical medium. Symptoms are quickly relieved with antihistamines.

Find out how to choose the right toric lenses here.

How to remove redness

First you need to determine the source of what caused your eyes to turn red. The reason why your lenses are making your eyes red will help you understand what to do and how to treat the redness.

Special cleaner with an enzyme composition, tablets.

Red eyes after wearing contact lenses for a long time

Except for the option in which this brand simply does not suit you, pay attention to the expiration date. If they are intended to be worn for a long time, the polymer may have been damaged due to improper or careless care. It could also be due to insufficient cleaning, which left behind protein deposits or other contaminants.

Causes of eye irritation

When wearing contact lenses for a long time, many users notice the appearance of redness of the mucous membranes. For the most part, this manifestation is not the result of an allergic reaction of the body directly to the lenses. For the most part, this is a reaction to the solution with which the optics are processed.

You should also consider possible reasons why your eyes turn red after wearing lenses:

• Periodically wearing lenses for more than the prescribed period. The tight fit of the material to the mucous membrane of the eyes makes it impossible to wear them for more than 10 hours a day.
• Allergy to optical lens care products. When choosing solutions for treating lenses, you should ensure that they do not contain components that can cause allergies.
• Reaction to formations that appear when wearing optics for a long time. In this case, you can clean the lenses using a hydrogen peroxide-based system.
• Injury to the cornea due to improper wearing of contact lenses. In this case, in addition to redness, there may be tearing, fear of light, and pain in the eye area. If such manifestations occur, you should visit a doctor as soon as possible.

We recommend reading: What lenses can you sleep in?

According to ophthalmologists, redness of the eyes is associated with the use of lens care solutions of poor quality or composition that the body does not accept. This means that you should change the product and choose an individual solution.

Causes of conjunctivitis from contact lenses

Conjunctivitis is an inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the eye (conjunctiva), which is a transparent tissue that envelops the inner parts of the eyelid and visible areas of the sclera. Inflammation causes the sclera to appear reddish, which is why it is also called “pink eye.” Some forms of the disease are extremely contagious and spread quickly. In ophthalmology, viral conjunctivitis is not a dangerous disease, but it can progress to a serious stage.

Precautionary measures

In order to prevent red eye syndrome, when purchasing optical lenses with a corrective function, you should pay attention to their compliance with the requirements. First of all, lenses must have not only a smooth, uniform surface, but also a soft structure.

Some manufacturers are already using materials that breathe. Such lenses allow oxygen to penetrate the mucous membranes; there is no need to remove them. Breathable materials are used in lenses that can be worn without removing for more than a month.

If this rule is violated, the eyes may react with redness to the unsuitability of the lenses for further wear. This is due to the fact that prolonged wear leads to a loss of elasticity of the structure, as a result of which the worn material irritates the mucous membranes of the eyes.

You should also consider the following measures to help prevent red eyes:

• You need to buy corrective lenses only with a prescription from an ophthalmologist. Wearing corrective lenses unnecessarily can cause deterioration in visual function.
• Proper selection and wearing of lenses will help prevent eye problems. To do this, you should seek help from an ophthalmologist.

It must be remembered that independent selection and prescription of corrective or simple colored lenses is unsafe. You also need to take into account that when you wear it for the first time, your eyes may turn red for no reason until you get used to it.

Why does wearing lenses provoke conjunctivitis?

When putting on and taking off lenses, microtrauma is caused to the cornea. If infection does not penetrate the cracks, they heal quickly. Upon contact with an infection, keratitis or an inflammatory process in the cornea begins. Sometimes this leads to dangerous complications such as ulcers or clouding of the cornea. The disease causes significant deterioration of vision or its complete loss.

To avoid complications during acute inflammation, it is strictly forbidden to wear contact lenses. It is strictly forbidden to drop drops from conjunctivitis directly onto the lenses. If you feel discomfort, you should immediately switch to glasses. If the doctor confirms the diagnosis, the old lenses should be thrown away immediately. After cleansing in a special solution, CLs remain a source of infection, so they are replaced.

As soon as 5 days have passed after the inflammation has resolved, they begin to use new contact lenses. Even if the conjunctivitis is of an allergic nature, the condition will only worsen from use, which will lead to a secondary infection. There are cases when wearing lenses triggers the onset of inflammation. Conjunctivitis from lenses begins for two reasons:

• incorrect selection of lenses;
• violation of hygiene requirements and wearing regulations.

Experts have drawn up instructions regarding the use of contact lenses. Following the instructions will help avoid the occurrence of inflammatory foci in the eyes:

• Wash your hands thoroughly before removing or putting on contact lenses;
• inspect lenses before use, never use them with defects or damage;
• buy a different lens container every month;
• use a multifunctional solution suitable for your case. The instructions always indicate how long you can keep the bottle open; do not exceed the instructions;
• if you have to stay in a dry room or office for a long time, do not forget to moisturize your eyes with special solutions;
• Do not use expired lenses. Travelers appreciated daily contact lenses, which provide increased safety: they do not need to be additionally moistened or cleaned, the manufacturer has already taken care of this. Some models are created from a special material - hypergel, which provides air flow to the eye;
• The first symptoms of discomfort cannot be left to chance. The correct diagnosis can only be made by an ophthalmologist after an examination. He will be able to exclude or diagnose conjunctivitis in order to immediately begin treatment procedures.

