Contact lens intolerance (CLI) is a common condition in which contact lenses cause pain and discomfort in the eye when worn. If you’re a contact lens wearer, there’s a good chance you’ve experienced some degree of CLI in your quest for better vision.
From allergies to bad lens care, there are many causes of CLI. While you may wonder how to cure contact lens intolerance, the good news is the condition isn’t permanent, and you have several options to ease discomfort.
Here are five ways our experts recommend fighting contact lens intolerance.
1. Ditch Your Contact Lenses
LASIK surgery is the most radical cure for CLI. It’s also the most permanent. Instead of treating the pain and discomfort caused by contacts, LASIK treats the root of the problem—your vision. By correcting your vision, contacts typically become unnecessary. It’s simple—when there are no contact lenses, there’s no intolerance.
2. Wear Your Backup Glasses
For some people, glasses are as much a fashion statement as a tool for better vision. For others, they’re the only choice. And while they may not irritate the eyes, glasses have a tendency to irritate the person wearing them. However, they a go-to solution while you’re fighting CLI.
3. Use Artificial Tears
We’d choose eye drops and fake tears over real tears caused by CLI any day. Unfortunately, artificial tears may only provide temporary relief.
4. Eat Eye-Healthy Foods
What do food and nutrition have to do with lens intolerance? Maybe more than you think. The body’s natural defense against eye discomfort is the production of tears. The food you eat and the nutrients you receive affect the amount and quality of those tears. Talk to a doctor or nutritionist for help identifying tear-inducing foods and supplements, and check out our helpful Healthy Recipes for Healthy Eyes post.
5. Prioritize Contact Lens Care
CLI is often a direct result of how we wear and take care of our contacts. Wearing your contact lenses for too long and not properly cleaning or disinfecting them will almost certainly lead to eye concerns and potential dangers. Always follow your doctor’s instructions on how to store, clean, and wear your prescribed contact lenses. Explore contact lens care tips from the American Optometric Association.
Consult With Our Eye Care Experts
The good news is, you don’t have to accept CLI as a fact of life. In fact, it’s possible to wake up and face the day without the irritation and hassles associated with daily contact lens wear.
If that thought brings a tear of happiness to your eye, call (405) 842-6060 or click to schedule a FREE LASIK consultation with nJoy Vision in Oklahoma City. We’ll explore your concerns to see if laser vision correction offers the best solution.
This blog post was originally published in January 2020 and updated in March 2025.
