What to Expect When First Wearing Contacts | Vision Pro Optical (2024)
Contacts are a smart choice for individuals who are active and dislike the feeling of wearing glasses. However, the process of caring for contacts and getting used to them can take a week or two. Navigate the transition with ease by learning how to properly care for contacts and becoming familiar with common symptoms that occur when you first wear contacts.
What to Expect When First Wearing Contacts
As with any new eye prescription, it may take a few days for your eyes and brain to adjust to the changes. New prescriptions may cause mild headaches or slight dizziness. If this persists after the first week, it may be a sign that your prescription needs to be adjusted. Talk to your optometrist immediately if you experience any of these symptoms.
Contact lenses sometimes cause mild eye irritation during the first few days of use as you get used to the new sensation. You may feel uncomfortable that there is something in your eye or notice when your contact lenses begin to dry out. After a day or two, these symptoms typically go away. If you continue to experience eye irritation after a week, contact your optometrist for recommendations.
Does the Type of Lenses Matter?
Most contact lens users start with soft lenses, which are flexible and conform to the surface of your eye. Individuals with certain eye conditions must use rigid gas permeable lenses, or “hard” contact lenses. These lenses may cause eye irritation or redness that persists for several days. Eye irritation and other side effects are more common with hard lenses than with soft disposable contacts.
Caring for Your Contacts
One of the most common causes of eye irritation is improper care for contact lenses. Always wash your hands before and after touching your eyes to avoid spreading bacteria. Lens manufacturers recommend cafefully rubbing contact lenses with your fingers and thoroughly rinsing them using a multi-purpose solution. Remember that rewetting drops, saline solutions, and tap water are not appropriate ways to clean your contact lenses. Always use fresh solution to store your contacts overnight. Reusing contact solution may cause eye irritation or infection. Following the proper disposal schedule also helps you adjust to wearing contacts and keeps your eyes healthy. Ask your optometrist for more specific recommendations about your contacts.
Sources:
Contact Lens Manufacturers Association (CLMA), “Frequently Asked Questions.”
All About Vision, “Contact Lenses: Frequently Asked Questions.”
American Optometric Association. “What You Need to Know about Contact Lens Hygiene and Compliance.”
Contact lenses sometimes cause mild eye irritation during the first few days of use as you get used to the new sensation. You may feel uncomfortable that there is something in your eye or notice when your contact lenses begin to dry out. After a day or two, these symptoms typically go away.
If you're new to contact lenses and the optician is happy that the lenses are right, you'll be handed over to an optical advisor. They will talk you through everything you need to know from how to put them in and take them out, to contact lens hygiene.
How long does it take to adjust to contacts? About 10-12 days. You could experience mild eye issues during the adjustment period, like blurred vision, discomfort, and eye fatigue. If those symptoms persist for longer than two weeks or your eyes become strained or infected, you should talk with your eye doctor.
If you're experiencing cloudy vision with your new contacts, make sure you're using a contact lens solution made for your type of lenses and approved by your doctor. Also, rinse your contacts in the solution before putting the lenses in every morning and before storing them every night.
Some people find their eyes water a lot when they use contact lenses for the first time. It's not a permanent thing, it's just your eyes getting used to the sensation and they will quickly adjust and settle down. At first, you'll probably be slightly aware that the lenses are there, but they shouldn't be uncomfortable.
“Typically, it can take between a few hours and a couple days to adjust to your contact lenses,” says Dr. Mai. People who are new to contact lenses may have an even longer adjustment period because they also must learn to insert and remove their lenses, she adds.
Some of the possible serious hazards of wearing contact lenses are corneal ulcers, eye infections, and even blindness. Corneal ulcers are open sores in the outer layer of the cornea. They are usually caused by infections.
After a few hours, your eyes will start to strain, and your head could start to hurt. Headaches can also be common for contact wearers who start to develop presbyopia. Presbyopia is a condition that causes increased difficulty focusing on nearby objects as you age.
Introduction: My name is Aracelis Kilback, I am a nice, gentle, agreeable, joyous, attractive, combative, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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