How to remove redness

Before determining a treatment method for red eyes, an ophthalmologist performs a diagnosis. The first step is to determine the condition of the eyes and the quality of visual functions. If there are pathological changes, the doctor may insist on a more detailed diagnosis.

Only a specialist can determine the drugs that can be used to combat red eyes.

Such means are:

• Korneregel - used to normalize visual functions. They are also used to protect the cornea from pressure and pressure sores under the lens. Drops increase moisture levels and prevent drying of the mucous membrane.
• Taufon – due to the presence of an amino acid in the composition, it promotes the healing of microcracks and is used to treat damage to the white part of the eye.
• Emoxipine is a drug intended to create protection for blood vessels and mucous membranes from various types of influences.
• Visine – promotes vasoconstriction, thereby relieving redness of the eyes.

In cases where it is not possible to immediately visit an ophthalmologist, you can use home methods for treatment and as prevention.

These methods include:

• Availability of cleansing eye drops - you need to make sure that there is always such a product in your home medicine cabinet. With its help, you can wash your eyes and disinfect them in case of contact with foreign objects.
• Cold compress – you can use black tea, chamomile, oak bark or potato for this.
• Eye rinsing is done as often as possible. This should be done especially often after contact lenses are removed. Of course, this will not help remove redness, but it will significantly enhance the effect of using medications.
• Changing the solution for treating contact lenses.
• Wearing sunglasses helps protect your eyes from dust, debris, and harmful ultraviolet rays from sunlight.

How to avoid infection

To avoid viral or bacterial conjunctivitis or keratitis, proper care of contact lenses is necessary. It is important to wash your hands thoroughly before putting in and taking out your lenses, and to use lens solution to remove protein residue, accumulated bacteria, and other contaminants from their surfaces. To avoid infection, you should:

• do not wash your lenses with water
• don't wear lenses for too long
• do not sleep in lenses (this also applies to sleep)
• always wash your hands before touching your lenses
• don't swim with contact lenses
• store lenses in special containers and liquid
• change the liquid in the container every day (rinse the container thoroughly)
• put on your contact lenses first and then apply your makeup
• remove the lenses and only then remove the makeup
• follow the specialist's recommendations

Contact lenses are a modern and convenient way to improve the quality of vision. However, let’s not forget to use them consciously and under the supervision of a specialist. Otherwise, they can cause unpleasant complications and even significant visual impairment.

Selection of suitable lenses with a doctor

If contact lenses are a vital necessity, then to ensure eye health and prevent redness during their use, it is necessary to choose the right optics.

Only a specialist can select high-quality lenses and determine their diopters correctly. It must be remembered that thoughtless purchases without an ophthalmologist's prescription can negatively affect the quality of vision.

Experts have several basic criteria that you should rely on when purchasing optical lenses. Today, manufacturers offer many new products, including breathable material that can be worn without interruption for about 30 days. You must strictly follow the rules of wearing and do not use lenses for more than the prescribed time. Otherwise, the material becomes thinner and loses elasticity. The result of all this is redness, which is irritation of the mucous membrane.

To avoid problems associated with wearing contact lenses, you should pay special attention to the selection and daily care of optical accessories. Following simple rules will not only help maintain the quality of visual function, but will also extend the life of contact lenses.

Symptoms

With any type of disease, patients describe standard complaints: tears are constantly flowing, the eyes are red and look irritated, photophobia has appeared, the eyelids and conjunctiva are swollen.

Classified by type:

1. Viral conjunctivitis appears as a concomitant manifestation of colds. Its precursors are considered to be a sore throat, catarrhal rhinitis and fever. First, irritation begins in one eye and spreads to the other. Accompanied by lacrimation, lack of pus in the secretion and intermittent itching;
2. Bacterial conjunctivitis. First, a cloudy, viscous, yellowish, grayish liquid begins to come out of the eyes, and often the eyelids stick together after sleep. But not all bacteria cause such discharge; the second manifestations include dry conjunctiva and skin near the sore eye. One eye gets sick, but after it the infection spreads to the second. The eyes begin to hurt, you want to pull out the foreign body;
3. Allergic conjunctivitis begins with unbearable itching, pain, slight swelling of the eyelids and conjunctiva. If symptoms appear along with allergic rhinitis or bronchial asthma, the appropriate signs will be added;
4. Conjunctivitis, which is caused by toxic and irritating compounds - the most common symptom is soreness, nothing else;
5. Acute conjunctivitis develops rapidly: purulent substance flows from the eyes, tears roll down. Photophobia and pain in the eyes appear, sometimes accompanied by ulcers and infiltrates on the cornea;
6. Chronic conjunctivitis is manifested by itching and burning, patients feel as if their eyes are covered with sand.