ADDED TO CARTCan contact lenses cause headaches? Why?
Eye Health
For many people, contact lenses have become the ideal solution for vision correction, and it’s not hard to see why -- they are more comfortable than glasses, when you have them on, no one can tell that you’re wearing them, and online contacts retailers make it easy to refill your prescription. Best of all, you can order contacts online with insurance and have them shipped right to your door. But despite all these benefits, they are known to occasionally cause headaches for the wearer. Luckily, the reasons why they cause headaches are easily remedied.
Can contact lenses give you headaches?
If you’ve just started wearing contacts, don’t fret over these contact lens problems -- all changes require a little time for adjustment. As your eyes are learning to focus while wearing the lenses, you may experience a bit of eye strain and headache. But this is normal! If you continue to experience headaches even after a few days of using your contact lenses have passed, reach out to your OD and arrange an appointment to root out the source of the problem.
There are a number of reasons why your contact lenses may be giving you a headache. Most likely, the reason why you have a headache is because you are straining your eyes through long hours in front of a computer screen. The light that’s emitted from our devices can tire out your eyes if you are spending most of your day in front of a screen.
If this is not the case, and you are straining your eyes in order to see more clearly, it could be that your lenses are no longer the right prescription for your eyes. It may be that your contact lens prescription is either too strong or not strong enough to fully correct your vision, and as a result you end up straining your eyes, giving yourself a headache. You should follow up with your OD to make sure that your prescription is accurate and up to date.
The lens prescription is only one aspect to consider when it comes to the suitability of the lens. Another reason why you may be experiencing headaches when wearing your contact lenses is the fit of the lenses on your eyes. Keep in mind that your lenses can dry out and become more uncomfortable over time, causing irritation in your eyes. This irritation may also be the cause of strain and the reason behind your headache. You will know if this is the case if you’re able to feel a difference in the shape or flexibility of your lenses. If so, remove the contacts and contact your OD to make an appointment and resolve the problem. How long can you wear contacts? Contacts meant for daily use may generally be used for around fourteen to sixteen hours before they need to be replaced.
Finally, another reason why you may be experiencing headaches when wearing your lenses may be an overall dryness of your eyes. There are many different factors that can lead to dryness of your eyes, but people who wear contact lenses are particularly susceptible to dry eyes and the headaches that come along with them. If you notice that your eyes are feeling drier and more irritated, consider using eye drops to alleviate your dry eyes and keep them healthy. Otherwise, you can talk to your OD to decide how best to treat dry eyes and prevent the headaches.
How to avoid contact lens headache?
If you want to avoid headaches from contact lenses as much as possible, make an appointment with your eye doctor to locate the source of the issue and discuss what measures you can take in order to prevent any eye strain, irritation and headaches associated with your contact lenses. Once you’ve updated your prescription or started treating your dry eye, the headaches should start to disappear.
