Dry Eyes and Contact Lens Question

[ccg123]

Hi, wanting to see if anyone else has dry eyes (filamentary conjunctivitis) and is a contact lens user? I was prescribed Acetylcysteine preservative free from the optomologist which can be used with contacts. They said to ask the GP to prescribe it from now on. However the GP says they cannot prescribe preservative free so I have the preservative version which cannot be put in with contact lenses. Has anybody else had this issue? Are there any other kinds of drops you can take with contact lenses? Someone also suggested I could get the preservative free prescription directly from the hospital? Any suggestions, greatly appreciated.

[Fra22-57]

I do wear contacts. Started getting dry eyes and have switched from hard to soft.was using the drops from chemist called "dry eyes" I think called.can drip into eyes when you got contacts in.got from Boots.

[ccg123 in reply to Fra22-57]

Thanks

[sylvi]

I have dry eyes dues to Sjorgens and i use drops and creme at night. I can't wear contact lens due to how bad my eyes are so i am sorry i can't help you on that score,but i will say there are loads of lovey glasses out there.xxxxx

[Matilda_1922]

I wear glasses never considered contact lenses. I do suffer with dry eyes no diagnosis but think I may have sjogrens also have a very dry mouth too.

I have eye drops on Repeat from GP

[Joolief]

Hi I have dry eyes with a dry patch on my left cornea. I wear soft contact lenses and am allergic to the preservatives. My gp has given me Lacri-Lube eye ointment which I put in at bedtime and I have Hypromellose eye drops in individual pipettes for daytime. All preservative free. Could be worth a try for you 🌸

[ccg123 in reply to Joolief]

Thank you - will ask my GP.

[GemsfromWarks]

I have worn contact lenses for 50 years. Had eye infection 6 months ago that I could not get rid of. Saw specialist who prescribed preservative free steroids. All clear now but have dry eyes. I get Hylo -tear in a dropper bottle (squeeze bottle was really painful as have damaged thumb joints). It is on prescription. My GP would have given me the little individual drops which are usually preservative free if necessary even though these are more expensive. There are a few dropper bottles that are preservative free and can be used with contacts. I use every time I wake at night as that is when I have most problems. I also find a hot compress on eyes helps.

[ccg123 in reply to GemsfromWarks]

Thanks Gillian. All these suggestions are very useful. What a pain for you that the dropper is difficult to use. I find it interesting that people who produce these products don’t think that people might have multiple issues and need something easy to use!

[GemsfromWarks in reply to GemsfromWarks]

I also have preservative free contact solution. Called Synergi. Buy in boots.

[ccg123 in reply to GemsfromWarks]

Thanks I use Regard which is also preservative free.

[Hobbits]

I was diagnosed about a month ago with Keritis Sicca which is Dry Eye Disease as a result of several autoimmune disease. I use drops in the day and a gel in the night time. They are a Bausch and Lomb product. I only occasionally wear contacts. I was never made aware I could not use this product with contact lenses and I was asked if I wear contacts, even though at the time I had glasses on. It sounds like your special drops can only be scripted from a specialist. I would call the Opthamologist and tell them you need them to write you the script as your GP can not do so.

[ccg123 in reply to Hobbits]

Thanks, will do

[Bessieboo1]

If you are wanting preservative free lubricants one of the best at the moment is HydraMed which is fine to use with contacts. It can be purchased from pharmacies without a prescription and is under £10. Sometimes a gp can’t prescribe something as it isn’t in their formulary if that’s the case re the drop the ophthalmologist wants you to have then you need to contact consultant for a prescription or a preservative free alternative. As an ophthalmic nurse I wouldn’t use a product in my eyes with preservatives in them. Xx

[ccg123 in reply to Bessieboo1]

Thanks, good to know from someone in the know!