Contact Lens and Drug Interactions

Undesired effects have been reported by contact lens wearers who swallow or apply certain drugs to the eye.

Never put any ophthalmic solution or ointment into your eye when wearing contact lenses, unless the chemicals were specifically made for use with contact lenses.

Lens re-wetting drops are okay, as are products your eye-care practitioner has prescribed to you for use with your contact lenses.

The active ingredient of certain topical products (ointments) such as epinephrine may discolor your contact lenses.

Some medications are absorbed into tears and can react with your contact lenses.

Rifampin will stain your lenses orange. And drugs such as salicylates may cause irritation of the eye. Other drugs may affect tear production, the refractive properties of the eye, the shape of the cornea, or the actual lens.

Eye ointments with an acidic pH encourage lens dehydration and steepening (tighter fit of the lens on the cornea). Alkaline medications promote hydration and flattening of the lens, making a looser fit on the cornea.

Topical suspensions can build up debris on the lens and cause discomfort. Gel and oil formulations may alter the surface relationship between the contact lens and the cornea.

So don't use anything on your lenses without checking with your eye doctor first.

As a side note, many innocent vitamins and dietary supplements can be a problem too.

More than 29,000 dietary supplements are available to the public, yet US Food & Drug Administration hasn't evaluated any of them.

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists made a statement statement urging Congress to require the FDA to regulate dietary supplements the same way they regulate prescription drugs.

The ASHSP quoted a potential danger to public health as well as reported interactions of food supplements with prescription drugs.

The Pharmacists want to educate the public to the adverse effects and drug interactions often experienced by people taking food supplements.

The World Health Organization has published a list of side effects of common drugs and supplements.