How the Weather Affects Contact Lenses

A lot of factors must be considered when you’re thinking of switching to contact lenses. One of these is the kind of contact lenses you’re going to wear and the type of maintenance routine it requires. You can choose from soft contact lenses, rigid gas permeable contacts, toric lenses and vial lenses. Learn the differences between these types and what it can do for you. You can then choose between traditional and disposable lenses.

There are other factors to consider such as your budget, lifestyle, schedule and the climate conditions in your area. This is because the weather can affect the way contacts interact with the eyes. You should also consider the effect of the weather conditions in the town you’re planning to visit on your contacts.

Dry Air and Heat

Keeping your contacts moist can be a bit challenging if you are residing or planning to visit a place with dry weather conditions. Dry air and heat suck the moisture that the eyes naturally provide to the contacts. The effects of dry weather conditions on your contacts and eyes may not be unbearable, but applying rewetting drops will help restore your comfort.

Cold and Rain

Contact lenses fair better in cold weather conditions as the lens don’t fog up. You also don’t need to wear eyeglasses that cause pain on the bridge of the nose. While there’s no weather condition that is considered dangerous for wearing contact lenses, most eye specialists suggest that you don’t keep your eyes open for a long period of time in -40 Fahrenheit winds.

Wind and Dust

The most uncomfortable weather condition for those who are wearing contacts is dust. If you have hard corrective lenses, you need to be particularly wary of strong winds that carry a lot of dust. This is because dust can cause a lot of pain when caught in hard contact lenses. If you have to go out on a dusty day, you can wear eyeglasses over your contacts to keep dust away from your eyes and to protect your contact lenses as well. In case you live in a region where the climate tends to be dusty, it is a good idea to remove your contacts every few hours to clean them. After rinsing your contacts, you can wear them again.

When you go to an eye care expert and choose your contacts, make sure to ask him about any weather-related concerns that might affect your contact lenses. This is particularly important if the weather conditions in your place are quite harsh on your contacts.

Knowing the effects of weather on your contact lenses will not only keep you comfortable, but also help you prevent any damage to your contacts. You can avoid eye irritation and infections as well. Another thing to keep in mind is to ensure that your contacts fit you. An eye care expert can prescribe the right fit for you and make sure that you don’t suffer from any allergic reaction to the lens material or cleaning solution.