Can You Wear Contacts if You Suffer From Allergies?

Spring is here, and Canadians are ready for the warmer temperatures and longer days. However, this time of year also marks the return of tree pollen, grass pollen and other irritants that can cause allergies. Many people have questions about wearing contact lenses while they suffer from allergy symptoms—so we’re here to provide advice and tips!

Clean Contacts
Properly caring for contact lenses is extremely important all the time—but if you suffer from allergies—you need to ensure that you’re cleaning and disinfecting contacts every day. Make sure you’re rubbing lenses with clean solution before storing to dislodge any allergens and always store contact lenses in clean solution.

Dry Eye Worries
Seasonal allergies can cause your eyes to become irritatingly dry. To help combat the grittiness, you can use artificial tears throughout the day to provide much-needed moisture. Just remember that you should be using artificial tears—not cosmetic eye drops.

Switch to Dailies
Some people find comfort from allergy symptoms when they switch to disposable contact lenses. When you start each day with a fresh pair of contact lenses—you don’t run the risk of using lenses that have a build-up of allergens.

This is the start of an uncomfortable time for those that suffer from allergies and can be especially bad for people that wear contact lenses. However, you can still wear contacts and be comfortable, as long as you take some precautions.

If you’re feeling uncomfortable during the season because of your contacts—you can schedule an appointment with an optometrist—who can ensure that there are no underlying causes of your discomfort.