Can people who have diabetes wear contact lenses?

Patients who have diabetes may wear contact lenses. Being a candidate for contacts is no different, as for someone without diabetes, when you have good glycemic control. The possible concerns for patients with diabetes with poor glycemic control or having had diabetes for 10 years or more are:

Greater susceptibility to eye infection — glycemic control, good lens care and conservative lens wear is essential.
Decrease in corneal sensitivity increasing the likelihood of corneal injury and infection — again glycemic control, good lens care and conservative wear is essential.

Patients with diabetes can consider contact lenses and wear them successfully if you adhere to conservative lens wear, good hygiene and lens care and appropriate follow-up with a provider that provides contact lens services from a medical perspective. Contact lenses need to be “fit” to the eye and depending on the individual practitioner you can receive an optimum fit or a less than optimum fit. Optimum fit is by far the better and the least likely to contribute to corneal injury. When looking for a provider look for the office that stresses professional service in fitting, lens instruction and follow-up first and states the selection on contact lens will be dependent on the individual patient. Avoid the office that promotes a particular brand lens for everyone and a quick in and out and “this is our cheapest” deal.

CAG