Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow to UseTypes of LensesNon-Drug Remedies
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How to Use
Types of Lenses
Non-Drug Remedies
If you’re one of the millions of Americans who suffer fromseasonal allergies, you may be doubly miserable if you wear contacts. Allergens are attracted to the surface of contact lenses, making your eyes a veritable magnet for irritants like pollen and ragweed.
You may also be wondering, “Are allergy eye drops safe with contacts?” The answer is yes, and there are plenty of options for dealing with seasonal allergies, includingantihistamine pillsornasal sprays. Medicated eye drops can also provide much-needed relief as long as you use them as directed. Even choosing a different type of contact lens can help.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
How to Use Allergy Eye Drops
Lastacaft (alcaftadine) is also an effective OTC antihistamine/mast-cell stabilizing eye drop.
Antihistamine eye drops are generally safe to use with both hard and soft contact lenses.
Naphcon-A and Opcon-A (naphazoline/pheniramine) are also available OTC. They should only be used short-term due to the topical decongestant ingredient in addition to the antihistamine included in the medication.
Be sure to follow the prescribing information on the packet insert. Do not overuse or keep drops past their expiration date. As a rule of thumb, once you have opened the eye drops, you should discard them after three months.
Expert-Approved Eye Drops for Allergies
Choice of Contact Lenses
For persons prone to seasonal allergies, many eye doctors (ophthalmologists) will recommend single-use soft lenses over multi-day-use lenses.By changing your lenses daily, you can minimize the debris buildup that can exacerbate allergy symptoms.
For those whose vision is not sufficiently improved with soft lenses, gas-permeable lenses are a good alternative.It is important, however, to always precondition them.
Rewetting drops can also help and are safe to place directly into the eye.
Alcohol-based surfactants, which remove protein and debris from the lenses, are used to clean lenses and should always be thoroughly rinsed from the lens before wearing your contact lenses.
Beyond medication, there are several practical approaches that can help relieve eye allergy symptoms:
Summary
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harthan JS, Shorter E.Therapeutic uses of scleral contact lenses for ocular surface disease: patient selection and special considerations.Clin Optom (Auckl). 2018;10:65-74. doi:10.2147/OPTO.S144357Urgacz A, Mrukwa E, Gawlik R.Adverse events in allergy sufferers wearing contact lenses. Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2015 Jun;32(3):204-9. doi: 10.5114/pdia.2015.48071American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Eye allergy.Additional ReadingUrgacz, A.; Mrukwa, E.; and Gawlik, R. “Adverse events in allergy sufferers wearing contact lenses.“Postepy Dermatol Alergol.2015; 32(3):204-9. DOI:10.5114/pdia.2015.48071.Wolffsohn, J. and Emberlin, J. “Role of contact lenses in relieving ocular allergy.“Cont Lens Anterior Eye.2011;3 4(4):169-72. DOI:10.1016/j.clae.2011.03.004.
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harthan JS, Shorter E.Therapeutic uses of scleral contact lenses for ocular surface disease: patient selection and special considerations.Clin Optom (Auckl). 2018;10:65-74. doi:10.2147/OPTO.S144357Urgacz A, Mrukwa E, Gawlik R.Adverse events in allergy sufferers wearing contact lenses. Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2015 Jun;32(3):204-9. doi: 10.5114/pdia.2015.48071American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Eye allergy.Additional ReadingUrgacz, A.; Mrukwa, E.; and Gawlik, R. “Adverse events in allergy sufferers wearing contact lenses.“Postepy Dermatol Alergol.2015; 32(3):204-9. DOI:10.5114/pdia.2015.48071.Wolffsohn, J. and Emberlin, J. “Role of contact lenses in relieving ocular allergy.“Cont Lens Anterior Eye.2011;3 4(4):169-72. DOI:10.1016/j.clae.2011.03.004.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Harthan JS, Shorter E.Therapeutic uses of scleral contact lenses for ocular surface disease: patient selection and special considerations.Clin Optom (Auckl). 2018;10:65-74. doi:10.2147/OPTO.S144357Urgacz A, Mrukwa E, Gawlik R.Adverse events in allergy sufferers wearing contact lenses. Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2015 Jun;32(3):204-9. doi: 10.5114/pdia.2015.48071American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Eye allergy.
Harthan JS, Shorter E.Therapeutic uses of scleral contact lenses for ocular surface disease: patient selection and special considerations.Clin Optom (Auckl). 2018;10:65-74. doi:10.2147/OPTO.S144357
Urgacz A, Mrukwa E, Gawlik R.Adverse events in allergy sufferers wearing contact lenses. Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2015 Jun;32(3):204-9. doi: 10.5114/pdia.2015.48071
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Eye allergy.
Urgacz, A.; Mrukwa, E.; and Gawlik, R. “Adverse events in allergy sufferers wearing contact lenses.“Postepy Dermatol Alergol.2015; 32(3):204-9. DOI:10.5114/pdia.2015.48071.Wolffsohn, J. and Emberlin, J. “Role of contact lenses in relieving ocular allergy.“Cont Lens Anterior Eye.2011;3 4(4):169-72. DOI:10.1016/j.clae.2011.03.004.
Urgacz, A.; Mrukwa, E.; and Gawlik, R. “Adverse events in allergy sufferers wearing contact lenses.“Postepy Dermatol Alergol.2015; 32(3):204-9. DOI:10.5114/pdia.2015.48071.
Wolffsohn, J. and Emberlin, J. “Role of contact lenses in relieving ocular allergy.“Cont Lens Anterior Eye.2011;3 4(4):169-72. DOI:10.1016/j.clae.2011.03.004.
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