4 top tips for reading with contact lenses

Reading is one of the biggest joys of life and is something that many of us enjoy on a daily basis. Whether you’re halfway through a novel, flicking through a magazine or reading the news on your iPad, you’ll need to be making sure you aren’t putting your eyes at risk from strain and irritation.

On that note, we’ve created this list of tips to look after your eyes the next time you pick up a book or tablet.

Wear the correct contact lenses

This one may sound quite obvious, but it’s important to ensure that you’re wearing contact lenses with the correct prescription, not just in reading but in every other aspect of your day.

Wearing contact lenses with the wrong prescription can cause a strain to your eyes, as they have to work harder to decipher any blurred or distorted vision you experience.

You should attend an eye test once every two years at minimum, so if it’s been a while since your last appointment, or if you have any doubts over whether you’re wearing the right lenses, it’s highly recommended to book an appointment with your eye care practitioner.

Take regular breaks from reading

Reading for prolonged periods of time while wearing contact lenses can cause eye strain and a feeling of fatigue, which even further down the line can cause more serious issues.

It’s important, therefore, to take regular breaks from reading to give your eyes a rest. Every 20-30 minutes or after each chapter, put the book down and walk around the house to allow your eyes to focus on objects other than the page.

Hold the book at eye level

Reading at an awkward angle can also put some strain on your eyes and potentially cause some discomfort if done for an extended period of time.

So, whether it’s a book or a tablet, hold your reading device at eye level, or just below eye level. This is the recommended comfortable position for reading, keeping your eyes feeling fresh from one page to the next.

Remember to blink

Especially true if you’re reading from a Kindle, iPad or tablet, you might find that during reading you’re forgetting to blink as often as you usually would.

As with all digital screen use, this dehydrates your eyes, eventually leading to dry eyes and irritation if done extensively. Contact lens wearers could also find that their lenses begin to dry out if they forget to blink for too long.

Give your eyes regular breaks

Fortunately, there’s a handy rule to follow to keep your eyes feeling healthy and fresh during reading. The 20-20-20 rule means that every 20 minutes, you should take a twenty second break and look at something 20 feet away across the room. This will give your eyes the time to adjust back to their usual blink rate, rehydrating your eyes and your contact lenses

We’ve created a helpful guide on the effects of digital screen-use on your eyes. while wearing contact lenses can cause your eyes to become dry, which can make them sore and uncomfortable.

So, there you have it – our list of top tips to keep your eyes feeling healthy when reading. We hope you’ll bear these in mind the next time you hit the books.