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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), headache disorders are among the most underestimated and undertreated around the globe. Characterized as one of the most common disorders of the nervous system, these come in different types that range in frequency, intensity, and symptomatic manifestation. Some examples include migraines, cluster headaches, and tension-type headaches. In the US, a significant percentage of adults report experiencing headache disorders fairly often. Per a recent survey, around 4.3% of respondents said they’d been bothered a lot by migraines and other headache types within a three-month period.

Contact lenses. Image credit: Pexels, free license

While headaches can be caused by multiple elements, ranging from genetics to medications, studies have found that contact lens use may be another factor. Given that up to 45 million Americans use these medical devices regularly, it’s thus critical to understand this link better and know how to address it.

What is the connection between contacts and headaches?

Before anything else, it’s important to understand that contact lenses themselves don’t cause headaches. Rather, it’s the impact of wrongly using them that does. To be more specific, evidence suggests that contacts that have either the incorrect fit or prescription can trigger ocular discomfort that snowballs into said headache disorders. When patients wear the wrong-fitting contacts, it can result in allodynia. This is a condition wherein typically painless stimuli cause painful feelings. In limited literature, researchers found that respondents who wore contacts that felt too tight due to an inappropriate base curve were more likely to experience headaches due to this discomfort.

At the same time, contacts with the incorrect prescriptions have been found to actually worsen a patient’s ocular state. More often than not, this manifests as blurry or double-vision, squinting, and straining. These increase tension in the eyes, which can naturally lead to headaches. Alongside this, the heightened vision issues can create a ripple effect that worsens pain in general. For instance, if a patient’s eyes are bothering them, they’re prone to sleep disorders. Unfortunately, experts from the University of Queensland have determined that poor sleep goes hand in hand with up to 90% of chronic pain cases. Contrary to prior belief, rather than pain causing lackluster sleep, it’s actually the other way around, with poor sleep maintaining and worsening pain levels.

How to avoid headaches with contacts

That said, it’s essential for contact lens users to acquire a prescription so they can be sure that the eyewear they’re using suits their unique ocular needs. When visiting trusted retailer Target Optical you will need a doctor’s prescription before being allowed to purchase their contact lenses. This ensures that patients are advised on the appropriate type and brand of contacts that will satisfy their current eye condition and lifestyle. For instance, those with refractive issues and dry eyes may be best suited to Air Optix with HydraGlyde technology, as this provides long-lasting moisture on the eye’s lens. Doing so safeguards not only the user’s visual acuity but also their comfort away from headaches.

Additionally, it helps to get your prescriptions updated regularly. Most eye conditions are progressive and prone to changing even without symptoms, so prescriptions can easily be outdated. Doing this in person via doctor-led eye exams is ideal, but digital prescription renewals can also help. Available through providers like Warby Parker, this service remotely checks if a consumer’s current prescription is still valid or if it needs updating. Should they still be correct, patients can immediately renew their prescriptions and purchase their necessary contacts. This reduces the risk of wearing contacts that may do more harm than good, especially in terms of triggering a series of painful headache disorders. 

Written by Paul Anderson