I have diabetes. Can I still be a successful contact lens patient?

Diabetes has an effect on the eye, as it does the rest of the body. Most diabetics are familiar with the risk of diabetic retinopathy, complications inside the eye from the disease. It also affects the front surface of the eye, or the cornea. Patients with diabetes may notice dryness more often and more severely than non-diabetic patients.

In some patients, this dryness is not severe enough to prohibit contact lens wear. But dryness is only the initial concern. Diabetics tend to heal more slowly than individuals without diabetes. This is true for the eye as well as other tissues of the body. Contact lenses increase the risk of corneal ulcers and infections, both of which are of more concern to a diabetic patient due to the lengthened healing time.

This does not mean that individuals with diabetes can’t wear contact lenses. Make sure to let your eye care provider know if you have diabetes as it may impact the choice of lenses or solutions. It is also important to remember to follow the wearing and care schedule your practitioner gives you in order to minimize the increased risk contact lenses have for patients with diabetes.