Contact lenses for allergies and hay fever

CAN YOU WEAR CONTACT LENSES WITH HAYFEVER?
Yes you can you wear contact lenses with hay fever but as one of the main symptoms of pollen allergy are red, swollen, itchy eyes which can make daytime contact lenses uncomfortable. However a new alternative to daytime contact lenses which does not involve switching back to glasses are overnight vision contact lenses.

WHAT ARE THE BEST CONTACT LENSES FOR HAYFEVER?
The best contact lenses for hay fever are overnight lenses because you don't have to wear them during the day. Overnight contact lenses gently reshape the eye while sleeping, correcting the way light enters the eye and focuses on the retina so that you can see without them. Find out if you are suitable

WHAT MAKES OVERNIGHT LENSES THE MOST COMFORTABLE CONTACT LENSES FOR HAYFEVER?
Because the lenses are worn during the night when your eye is closed there is very little pollen around to aggravate your eyes. Hence they are less swollen and irritated and overnight lenses feel more comfortable. It also means that you can use hay fever eye drops during the day when symptoms do occur. What are the most frequently asked questions about overnight vision correction.

CAN HAYFEVER AFFECT CONTACT LENSES? Hay fever affects daytime contact lenses because pollen gets trapped under the lenses making the symptoms worse. The pollen then irritates the eye making it itchy and you want to rub them; which is not a good idea especially when wearing contact lenses. By switching to overnight vision correction can help solve all of these problems. Find out why Ann switched to iGO overnight lenses.

CAN WEARING CONTACT LENSES HELP REDUCE HAYFEVER? Wearing contact lenses does not reduce hay fever because the eye is still exposed to pollen. But wearing wrap around glasses when out doors will help as these provide a good barrier to pollen. Read our top ten tips for hay fever sufferers to help you manage and relieve your symptoms as much as possible.

HOW POLLEN AFFECTS THE EYES?
When pollen gets into the eye, the conjunctiva (the clear membrane which covers they eye surface) gets irritated and inflamed. This makes the eyes generally feel swollen, tired and uncomfortable. The temptation is to rub them but this makes the inflammation worse.

HAYFEVER EYE DROPS FOR CONTACT LENS WEARERES
Hayfever eye drops containing antihistamine to reduce the symptoms of itchyness caused by hayfever but these cannot be used when wearing contact lenses. This is because the ingredients in anti-histamine eye drops can be absorbed by soft contact lenses and this causes further irritation to the eyes. By switching to overnight vision correction your eyes will feel as comfortable as is possible and you can then use hayfever eye drops whenever necessary to get maximum relief.

Above all you can avoid the embarrassment and inconvenience of returning to glasses when your confidence and energy levels most need a boost. Find out if you are suitable

What one hay fever sufferer has to say
" I have suffered from very bad hay fever since I was 28" says Ann Gould who opted for overnight vision correction. "I find that I don't even want to wear make up let alone contact lenses during the pollen season. Wearing lenses at night is much more comfortable and has really helped because when your eyes hurt it is hard to concentrate and my work really suffered. Now I don't have the aggravation of changing back to glasses every summer, or making sure that I always have the right had prescription sunglasses and glasses always to hand - I have much more freedom."

HAY FEVER AND SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS IS ON THE INCREASE!
The number of people affected by hay fever and short-sightedness is on the increase; experts warn that hay fever which currently affects around 25% of the UK population could rise to almost half by 2030. Shortsightedness has increased 66% in the last 30 years and 42% of westerners are now short sighted. With 7.5% of the adult UK population now wearing contact lenses the issue of eye problems caused by hayfever pollen allergy is a major problem in summer.

Useful Links for Hayfever Allergy Sufferers

Pollen UK
Allergy UK
The Royal Brompton Hospital Allergy Unit
The British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Benedryl iPhone push App
The Food Doctor