Dry eyes are a condition of the eye that makes the eye appear red and feel gritty. This could be a side effect of certain prescription or over the counter drugs that a patient could be taking. For people using contacts, the problem caused by this condition gets compounded. It is recommended that such contact wearers, use contact drops that contain artificial tears. It must however be ensured that these are drops meant for contacts alone, as otherwise they can discolor the contacts.
Long-term contact lens wear is one of the major causes of dry eyes. They are the most common complaint among contact lens wearers. It has been indicated by recent research, contact lens wear and dry eyes can be a vicious cycle. Dry eye syndrome generally makes the contact lens feel uncomfortable, and the rubbing of the lenses against the conjunctiva cause dry eyes.
Dry eye syndrome is also associated more with women, which could be attributed to hormone fluctuations. The other causes include smoking that is found to increase risk of dry eye syndrome.
It is noted by eye doctors that lenses that have lower water content, work better for people with dry eyes. However, these findings are somewhat controversial, as the reverse has also been claimed. Some practitioners also claim that as the lens thickens, it serves the purpose better for people with dry eyes.
The cure for dry eye is lachrymal or punctual occlusion that plugs, the tear drainage system to retain the moisture in the eyes. This is a simple procedure that takes only a few minutes, and can be done in the practitioners' office. Many manufacturers are also coming up with dry eye lenses that have increased comfortable wearing time. A few lenses are also available that are made from plastics that resist dehydration and evaporation, and are suitable for people with dry eyes.
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