Many of our patients who have refractive errors enjoy wearing contact lenses instead of glasses for a variety of reasons. Unlike glasses, contacts don’t alter a person’s appearance, and many of our patients simply find contacts to be a more convenient option than glasses. For all of their benefits, however, contact lenses can sometimes become uncomfortable or irritating to wear, even for long-time wearers. As eye doctors, we refer to this as contact lens intolerance (CLI), and it can affect up to 15% of contact lens wearers.[1]
Contact lens intolerance is a general term used to describe pain, irritation, or discomfort experienced while wearing contact lenses. This can be an immediate reaction to wearing contacts, but it can also impact people who have been comfortably wearing contact lenses for months or even years. There are a number of potential causes of CLI, including:
Some people only experience occasional contact lens intolerance, while others encounter intolerance so severe that they simply can’t wear contact lenses anymore.[2]
For most patients, contact lens intolerance is not a permanent situation. Still, we don’t want any of our patients to experience discomfort on their quest for clearer vision. If you struggle with contact lens intolerance that is especially uncomfortable or frequent, you should discuss the issue with one of our eye care professionals. In the meantime, though, there are some steps you can take to try to ease your discomfort.
For many of our patients, contact lens intolerance can be attributed to the products they use to clean and store their lenses. These products may contain preservatives that can cause hypersensitivity. If you have recently begun to struggle with CLI and have also switched to a different solution, that could be the culprit.
Other common sources of contact lens intolerance are wearing contacts for too long or not making sure they are properly cleaned every time you insert them. Make sure you always follow your doctor’s instructions when it comes to contact wear and care.
Sometimes, the source of contact lens intolerance is simply dryness. Try using over-the-counter artificial tears or lubricant eye drops indicated for use with contact lenses and see if that provides you with relief of CLI symptoms, if only temporarily.
Again, dry eye is a common source of contact lens intolerance. Did you know that your diet and nutritional habits may be impacting your tear production or the quality of your tears? Speak with your eye doctor to help identify ways supplementing your diet may help you produce more, quality tears to keep your eyes comfortable.
If you suffer from frequent or long-term contact lens intolerance, you may need to consider switching to glasses, at least a few days a week. This could give your eyes a rest from contacts and help alleviate uncomfortable symptoms.
Of course, the ideal way to ease your contact lens intolerance is to eliminate the need for any corrective lenses at all. At Aurora LASIK, we offer a range of vision correction surgical options, including LASIK, PRK and Visian ICL. All the vision correction options we offer have favorable safety profiles and are associated with a high rate of patient satisfaction, and we can have you enjoying clear—and comfortable—vision soon after a procedure that is approximately 20-30 minutes.
If you are frustrated by symptoms of contact lens intolerance or are ready to explore more permanent vision correction solutions, we are here to help. Please contact Aurora LASIK (https://auroralasik.com//contact/) today to schedule your consultation with a vision and eye care expert.
[1] American Refractive Surgery Council. Why contact lens wearers need their annual eye exam. Available: https://americanrefractivesurgerycouncil.org/contact-lens-problems-it-might-be-contact-lens-intolerance/. Accessed March 29, 2021.
[2] American Academy of Ophthalmology. Contact lenses: when a solution is the problem. Available: https://www.aao.org/eyenet/article/contact-lenses-when-solution-is-problem?august-2012. Accessed March 3, 2021.
What type of complimentary consultation would you like to book?
See clearly and save BIG with our fall offer for vision correction!
I will help explain procedures, ease nerves, and schedule procedures…. and goof off on TikTok on behalf of Aurora LASIK. I’m ready to help you get rid of your glasses or contacts!
LIKES: I like candy and ice cream. I LOVE anything Disney (especially the music. I will belt it all day/everyday)
DISLIKES: I dislike being out of candy and ice cream!
I will make you laugh… just kidding but you will hear my laugh around the office and my coworkers say it’s contagious (and I have to agree). I am in and out of the office working hard to help achieve your goals of clearer vision. I’m not super Cornea but I do love a good eye joke.
LIKES: Camping, sunflowers, goats, going to concerts, spending time with my family and napping with my dogs
DISLIKES: Spiders, pickles, and folding laundry
I pretty much run the show… I’ve been here so long (14 years)! You will find me assisting Dr. Rudd in surgery and keeping my Technicians motivated with inspirational mirror quotes.
LIKES: Spending time with my family and animals. Coloring my hair and doing my nails. Not leaving my house.
DISLIKES: Close-minded people and I don’t like my hands touched ewwwwwww I can feel your fingerprints.
I am the commander and chief (don’t tell Dr. Rudd)! You will see me buzzing around the office and am here to help you through your vision correction journey. My team is absolutely AMAZING and will make sure your care and experience is their top priority. I look forward to seeing you in our office.
LIKES: Travel, strong coffee, motorcycle rides, spa treatments, hiking, and a clean house.
DISLIKES: Horseradish, clutter, having to ask people twice, Gin and weak coffee.
