Remedies For a Red Eye Due to Infected Contact Lenses

One common eye irritation for those who wear contact lenses is keratitis. There may be a variety of causes for red eye, including a viral or bacterial infection, but most often it is caused by wearing contact lenses. While some individuals may have red eye because they suffer from dry eyes while wearing lenses, others are sensitive to having a foreign object in their eye, causing irritation.

Risk

• According to EyeSmart, millions of people use contacts every day, but some individuals are still prone to infection or discomfort from wearing them. Factors that lead to infection include: poor cleaning of lenses, using extended-wear lenses, and reduced tear production.

  Avoid red eye due to infections by properly cleaning lenses each night as recommended by the optometrist. Clean the contacts by placing a lens in the palm of the hand and soaking it in lens cleaning solution, and rub it with the index finger. Lift the contact lens from the soiled solution, rinse the hand with water, then rinse the lens with fresh cleaning solution before placing it in a lens holder containing fresh solution.

Symptoms

• Keratitis is the most common infection of the eye caused by wearing contact lenses, according to EyeSmart. When an individual has keratitis, the cornea becomes infected by a variety of causes, including bacteria or microbes.

  Symptoms of keratitis include red eye, tearing, blurred vision, pain, and light sensitivity. Many individuals who suffer from keratitis when wearing contact lenses get the fungal infection, known as fusarium keratitis.

Treatment

• It is important to see an ophthalmologist as soon as you begin feeling or seeing symptoms associated with keratitis, as it may cause blindness or serious loss of vision if not treated. Remedies for red eye due to an infection include antifungal medications administered either orally or to the eye. If antifungal medications do not work, eye surgery may be needed.

  The most essential way to prevent red eye caused by bacterial infection is to keep contact lenses clean with proper solution and to take them out as necessary depending on instructions from the optometrist or ophthalmologist. If you have sensitive eyes, there are lubricating drops to reduce redness and cleaning solutions for those who may develop allergies to certain solutions.