Why Your Contact Lenses Suddenly Feel Uncomfortable

Have you ever put in your contact lenses one morning—everything felt fine—only to find by mid‑afternoon that your eyes feel scratchy, dry, or like there’s sand under your lids? You’re not imagining it. For many contact‑lens wearers, a shift in comfort level doesn’t mean the lenses got “bad,” but rather that something subtle changed in your eyes or ocular surface. Today we’ll explore three common—but often underappreciated—reasons why contact lenses can suddenly feel uncomfortable: tear film disruption (dry eye), corneal exposure, and underlying conditions such as Thyroid Eye Disease (TED).

Why Your Contacts May Feel Uncomfortable: Discover how dry eyes, linked with thyroid eye disease, can affect your contact lens experience throughout the day. Learn tips for comfort, such as lubrication, eye check-ups, and special lenses.

What Happens When Contacts Interrupt the Tear Film

Your tear film is a finely balanced, three‑layer system (lipid, aqueous, mucin) that keeps the surface of your eye smooth, nourished, protected from debris and infection, and comfortable. Wikipedia+2Mayo Clinic+2

When you wear contact lenses—especially soft contact lenses, which constitute the majority of lens wear today —the lens splits the tear film into two layers: one between the lens and the cornea, and another on top of the lens. ScienceDirect+1 This altered tear distribution, along with the physical presence of a foreign object on the eye surface, increases friction, reduces tear film stability, and makes it harder for your ocular surface to stay well-lubricated. tearfilm.org+1

If you already have a tendency toward dryness—whether because of reduced tear production, poor tear quality or environmental factors—the added strain from lens wear can tip the balance, causing the eyes to feel gritty, scratchy, or irritated — a phenomenon known as Contact Lens Discomfort (CLD). ScienceDirect+2optometrytimes.com+2

In a small subset of contact lens wearers, the discomfort and dryness may even occur without classic signs of dry eye disease — perhaps because the corneal nerves themselves have become sensitive or altered, which in turn changes how the tear system is regulated. PMC

When Corneal Exposure Makes Matters Worse

Beyond tear film instability, another important contributor to contact lens discomfort relates to how well the eyelids and eyelid closure protect and hydrate the cornea. In some situations—especially when the eyelids don’t fully close or retract slightly—the cornea can become abnormally exposed to air, leading to increased evaporation of tears and resulting dryness or irritation. eyerounds.org+2SCIRP+2

Contact lens wear can sometimes worsen this problem. Lenses may interfere with normal tear distribution and blinking mechanics, and over time may contribute to changes in eyelid function or meibomian gland performance (the oil glands of the lids that help prevent tear evaporation). optometrytimes.com+2tearfilm.org+2

When the ocular surface remains inadequately protected — for example, if the eyelids do not fully cover the cornea at rest or during blinking — patients may develop exposure-related irritation, inflammatory changes, or even surface damage. This is especially concerning for people whose eyelid anatomy or lid function has changed — and that brings us to an often-overlooked cause: thyroid‑related eye disease.

The Hidden Role of Thyroid Eye Disease (TED)

Graves' ophthalmopathy (also known as Thyroid Eye Disease, or TED) is an autoimmune condition that affects the tissues around the eyes — including the orbit, extraocular muscles, and eyelids. American Thyroid Association+2eyerounds.org+2 In many patients with TED, the changes are subtle: the eyelids may retract slightly, there may be mild proptosis (forward displacement of the eyeball), or lid‑lag when looking down. To the untrained eye these may be hardly noticeable — but these changes can significantly affect how the tear film spreads, how the eyelids close over the cornea, and how protected the cornea remains. MDPI+2SCIRP+2

As a result, people with TED often report dryness, foreign-body sensation, light sensitivity (photophobia), or trouble tolerating contact lenses — even if the TED appears mild or “inactive.” MDPI+2PMC+2 A recent review found that approximately 85% of patients with TED experience ocular surface symptoms, with tear‑film instability and exposure keratopathy often contributing. Frontiers+1

