Pinkeye and wearing contacts

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Pinkeye and wearing contacts

Sometimes if you wear your contacts too long, your eyes can become irritated. Your eyes may become red and slightly painful. Usually all you need to do is remove your contacts and rest your eyes.

If you have symptoms of pinkeye (conjunctivitis), remove your contacts and wear glasses until you have talked with your health professional or your symptoms have gone away completely.

Mild pinkeye can be caused by solutions used for cleaning contacts. Rinse contacts well after cleaning. If this is not enough to stop your pinkeye, you may need to change your contact solution or your contacts.

It is important to clean your contacts thoroughly to remove any virus or bacteria from the contacts after having pinkeye. If the contacts are not thoroughly cleaned, they can reinfect your eye. If you are not able to clean your contacts thoroughly, your health professional may be able to clean your contacts or you may need to replace them. If you have disposable contacts, it is better to use a new pair after having pinkeye.

Credits

Last updated:	December 06, 2007
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, Christopher J. Rudnisky, MD, FRCSC - Ophthalmology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer