If you need corrective eye gear and you suffer from seasonal allergies, it is important that you take your time when choosing between eyeglasses and contact lenses. Both can help improve your vision, but they do not necessarily perform the same when your allergies are in full bloom.
Allergies and Contact Lenses
A common set of symptoms amongst most seasonal allergy sufferers are itchy and watery eyes. It does not matter how diligent you are, it is hard to resist the urge to rub your eye when these symptoms start to flare up.
The problem is that not only will this practice make the symptoms worse, but contact lenses are very delicate. Even a gentle rub could cause a tear, which will only further irritate your eyes, cause pain, and make matters worse. For this reason, for people with severe seasonal allergies, eyeglasses are often the better solution.
Best of Both Worlds
Another option for seasonal allergy sufferers is to rely on both eyeglasses and contact lenses. For some reason, people sometimes think that they must pick one or the other, but the reality is that you can rely on both options to meet your corrective vision needs.
For example, on days that you will spend most of your time indoors and away from the allergens, you can rely on contact lenses. However, on the days when you will spend an extended period outside or the allergy count for the day is practically high, you can wear your eyeglasses instead.
Success is Possible
Even with all the above-mentioned, in some cases, there is a way to make contact lenses work for people with allergies. First, stay away from softer lenses and go with something more rigid and hard. Allergens can be absorbed into soft lenses much easier than hard lenses. If you can keep the allergens out, you can have greater comfort.
Second, consider single-wear contacts. Single-use contacts come without the risk of trapped allergen particles. Again, the cleaner the surface of the contact, the less the irritation to your eye. Lastly, talk to a healthcare professional about a medication to treat your allergies. If you can take medicine to minimize your body's reaction, you will have fewer systems, which will make contact lens wear easier.
For additional assistance on making your decision between contact lenses and eyeglasses, be sure to sit down and have a discussion with your eye doctor. Additionally, visit a place like Cohen's Fashion Optical for options.
We all know how important it is to get regular eye examinations. We want to educate people of all ages on the importance of taking care of their eyes so that they can preserve their vision for as long as possible. Our blog posts will cover topics such as age-related eye disorders such as open-angle and closed-angle glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration. We'll also provide you with information on contact lens care, minor eye irritations, bifocal glasses, eye infections, and medications that can cause eye problems. If we can help you keep your eyes healthy, then we've done our job.