Red Eyes after Wearing Contacts

When you first start to wear contact lenses this can feel unusual and potentially uncomfortable if you are not used to it. However if you are experiencing very red eyes after removing your contacts, then this is something that you shouldn't normally experience and that needs to be addressed. 

There are many potential causes for red eyes after wearing contact lenses, and understanding them can help you to avoid the issue. Here are some possible explanations:

You Have Sensitive Eyes

If you have sensitive eyes then they may be irritated by saline solution you are using or by the lenses themselves. Ask your doctor and try different brands. Avoid those that say 'rub free'. Similarly by using a sensitive eye drop with your contacts you may be able to prevent the problem. Some contacts are designed specifically for sensitive eyes and you may have better luck with these.

Check the Expiry Date

If your contacts are expired then they may cause problems for your eyes and particularly dryness.

You Are Not Washing Your Hands

Before you remove your contacts it is very important o thoroughly wash your hands. Otherwise you will be introducing bacteria to your eye each time you take out the lenses. Likewise you should be sure to thoroughly clean the contacts and to keep them disinfected.

Dryness

Some people's eyes produce more tears than others, and if you do not produce enough then your eyes can become very dry while wearing them. Dry eye is a chronic condition where the eye produces much less moisture than usual. You may wish to consider glasses or LASIK eye surgery in this case, or alternatively to use eye drops. Avoid using your contacts for more than six hours – take them out and replace them with glasses as soon as you get home from work. It may also help to try re-wetting the contact lenses before you remove them. Again another good way to avoid this is also to use eye drops to provide more moisture for your eyes.

Infection

You may also have a chronic infection such as blepharitis and this might just be making your eyes more sensitive to the contacts and more likely to get dry. See a doctor and they may recommend using a warm compress and scrubbing your eyelids daily.

Keeping Them In

Keeping contacts in too long is a common cause of getting dry eyes – particularly it is a bad idea to leave contacts in over night, so try to avoid doing this at all costs. Generally though, try to keep contacts in only when you need them for social occasions and remember to use your glasses too. If the problem continues then you may decide to change permanently to using glasses or getting LASIK.