I have very dry eyes, My eye doctor has prescribed many different contact lenses and I like the convenience of daily lenses. Is there a daily lens that works better with dry eyes like mine?
There is no doubt about it, dry eyes are a tricky area. The tear layers are extremely complex and make contact lens fitting that much more challenging. However, rest assured, there are ways to deal with dry eyes and contact lenses.
For starters, single use contact lenses used to be very dry compared to other lens modalities. A little while ago, Ciba announced the release of the Ciba Focus Dailies with Aqua Release. This was a step in the right direction for dry eyes while wearing daily contact lenses. More recently, Acuvue has come out with the Acuvue 1-day moist, which is a great choice for many dry eyes. The Acuvue Moist 1 Day is available in a variety of single vision parameters that have really helped a lot of people with dry eyes. Unfortunatly, as of this writing, the acuvue moist is not available in corrections for astigmatism or hyperopia (plus powers). We can all keep our fingers crossed that this lens will come out in extended parameters in the near future.
A more recent single use development for dry eyes and contact lens is the proclear 1day contact lens from CooperVision. The proclear material is the only contact lens material that has the FDA approval to say it “may reduce the feeling of dry eye” in contact lens use. As with all new lenses, this lens is only available in limited parameters. If this lens fits you, it is only available in corrections up to -6.00 (low to moderate myopes rejoice…)
One huge benefit of 1 day contact lenses for dry eyes is their dispoability. When the lens starts to bother, wash your hands, take it out, throw it away and put on your glasses. Dry eyes and contact lenses can go together if you and your your eye care provider can find the right combination of lenses and lens care systems.
