Contact lenses getting drier?

[IfyouStealMySunshine]

Have worn contacts for 25 years am early 40s.

I probably have one day off wearing them at all every week otherwise I’d say on most other days I’m wearing them 10 - 12 hours. Just the nature of my job and commute. They are definitely feeling drier and more uncomfortable in the last few months.
Does anyone have any tips?

I currently wear monthly ones did people find daily disposables better?

You could start by discussing the changes you are encountering with your contact lens practitioner. I’m presuming you go annually for check ups considering your current wear schedule.

They can address your current concerns and make recommendations based on their findings.

You may need to change your wear time, change your contact lens type, consider the implications of your age - general health - medications -environmental factors - screen time, use lubricating drops etc

An in person evaluation is invaluable. It’s what they are trained for. Start there.

Getting older can cause this; it gets worse with peri menopause.
Try some hydrating eye drops and reducing the amount of time you wear them.
Another cause can be antihistamines which a lot of people are taking at the moment now it’s hay fever season.

Ok thanks I’ll start with speaking to my opticians - I have annual check ups as they won’t release my new prescription until I attend so general eye heath was fine back in Feb. I had a feeling it could be relating to the start of peri.

Ill try eye drops they do feel better they’re just annoying as it will smudge my makeup. Absolute last option would be to wear them less as I detest wearing my glasses.

Don’t take antihistamines but that is interesting. Screen use is high though as that’s mostly my job.

Dry eyes is one of the first classic symptoms of a drop in oestrogen and given your age this would fit in appropriately. (Sadly). I had to stop wearing my contacts completely due to a combination of Sjögren’s syndrome (worth a google) and menopause at around 40. I’m very short sighted -9.50 both eyes and absolutely hate my glasses. 😞

I have really sensitive eyes and get Alvera contact solution which contain aloe Vera for extra moisture.

I was a long time wearer of contact lenses. And I latterly used monthly ones. When I first started wearing them 50 years ago I used hard contact lenses and I shudder now as to the cavalier attitude I had to them which resulted in one occasion having to go to A & E to have then removed because i'd slept in them and my eyes had totally closed up

I think the length of time you have your lenses in is quite excessive and I think i would be looking to taking my lenses out at some point during the day. Also using lubricating drops at regular intervals during the course of the day to counteract the dryness in the eye which is an increasing problem as we get that little bit older.

Definitely talk to your optician though.

I’m in the same boat as you, worn contacts for nearly 30 years. Things I find help is eyedrops (I use tubing mascara which doesn’t run) and I adjusted my diet to have more oily fish. Plus cod liver oil tablets.

Definitely an age thing (sorry!). I'm in my 50s now, and despite wearing hard/gas-permeable lenses for years, from dawn til dusk, I had to cut down my wear time a few years ago, and change to daily disposables. My eyes just stopped tolerating the hard lenses. Even with the softer ones I now can't manage a whole day if I'm going to be looking at screens, so wear glasses to work.

I was told by my optician that when I blinked my eyelids no longer closed fully, so my eyes were drying out. It is also a result of lower oestrogen levels. I do still wear lenses at weekends, or when I'm out, but have to regularly use eyedrops so they stay comfortable, and remove them as soon as I get home.

These are the eye drops I use. I'm pretty skilled now at getting one drop into each eye without too many misfires!

Thanks for all the replies and advice.
Will definitely be trying the eye drops and I’ll get some cod liver oil tablets.
Ill also try getting some daily’s to break up the monthly use one. They have always felt more ‘hydrated’ than standard ones.
To be fair there are some days I could decrease the wear time the weekend perhaps. It’s mainly a vanity thing!

I had to switch to daily lenses with a high water content when I hit 40. Mine are a silicon hydrogel type thing and cost ££ but are much more comfortable. I do wear them pretty much every day but put my glasses on as soon as I get in from work, so usually in about 7.15, out about 5.15, and less wear time at weekends.

If you hate daytime drops, try Hycosan Night.

There are lots of alternatives which are more moist. Just ask to go in for a check up and they will fit a different lens.