Can you use artificial tears with contacts?

Can you use artificial tears with contacts? You may have heard this is a no-go, but it's a lot safer than you think. You must make sure you're using the right type, however, and the right way. (We have a best practices section below just to keep it in order!).

Understanding the use of artificial tears

Artificial tears are great, and if you're prone to dry, itchy eyes, they can be a lifesaver. Contact lenses are also great, but can the two of them work together? Read on.

Introduction to artificial tears

Artificial tears are just what the name implies: synthetic tears in a small squeezy bottle that you drop in your eyes to keep them moist and healthy. Some drops are just saline, which is basically salt water that's formulated to match the salinity of your natural tears. If your eyes are a bit dry or if allergies have left them irritated and red, a quick dose of eye drops can be just what you need to get back to normal.

Can you use artificial tears with contacts?

You can use artificial tears with or without contact lenses, provided they're the right kind of drops, and your eye care professional doesn't have any objections. Some people take their lenses out to drop in the tears, but you don't always have to. You can drop a couple of tears right on the lens itself.

Never use tears with preservatives on your contacts. As a rule, the simpler the formula you're using, the safer you are using artificial tears with your contacts still in.

Best practices for using artificial tears with contacts

Like anything else, there are right ways and wrong ways to use artificial tears with contact lenses. Here are the best practices for doing just that.

Choosing the right artificial tears

Make sure you're using the right type of artificial tears. The big variation here is in which active ingredient your tears are using as a demulcent, which is a word science hippies use for stuff that reduces irritation of mucous membranes. Your options here are:

  • Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)
  • Hypromellose and dextran
  • Propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, and glycerin
  • Povidone and polyvinyl alcohol

Each has its benefits, but you must pick a formula with a preservative-free option. Agents 1 and 3 have a lot of preservative-free brands available. Just about every formula that uses Hypromellose and dextran has preservatives, so avoid these if you have contacts.

Proper application of artificial tears

It's not hard to use artificial tears. Here's a step-by-step guide to how you should be putting eye drops in:

  1. Tilt your head so that your face is angled upward. It doesn't have to be perfect, but you should be pretty much vertical.
  2. Gently tug the lower eyelid away from one eye. Go easy and just make a little pocket.
  3. Hold the bottle of tears over your eye and squeeze a single drop at a time into the pocket (the one you're holding, not your actual pocket).
  4. Let the pocket close and blink a few times until the artificial tears spread evenly over the surface of your eye.

You can use nonmedicated drops as often as you need them to stay moist (tricked you), but if you're doing this more than four times a day, you might have an issue that needs closer attention. As for medicated drops, only use them at the frequency prescribed.

Consultation with your eye care professional

Only put things in your eye when your eye care professional agrees it's a good idea. While a lot of artificial tears are available over the counter, it's best to have the go-ahead before you use them. This is especially the case if you're new to contacts or if you have an eye condition such as glaucoma.

In Sum. . .

A lot of over-the-counter artificial tears work fine with most contact lenses but be careful. Only use the drops that your eye care professional approves, use them on a reasonable schedule, and avoid drops with preservatives if you're wearing contacts. You can find an eye exam online, and take advantage of these money-saving online coupons while you're at it.

FAQs

Are there specific artificial tears recommended for sensitive eyes with contacts? 

Some lubricating drops are labeled as being just for people with contacts, and those should be fine. Make sure you don't use antibiotic, steroid, or anti-allergy drops with lenses or medicated glaucoma drops.

Can artificial tears be used as a substitute for rewetting drops for contacts?

Drops labeled as specifically for rewetting can totally be used to rewet your contacts. Don't use vasoconstrictor drops for this because they're not an adequate substitute for solution.

Can I use artificial tears to relieve redness caused by contact lens wear? 

Eye drops for redness work by shrinking blood vessels or as vasoconstrictors. These have preservatives in them, so avoid them when you're wearing contacts.