Eye Diseases and Conditions Slideshow Pictures Pink Eye Slideshow Pictures Cataracts Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Frank J. Weinstock, MD, FACS

Frank J. Weinstock, MD, FACS

Dr. Weinstock is a board-certified ophthalmologist. He practices general ophthalmology in Canton, Ohio, with a special interest in contact lenses. He holds faculty positions of Professor of Ophthalmology at the Northeastern Ohio Colleges of Medicine and Affiliate Clinical Professor in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science at Florida Atlantic University.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Medical Treatment

Treatment of contact-lens problems ranges from not wearing your contact lenses for a short time to intensive antibiotic treatment of infections. You may have to wear your glasses for a variable period of time. After the condition is cleared, you might have to be refit with new or different lenses.

If only one eye is affected, you may be advised to discontinue the contact lens in the other eye, as some infections may spread into the uninvolved eye. If the lens is worn out or torn, it must be replaced. With frequent replacement lens wear, you usually have extra lenses at home and can easily replace the lens yourself.

• If a solution incompatibility is suspected, solutions and the care regimen are evaluated, and you may be required to change solutions.
  
  
• If the lens is not fitting well, wear of that lens is discontinued. It may be necessary to refit you with new lenses of the same or different material, which may be better tolerated or may provide better vision.
  
  
• With infections, antibiotic eyedrops are used. Pills are rarely used because eyedrops are usually more effective.
  
  
  • Your eye doctor chooses the eyedrop that is most effective for the particular infection. Eyedrops may need to be used every hour. You might have to be seen every day with more serious infections.
    
    
  • With corneal infections, a culture of the infection may be taken to help determine the best antibiotic eyedrop.
    
    
  • On rare occasions, surgical management of the infection may be necessary. Ultimately, if more conservative treatment is not successful, antibiotic injections into the eye or even a corneal transplant may be necessary.