Contact lenses - Sticky eyes

[bigtime]

I have started wearing monthly contact lenses and after an hour or so my eyes feel sticky and vision goes a bit cloudy until I constantly blink. Does anyone have any tips? I've tried a few different eye drops from Hycosan and clean the lenses every night well after washing my hands but still have issues. Opticians just say use computer less and use the eye drops more.

[dundarach]

I've worn them on and off for 35 years!

I've never really found them comfortable and had many different types, screen use is terrible.

Everyone else seems to wear theirs for hours and hours, me not so much!

You might be lucky like me, but I'll be seeing what others suggest out of interest

[bigtime]

Yes, I was hoping someone might have tried some different drops or solution that might help.

[996owner]

I've been wearing contects for just over a year.
Was using lens that last for 14 days (take them out at night), I found after about 8 days they lost their flexibility, harder to get them in and not comfy. I've change to single use lens, much better. The brand I use is Acuvue.

I have a bottle of Optrex moisturising drops that are contact lens friendly.

Is it worth you getting the diameter and curve fitting checked?


edit to add i wear mine about 8hrs a day and I work in TV so I'm looking at screens most of the day

[abzmike]

Not a very helpful response from your optician...

Sounds like dry eye... There are also different types of lenses - higher water content, such as the ones I use, are very soft and comfortable...

[bigtime]

I've tried the dailies from my optician which I find not to dry out as much but the vision isn't as good because I have a stigmatism so can't get the desired strength in a daily lense.

[The Hofff]

Try Tesco all-in-one contact lens solution - https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/260...

[Mr Pointy]

How old are you? Is laser treatment an option?

[bigtime]

Mid 40’s and am seriously thinking of eye surgery next year if I can’t make the lenses work.

[bigtime]

The Hofff said:

Try Tesco all-in-one contact lens solution - https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/260...

Will give it a try. Not sure it’ll be much different to the other ones I’ve used to clean and store the lenses with though.

[EmilA]

I've had the lens get stuck to my eye when trying to remove them and it was down to having dry eyes. I now use eye drops once or twice a day when wearing them and it has stopped this issue from happening.

I just use contact lens eye drops, I don't buy any certain type and usually just purchase them from my pharmacy.

[bigtime]

The wife thinks it might be better in the winter as could be hay fever. My eyes seem to have sleep in them even during the day.

[Mr Pointy]

You may have blepharitis as well as dry eyes - the tiny tear ducts get blocked with gunk & the margin along the eyelashes needs wiping a couple of times a day. Use something like Blephaclens or Tea Tree wipes (I cut them in half to keep the cost down):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=tea+tree+wipes+for+ey...

[joestifff]

I wore contact lenses for years and years. When I was young I would even sleep in them, absolutely fine. As I got older especially in summer my eyes would dry out very quickly, exactly as you describe. I too suffered from Hayfever, and this made it worse. Winter was better. Nothing in summer would make them better. I put up with it for a couple of years. It almost came on like a switch one summer, and never went.

After a few years of this my eyes started to not even be able to wear them for an hour. I had to go back to glasses, but my prescription was so strong that glasses gave me headaches!

I bit the bullet ten years ago and had them lasered, never looked back, wish I had done it sooner.

I would personally see how this summer goes, but ultimately I tried everything, changed so many lenses, some were better than others, but non did what they meant too. Which was a massive shame after so many good years with them.

If they do not improve into winter, I would look at laser, or back to glasses.

[Squadrone Rosso]

[Freakuk]

I've been wearing lenses for decades and they have certainly moved on over that time.

I'd be tempted to try a different lens personally, I use Acuvue dailies and you would never know they were there they are that comfortable and I can generally wear them for 8+ hours without any issues.

Obviously, it could also be a problem with your eyes or tear ducts. I do suffer from watery eyes, so every few months I have to wear a heat mask on my eyes to unblock the ducts in your eye lids, maybe you have similar issues. Sounds like you need to see a different optician though.

[CCCS]

I’ve been wearing contact lenses for 40 years. For the last 20 I’ve worn monthly disposable ones.

Go see a different optician, perhaps you have a condition (of whatever nature).