Why do my contacts hurt my eyes?

If your contact lenses hurt, this could be a symptom of something serious and should be investigated by a qualified optometrist.

Generally speaking, contact lenses should be comfortable all day. There are times when this may not be the case, such as when you are wearing them in environments that cause them to dry out, or for people who suffer with dry eye. But if you suddenly experience pain or discomfort for your lenses then:

Take them out immediately and inspect the lens. Pay close attention to the edges, sometimes if you have a small tear this can cause problems such as discomfort.

If your eyes are still uncomfortable at this point you need to seek attention from your Opticians because you may have an abrasion or other problems with your eye.

• Firstly, take the lens out and make sure that it is the correct way round. A lens that is inside out will look very similar to a correctly orientated lens, but the edges will appear to point outwards slightly instead of upwards (or they may look like they have a lip on them).
• If you are using reusable contact lenses then clean them using the solution you have been provided. It is vital that you wash your hands thoroughly and dry them. To do this you need to place the lens on the palm of your hand and put a drop or two onto the surface. Then gently rub the surface for approximately 20 seconds, repeating on the other side. If the lens is still uncomfortable after re-insertion then discard it and replace with a new lens.

If you are wearing daily disposable lenses then you should discard the lens and move on to a new one. At no point should you ever clean and reuse a daily disposable lens as they are designed for single use only.

Do your contact lenses still hurt?

It is important to take eye discomfort seriously as it is one of the main symptoms of serious complications like eye infections. If caught early, they can usually be treated effectively with little in the way of long term complications. However, if you ignore the symptoms you may cause damage that is both harder to treat, and that can damage your eyesight permanently.

Never wear contact lenses when your eyes hurt as this can increase the likelihood of a small infection turning into a serious one. That’s why it’s imperative that all contact lens wearers have a pair of spectacles with their up to date prescription with them at all times.