Can’t wear contact lenses

[GussyG]

Hi All,

Since my thyroid decided to pack up last October I’ve been mostly sofa bound and padding around the house wearing my glasses. Recently I decided to leave the house (shock) and try a very gentle meditation/yoga class. I decided to put my contact lenses in (I previously wore them 5/6 days a week for going to the gym/doing sport), but I was met with the most unbearable burning/stinging pain and had to take them out. I’ve since tried again a few more times and the same reaction. I’ve resigned to keep my glasses on for now. But has anyone else encountered this? They feel super dry and I use moisturising drops a few times a day but I still can’t use contacts. I like my glasses but they don’t stay on my head if I want to do much movement like yoga/stretching or god forbid I make a return to exercise or swimming. I’m blind without them on so not wearing them is a no no!

[helvella]

I hope that whatever moisturising drops you are using, they are preservative-free?

People have a tendency to become ever more sensitive to the preservatives used even if once they were fine. This happens even without the added thyroid issues.

Others might reply with specific suggested products.

[GussyG in reply to helvella]

Thanks Helvella, just checked and thankfully they are. It’s HycoSan Extra

[TSH110 in reply to GussyG]

They’ve done a new one that’s more viscose hycosans intense it lasts a lot longer might be worth trying to see if it allows you to wear them again. I use acuview daily disposable multifocals and find them to be very good. I tried some new ones acuview oaysis I think, that breath better they were fantastically comfy but they suctioned to my eyeballs like glue getting them out was an absolute nightmare took hours of grotesque efforts and an assortment of removal techniques till my eyes were red before I finally succeeded in removing them. It was so bad I simply could not wear them because of the removal problems. Lots of others have the same problem with them. I just pinch the acuview basic one’s and they release and come out immediately no problem whatsoever. You might be lucky and be able to wear those deluxe ones they were really nice in the eye, pity they were so attached to mine!

I have an eye heat mask but admit I’m too lazy/busy/tired to use it but it did help when I did it regularly

I find glasses a menace for work I work outside so any steaming up is infuriating and rain on them is a nightmare. I always get the opticians to make sure they can’t fall off but grovelling in the dirt chopping undergrowth means it happens…so I hate glasses for work, I’d be gutted without my contacts especially in winter with the grot it throws at us.

[Buddy195 Administrator]

Try preservative free drops like HycoSan or Hyloforte for eye dryness. I would leave your contacts until symptoms disappear. Worth asking your optician to check if problem persists. Eye dryness can be linked to central heating/ air con, so try to get natural ventilation where possible.

I wear glasses and have prescription goggles for the pool!

[Fruitandnutcase]

Must have been a bit if a shock to discover that. Sounds like your eyes are just too dry to wear them. If you haven’t been out much perhaps the central heating in the house is drying them out?

You could go back and see the optician who prescribed them and have your tear flow checked and see what they suggest. Have you tried using a heated eye bag or holding a hot damp face cloth over them and massaging your lids.

You are using good eye drops (I also like Theolose Duo) so see what happens if you put them in constantly throughout the day for a few days - sort of ‘flood your eyes’ with them, you could also try a thick ‘gunky’ ointment for night time, try getting out in the fresh air for a bit and as Buddy says - prescription goggles for the pool and you can get straps (Croakiest) that hold your glasses in place for sport..

[GussyG]

thanks so much Fruitandnutcase Buddy195 TSH110 all useful suggestions. I’ll make an appointment at Specsavers to get everything checked over