At Aurora LASIK, you’re not just choosing the best technology, you’re choosing the right surgeon and eye care team. Dr. Jay Rudd has been in private practice as a fellowship-trained cornea, cataract and refractive surgeon since 2000 and has performed thousands of vision correction procedures for the residents of Olympia, Lacey and beyond.
Intuitive and meticulous, Dr. Rudd is only satisfied with the best results possible within his operating room. He is his patients best advocate and prides himself on providing them excellent eye care. His caring and warm disposition is the foundation of strong bonds formed with those he cares for.
Dr. Anthony Grillo is proud to have joined the fantastic team at Aurora LASIK in 2022. His passion is to provide the absolute best results possible. His attention to detail, the stellar Aurora team, and the state-of-the-art resources at Aurora LASIK allow him to provide his patients with both fantastic care and outcomes.
Dr. Grillo became fascinated with microsurgery and the amazing results that eye surgery could provide. In 2018, Mason Eye Institute bestowed upon him the Faculty Teaching Award. Dr. Grillo returned to the Pacific Northwest in 2019 and joined a private practice in Eugene, Oregon prior to moving to the Olympia/Lacey area in the summer of 2022.
He is joined by his wife Kasumi, and his children Mila, Maya, and Michael. Dr. Grillo’s favorite pastimes include aquatic activities such as scuba diving and deep-sea fishing. In his free time, he also enjoys spending quality time with his family, traveling, hunting, and cooking.
I am the patient counselor at Aurora LASIK. I’m here to help you along your way to freedom from glasses and guarantee to give you a good laugh along the way. I’m also a Master Esthetician so I’m obsessed with skincare and self-care!
LIKES: New adventures, laughter, skincare, family and friends and of course a great glass of wine.
DISLIKES: Traffic
I am the first impression out of the gate! I will set the initial tone for your visit, treat you like the queen or king you are and ensure all your information, appointments and care are handled promptly. All while having some incredible conversations before you head to the back with our amazing staff!
LIKES: Water, Time with my family, Mini cows, Adventures.
DISLIKES: Bad drivers, Close-mindedness, Overly negative energy, Large crowds
I will try and not make a spectacle of myself but in all seriousness I’m really excited to be a part of your vision correction journey! I will be here to help you during your vision correction procedure and assist Dr. Rudd in the surgery suite. If you need anything during your time at Aurora or beyond please let me know.
LIKES: Kayaking or anything water related, caffeine, hanging out with family, friends, and my puppy!
DISLIKES: Waking up early, snakes, rodents, and mushrooms!
I will welcome you back to start your exam and get scans of your eyes. You will find me getting things ready for clinic for the day or prepping things for surgery. I enjoy helping people and will be asking how we can help you achieve your vision goals. Enjoy watching patients vision journeys.
LIKES: Spending time with family and friends. Camping, boating and hiking.
DISLIKES: Negativity, mice and bad coffee
I will be the one who greets you with a friendly smile when you first come into Aurora LASIK. I will check you in for your appointment and am here to assist with anything you may need to help your experience be AMAZING, so please don’t hesitate to ask!
LIKES: Hiking, Traveling, Dogs, Snow, Summer, Monster Jam, NHRA Drag Races
DISLIKES: Heights, Snakes, Spiders, Rain (LOL), Mushrooms, Olives, and Pineapple
I will be one of the welcoming faces that will be preparing you for your visit with the Doctors, I’m a little socially awkward and will fill our time babbling about the weather and your upcoming plans. Eye wish you the best!
LIKES: Spending time with my husband and family, playing video games, reading and long walks on the beach.
DISLIKES: Spiders, rain/cloudy weather, and waking up to a cold house.
I will assist you on your vision journey from taking your scans to assisting Dr. Rudd in surgery. I guess you could say I am pretty important but I can still make a lot of jokes about eyes… I have a Vitreous humor.
LIKES: Iced coffee, reading on the back porch, exploring new places
DISLIKES: Loud noises, spiders/bugs
I will be the one who helps you through your consultation, evaluation and after surgery appointments! Basically I will walk you through the whole process, except surgery, we will leave that up to Dr. Rudd. Can’t wait to help you through your vision correction journey!!
LIKES: Anything Outdoors! Exploring, My dogs & Anyone else’s dogs!
DISLIKES: Pessimists, snakes, anything closely related to snakes.
Dr. Angela Triebold received her Doctor of Optometry degree from Pacific University in Oregon. Prior to coming to Aurora LASIK, Dr. Triebold helped establish the warfighter Regractive Eye Surgery Clinic at Madigan Army Medical Center at Fr. Lewis in 2002. She continued to practice at Madigan for 16 years, ensuring combat vision readiness for service members who had LASIK, PRK, or ICL surgery. During her tenure there, Dr. Triebold served as research coordinator for the refractive program and helped train opthalmology residents and optometry externs. She has also practiced full-scope primary care optometry in addition to refractive surgery co-management.
Compassionate, dedicated and with a positive attitude, Dr. Triebold believes that communication is key to providing quality patient care and building trust in a patient-physician relationship. She loves living in the Pacific Northwest and enjoys hiking, camping with her family and friends, playing the piano, and cheering on the Seattle Seahawks.
