Can You Be Allergic to Contact Lens Material? Signs to Watch For

If you ask most of the people living with one eye condition or the other, millions of them prefer contact lenses for daily wear as a convenient alternative to eyeglasses. Most reasons they give are freedom of movement, clearer vision, and natural appearance.

However, the possibility of having an allergic reaction to contact materials actually exists, sadly. Some eyes have contact lens intolerance so they experience contact lens allergy that leads to discomfort and eye irritation. This makes it difficult for contact lens wearers to continue wearing them.

Contact lens wearers must understand the signs of allergic reactions so there can be timely intervention and finding the cause of the problem. This article will be pointing out the possibility of being allergic to contact lens materials and how to identify the problem.

Contact Lens Allergy Explained

When you have a contact allergy, it is usually narrowed down to the materials, the contact solution, the contact type, or the substances that have accumulated on it. When considering treatment, you have to first distinguish this condition from other symptoms caused by similar reactions, like eye discomfort, i.e., dry eye, pink eye, eye infection, or sensitivity.

The immune system identifies contacts, which are harmless substances, as foreign invaders and then releases chemicals like histamine that push out the symptoms of an allergic reaction like itchy eyes, watery eyes, and redness.

When talking about contact lenses, the immune system reacts to the polymers used in the lens production. It is a very rare case because allergic reactions are mostly common with preservatives or other ingredients in the contact solution or protein deposits on the lens over time.

In this article, we will be focusing on the types of contact lens materials and how their reactions and symptoms can be.

Types of Contact Lens Materials

Hydrogel Lenses

These older types are made from water-containing plastics, soft contacts lenses and comfortable materials; they allow oxygen to pass through the water content.

Silicone Hydrogel

These ones are advanced and allow more oxygen to reach the cornea so they can be worn for an extended period. It combines silicone with hydrogel and is slightly stiffer than the regular hydrogel.

Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP)

It is made from durable plastics like silicone acrylate and is known to be hard. It is long-lasting because of the high oxygen permeability and smaller than the two mentioned so if you are switching to it from those ones, you might need time to adapt to it.

Hybrid

This is one of the most beautiful types because it has an RGP center with a soft hydrogel or silicone hydrogel skirt. It has the clarity quality of RGP while offering the comfort of soft contact lens wear.

Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA)

They are old and hard, with almost no way for oxygen to pass through and the eyes to breathe. Due to the discomfort and outdated design, it’s rarely in use.

How to Detect Material Allergy

If you change your contact to a new type or brand and you experience the following symptoms, the material might be the cause.

• Redness from inflammation, burning, or intense itching
• Excessive tearing because your eyes want to flush out irritant
• Sensitivity to light
• Gritty or dry eye sensation
• Swollen eyelids, especially in the upper lid area
• Worsening Blurred vision
• Burning Sensation
• Thick or stringy mucus discharge that’s more than usual
• Foreign Object Sensation
• Eyelid Bumps

As you know, these symptoms are also indicators of conditions, seasonal allergies, or eye allergies unrelated to the materials, so it is best to get a proper diagnosis and medical treatment from your eye doctor.

Contact lens intolerance is the general discomfort for wearers. Dry eyes are tied to insufficient tear film production, while eye infections are caused by viruses or bacteria that bring redness and discharge. Preservatives in some contact solution, giant papillary conjunctivitis, which causes inflammation of the inner lining of the upper eyelids, forming tiny bumps, and seasonal allergies like pollen can all cause the symptoms above.

Yes, it can be tricky but with careful examination, the allergic reaction can be detected.

What To Do When You Suspect An Allergy

Stop wearing the contact immediately if you suspect a contact lens allergy, do not rub to prevent eye irritation, and avoid leaving your eyes dry. Visit your eye doctor for medical care, and take the contact solution and eye drops along to check for other allergies.

How To Choose The Right Material

To avoid unnecessary bitter experiences, consult your eye care professional first for a proper eye exam and get recommendations. This will allow you to escape discomfort and triggers. If you have sensitive eyes, you should get the actual lenses perfect for oxygen permeability and find relief.

For your comfort, use daily disposables to avoid foreign body buildup or preservatives and you can also try preservative-free saline cleansing solutions. Consider FDA-approved hypoallergenic materials too.

Management and Prevention of Contact Lens Allergy

Like we have been discussing, if you switch brands containing different materials, there are things you should do to prevent or manage the reactions, such as

Practice good hygiene by washing your hands before putting it on and cleansing with fresh solution. Stick to the solution recommended by your eye doctor to avoid reactions. If you are not using daily disposable lenses, follow recommended replacement like biweekly or monthly, depending on your lens type.

Take care of the lens case by cleaning it and placing it upside down to air dry it; also, replace it frequently. Don’t make the mistake of sleeping in contact lenses and prepare for environmental factors or other factors by taking allergy medications or avoiding triggers to reduce irritation.

Use artificial tears or eye drops well throughout the day to lubricate your eyes; this will also flush out irritants. Don’t forget to get regular eye exams so you can monitor your eye health and changes you experience with your lenses.

Overall Thought

Yes, contact allergy to contact lens materials is very rare but it can still happen. You need to know your body and the changes in symptoms when you switch contacts or contact lens solution brands.

When the itching becomes more intense, you have continuous watery eyes, non-stopping redness, and blurred vision, and then you should know it is important you take action. In this case, you shouldn’t wear contact lenses anymore and should switch to glasses for alternatives.

After an accurate diagnosis, your eye doctor will constitute medical advice and prevention tips that will prevent contact allergy. It is important to treat your eyes differently from other people’s experiences; don’t just follow any random instructions, especially if the issues persist.

All in all, it is highly important to uphold good contact lens hygiene, take some contact lens holiday for your eyes to breathe by switching to eyeglasses for a few weeks, and know what works for you. As someone who loves the freedom that comes with contact lenses, it is highly important you do everything safe and necessary to enjoy the benefits of wearing contact lenses.

Bibliography

https://www.northwoodvision.com/why-do-allergies-affect-vision-and-how-to-manage-it/#:~:text=Recognizing%20these%20symptoms%20early%20is%20crucial%20for%20timely%20management%20and%20relief.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/allergic-contact-lenses-solution