Contact Lens Allergy?

[JRV]

Anyone here ever have issues with contact lenses? I have been wearing contacts for years and just the other month I got refitted for new contact lenses. My eyes have been completely bloodshot since and I get irritation at night when I sleep. I do not sleep in my contacts. I had to do research online to find out that some people have bad reactions to the new silicone contacts.

Anyone else get this?

 

[iggibar]

Clean your contacts better, and DON'T use tap water! Germs love to reproduce in tap water, and is the major factor in red-eye problems with non-disposable contacts. *You do not want to know how many germs live around contacts...even one's you think are clean!* If that doesn't work, ask your eye doctor for eye lubricant's. You might also be wearing them for too long. Either way, if your eyes don't clear up within 24 hours, call your doctor because it's very easy to develop ulcers, which will permanently scar the cornea and cause vision loss.

Also, make sure your eyes have enough tear/drops before you place the contacts. Lack of oxygen will also cause red eyes.

 

[JRV]

Clean your contacts better, and DON'T use tap water! Germs love to reproduce in tap water, and is the major factor in red-eye problems with non-disposable contacts. *You do not want to know how many germs live around contacts...even one's you think are clean!* If that doesn't work, ask your eye doctor for eye lubricant's. You might also be wearing them for too long. Either way, if your eyes don't clear up within 24 hours, call your doctor because it's very easy to develop ulcers, which will permanently scar the cornea and cause vision loss.

Also, make sure your eyes have enough tear/drops before you place the contacts. Lack of oxygen will also cause red eyes.

Thanks but that is not the issue. I'm asking specifically about being allergic to the new silicon lenses that are on the market.

 

[Slydude]

Not a contact wearer but have you been back to your eye doctor since this started? If not, it might be worth a least a phone call. I have had several over the years and they usually want to monitor something like this.

Also have you checked the possibility that you are developing a reaction to the solution?

 

[iggibar]

Thanks but that is not the issue. I'm asking specifically about being allergic to the new silicon lenses that are on the market.

There are no new "silicon" lenses out. It's the same silicone hydrogel contacts that have been out for some time now. Silicone lenses are supposed to let more oxygen in than regular lenses. Your eyes might not have adjusted adequately enough to the new lenses, and might need time. The solution in the hydrogel has to be a specific solution, one that can not be used in other contacts. Using the wrong kind will cause red-eyes, dryness, or infections. Either way, the best guess would be from a doctor who could examine them. It's possible to be allergic to silicone, but you would have known this before even putting the contacts on. Most fitters also test for allergic reactions when fitting you with the best prescription contacts. There are more things that could go wrong than it simply being an allergic reaction...especially if its a Hydrogel lens. Like I said, your best bet would be to see a doctor. I mean it when I say it's important that you don't let too much time go by while your eyes remain blood-shot.

 

[JRV]

I've been to a different eye doctor and she couldn't find any bacterial or viral infections. She said it looked like dry eye possibly from an allergic reaction to something. This all started when I was fitted for new contact lenses.

And not to insult the poster above but the new Oasys lenses use a different material than contacts I have worn in the past. All you have to do is google search and you will find that there are other people out there that are allergic to the new lens material.

 

[iggibar]

I've been to a different eye doctor and she couldn't find any bacterial or viral infections. She said it looked like dry eye possibly from an allergic reaction to something. This all started when I was fitted for new contact lenses.

Well that's good. Wish you would've mentioned that earlier.

And not to insult the poster above but the new Oasys lenses use a different material than contacts I have worn in the past. All you have to do is google search and you will find that there are other people out there that are allergic to the new lens material.

Talking to me? Oasys contacts from Acuvue aren't new, they've been around. Might be new for you personally, but the way you wrote it, made it sound like they were new to the market. A competent ophthalmologists is supposed to check for allergies when people first start using silicone based, unless it is shown in your records that you aren't allergic to it. This all started when new patients would come in for fitting, without previous records, and have SEVERE reactions to either the contact, or drops used, some wen't completely blind. Why so brash on advice? I'm trying to help, but you don't like it. That's fine with me.