This means that a friend or colleague with seemingly “fine” thyroid levels could still have subtle eye changes that trigger discomfort when using contact lenses. Treating the thyroid alone may not resolve the eye symptoms: ocular surface‑specific therapy is often needed. Medical News Today+2PMC+2

What You Can Do: Practical Steps to Improve Comfort

If your contact lenses suddenly feel more irritating, or you find yourself wearing them for shorter and shorter times, it’s often a sign your ocular surface needs some attention. Taking time to recognize and address these issues can save you from long-term discomfort — and even prevent more serious problems like corneal inflammation or surface damage.

Start with simple, lens‑friendly habits: make sure you follow a healthy lens‑wear schedule, remove lenses if there’s any irritation, and consider using lubricating drops approved for contact-lens wearers if your eyes feel dry during the day. Choose lens types and wearing schedules carefully — sometimes daily disposable lenses or lenses with better moisture retention are a better fit for eyes prone to dryness.

If dryness or discomfort persists, or if you notice eyelid changes, bulging, or a sense of “dry yet gritty” eyes no matter what you try — it may be worth seeing an eye care professional. A comprehensive ocular surface exam (including tear film breakup time, ocular surface staining, meibomian gland assessment, and an eyelid evaluation) can help uncover hidden issues. For contact lens wearers who also have eyelid/eyeball changes, options such as scleral lenses (which vault over the cornea) may even restore comfort while protecting the surface. digital.clspectrum.com+2Wikipedia+2

Most importantly: if you have a known thyroid condition — or unexplained eye dryness or sensitivity — ask your doctor about the possibility of TED. Early identification and targeted ocular surface care can make a big difference.

Final Thoughts: Why contact lenses feel uncomfortable

Contact lenses are a great convenience and a wonderful way to correct vision — but they are not inert. They interact intimately with your tear film, eyelids, and ocular surface. When conditions such as dry eye, tear film instability, or subtle changes in eyelid anatomy (as can occur in Thyroid Eye Disease) are present, even well‑fitted lenses can suddenly become intolerable.

If your lenses begin to feel dry, scratchy, or uncomfortable — especially when you previously had no problems — take it as a signal from your eyes. Adjust your habits, and if problems persist, seek professional evaluation. With the right approach, many people can continue to enjoy the convenience of contact lenses — comfortably and safely.

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References

1. Koh, S., & Carnt, N. (2020). Contact lens wear and dry eye: beyond the known. Eye & Contact Lens, 46(5), 271–276. https://doi.org/10.1097/ICL.0000000000000642 ScienceDirect

2. McMonnies, C. W. (2021). Could contact lens dryness discomfort symptoms sometimes be neuropathic changes? Eye & Contact Lens, 47(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1097/ICL.0000000000000735 PMC

3. Selter, J. H., Bahn, R. S., & Jain, S. (2014). The relationship between Graves’ ophthalmopathy and dry eye syndrome: a review. International Ophthalmology Clinics, 54(3), 59–73. https://doi.org/10.1097/IIO.0000000000000029 PMC

4. Wong, A. S., & Chelnis, J. G. (2024). Systematic review of ocular surface treatments in the setting of thyroid eye disease. Frontiers in Ophthalmology, 4, 1352355. https://doi.org/10.3389/fopht.2024.1352355 Frontiers

5. Moshirfar, M., Pierson, K., Hanamaikai, K., Santiago‑Caban, L., Muthappan, V., & others. (2013). Contact lenses, tear film and ocular surface: A clinical review. Contact Lenses & Anterior Eye, 36(1), 2–17. (See TearFilm.org review). tearfilm.org+1

6. Eyelid and corneal involvement in thyroid eye disease: exposure keratopathy, tear film instability, and their contribution to ocular surface disease. In: Thyroid Eye Disease: An Introductory Tutorial and Overview of Management (pp. 1–24). Eyetube.net / EyeRounds.org. eyerounds.org+2SCIRP+2

   
   

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