People who suffer from hay fever can have a really bad time at the start of each summer, and they need to be especially careful if they wear contact lenses. If you often find yourself itching your eyes and blowing your nose when the flowers are coming out each year, make sure you follow the tips below.

Avoid Wearing Your Lenses When the Pollen Count is High

One of the dangers that comes along with wearing your contact lenses when you have hay fever is that you'll risk getting a particle of pollen stuck beneath a lens. When this happens, the eye in question will be irritated more than ever, often resulting in noticeable swelling as well as general discomfort.

For this reason, make sure you wear glasses instead of contacts when the pollen count is high. You might still feel itchy, but pollen won't be able to get stuck next to your eye. You should also be careful when cutting the grass or doing other work in the garden, even when the pollen count is low.

Take Your Contacts Out if Your Eyes Get Sore

If you do decide to wear your lenses, make sure you take them out if your eyes begin to get sore and red. When this happens, your contacts can become less fitted to your eye, particularly if even a little bit of swelling begins to occur.

You'll also be more likely to start rubbing your eyes. This is problematic for all sufferers since it simply moves pollen around the eyes and makes the situation worse. It can be even worse if you're wearing contacts because the constant rubbing might cause one of them to tear apart while on the eye.

Be Extra Careful When Putting Them In

It's always important to wash your hands before putting in your contacts to avoid putting contaminants next to your eye. However, it's even more important when you have hay fever. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before you handle the contacts, especially if you've just been outside.

You might also want to avoid keeping your boxes of contact lenses anywhere near open windows. It will be no use washing your hands if you then immediately handle a box that is covered in pollen.

Take Preventative Medication

When it comes to hay fever, it's best to take medication as soon as the season hits and continue to do so until the pollen count has dropped right down. Sometimes people find that contact lenses block pollen from their eyes, making it easier to cope with the condition, but that's not something to rely upon.

Remember, any problems with your eyes can potentially turn into problems with your contact lenses, so take medication sensibly throughout the day to make sure you enjoy complete protection.