HomeAnswersOphthalmology (Eye Care)contact lensI have swollen eyes from wearing contacts. Please help.

My eye got swollen after wearing contact lenses all day. Will it heal on its own?

Share

The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Medically reviewed by

iCliniq medical review team

Published At March 9, 2018
Reviewed AtFebruary 8, 2024

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I have scratched the cornea of my eye twice in the last two weeks. The first time was two weeks ago when I was wearing my contacts for an extended time (no more than normal) and started feeling severe pain, tearing, swelling of my right eye. It felt like the contact in my eye folded over (it was not). Slightly sensitive. It took a couple of days and I was back to normal but had not worn my contacts again until the day before, when I wore for a short time, no problem. Yesterday, I wore them all day and had the same reaction of dry eye, tearing, extreme pain, scratchy eyes, extremely light sensitive and very swollen eye. Do I need to go to a doctor for treatment or will it heal on its own? How long should I wait before I wear my contacts again?

Please answer.

Answered by Dr. Rahul Vaswani

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

It looks like you have a huge epithelial defect due to trauma caused by contact lenses. But the possibility of infection can only be ruled out by examining your eye. It would have been great if you would have attached a photograph but, let me suggest some medication that will cover both the defect and infection, if present. So I suggest you to take the medications. Take Carboxymethylcellulose (eye lubricant) 1 % eye drop 10 to 12 times per day, HPMC (Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose) eye ointment twice daily ,Moxifloxacin (antibiotic) eye drops six times a day ,Tobramycin (Aminoglycoside antibiotic) eye drops four times a day, Homatropine (anticholinergic) eye drops once at bedtime (will cause blurred vision especially for near), Polymyxin (antibiotic) eye ointment at bedtime. Discontinue contact lenses for two months. If no relief is obtained in a couple of days, then visit an ophthalmologist. I hope this helps.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Rahul Vaswani
Dr. Rahul Vaswani

Ophthalmology (Eye Care)

Community Banner Mobile
By subscribing, I agree to iCliniq's Terms & Privacy Policy.

Ask your health query to a doctor online

Ophthalmology (Eye Care)

*guaranteed answer within 4 hours

Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. iCliniq privacy policy