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It is not advisable to wear contact lenses when you have a stye. A stye is a common bacterial infection that affects the glands along the lash line. It causes a red, swollen bump beneath one of your eyes, often causing pain and discomfort. Since most styes go away on their own, switching to glasses while the area heals is the safest choice for your eye health.
A stye is different from a chalazion, which is a red eyelid bump caused by chronic inflammation. Unlike styes, chalazions are not typically painful, but they may take longer to heal. This article details the risks of wearing contacts with a stye, the importance of proper hygiene, and when you can safely resume lens wear.
Risks of Wearing Contacts with a Stye
Wearing contacts when you have an active stye can make the eye feel more irritated. In some cases, it can also worsen the infection by collecting bacteria.
Wearing your backup glasses while you wait for the stye to heal is the best way to keep your eyes safe and comfortable.
Do Contact Lenses Cause Styes?
No, contact lenses do not directly cause styes. However, they can increase your risk of getting a stye if you are not handling, cleaning, and storing them correctly. Since styes are infections caused by bacteria, poor hygiene is a major contributing factor.
When you do not clean your contacts or your hands thoroughly, you risk accidentally transferring bacteria to the lens and onto your eye. This lack of hygiene gives the bacteria a clear pathway to the glands along the lash line, which can result in a stye. Even if you clean your contacts carefully, touching or rubbing your eye with an infected area while wearing lenses can transfer bacteria.
When Can You Wear Contacts Again?
You should wait to wear contacts until the stye has healed completely and you no longer feel discomfort. You should not wear contacts while you are using antibiotic ointments or treating the stye with warm compresses.
To know when it is safe to wear lenses again, watch the stye as it heals. When all the redness and swelling have gone away and you no longer feel any pain, you can start wearing your contacts again. If you are uncertain, wait an extra day or two. When it comes to your eyes, waiting is always safer.
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Post-Stye Care and Prevention
Once your stye has healed, you must take strict measures to prevent reinfection. Proper hygiene is the most effective way to prevent styes in the future.
- Discard contacts you wore before and during the infection.
- Wash your hands often using hot water and soap.
- Always wash your hands before handling lenses.
- Follow contact manufacturers’ instructions for disinfecting and wear length.
- Clean your makeup brushes and tools frequently.
- Remove makeup thoroughly at night.
- Wash bedding regularly.
- Never share towels, makeup, or pillows.
Getting Back to Healthy Vision
Styes are painful, but they are not usually serious. Avoiding contacts during the healing period helps prevent complications and promotes a faster recovery. Since an active stye contaminates your lens, you must discard the old pair and start with a fresh set once the swelling is gone.
Prioritizing hygiene, especially hand washing, is the most direct way to prevent styes and keep your contact lens wearing experience comfortable.
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