By Nigel Little 

Contact lenses for dry eyes  worn only overnight while sleeping in combination with caffeine could provide the best solution for short-sighted daytime contact lens wearers who struggle with the discomfort and irritation associated with dry, itchy eyes. This unusual proposition arises from a range of research sources, with the most recent being the results of a study from Tokyo University published in the latest edition of ‘Ophthalmology' which indicates that caffeine intake can significantly increase the eye's ability to produce tears, a finding that could improve treatment of dry eye syndrome. All of the 78 participants in the new study produced significantly more tears after consuming caffeine than after taking a placebo.

Dry eye problems usually arise because an individual has an inferior rate of tear production and this unpleasant eye health condition is an increasing problem affecting millions of people and especially women. For daytime contact lens wearers and particularly those who spend most of their time in air-conditioned work and home environments which remove moisture from the air, the added problem of extended screen use with computers, mobile phones and TVs means that blink rates - which encourage tear production - reduce by as much as 80%. So the discomfort from wearing daytime lenses can be intense by the time work is over. This is where the new overnight ortho-k corrective contact lenses for dry eyes  offer an effective solution since the lenses correct short-sight while the wearer is asleep and no lens wear is required during the day.

Ortho-k is short for ‘orthokeratology', a long-established optical science which identified that lenses worn overnight can gently flatten the surface of the eye under the pressure of the closed lids to ensure that light enters the eye at the correct angle and hence focuses directly on the retina rather than in front of it. Based on the same principle as ‘muscle memory', the eye retains this corrected shape for over 24 hours so the wearer of ortho-k contact lenses for dry eyes  has perfect natural vision from when lenses are removed in the morning to when they are reinserted at night. So even in air-conditioned environments and despite spending lots of time staring at screens, it is not a problem since the eye is not shrouded by a daytime contact lens. Given also that the Ophthalmology study has shown caffeine stimulates tear glands since in the same way as it increases other secretions such as saliva and digestive juices, it seems the best treatment advice is that wearing overnight lenses and having a regular cappuccino provides the perfect solution for dry eyes!

Check if you are suitable for overnight ortho-k corrective contact lenses  for dry eyes.