You’re probably aware that excessive device use can strain and dry your eyes—but did you know that reading can, too? That’s because, just like using a smartphone or computer, reading is considered near work—a task that involves looking at something up close for prolonged periods.
Regardless of whether you’re deep in a physical or e-book, you can get so engrossed in what you’re reading that you actually blink less. 2019 research from Mahidol University reveals that this destabilizes your eyes’ tear film, causing your natural tears to evaporate more quickly. That said, you’re more likely to experience excess tearing and burning sensations—hallmarks of dry eye disease that can strain your eyes and make it harder to clearly read and enjoy your favorite titles.
If you wear contacts on top of being a bookworm, you’re more likely to experience these symptoms yourself. Contact lenses sit directly on top of—and partially cover—the eyes, preventing oxygen from passing through and playing a key role in tear production. In fact, contact lens wear is one of the top reasons why more than 16 million Americans have dry eyes.
Given that reading can worsen eye strain and dryness even further, you may want to know how you can keep reading comfortably while wearing contact lenses. Here are a few tips to get you started:
Update your prescription
To minimize the strain contact lenses can cause as you read, check the prescription on the pair you’re wearing. Keep in mind that unlike those for glasses, contact lens prescriptions consider both vision correction and your eye’s measurements to ensure the best fit. An outdated one will make your eyes work harder just to see clearly or no longer hug the contours of your eyes, causing fatigue and discomfort that can manifest in headaches and negatively impact your reading experience. That’s why you’ll want to check if you need a prescription update.
This is something you can easily do at home. ContactsDirect offers popular contact lenses online from brands like Acuvue, Dailies, and Biofinity, so you can get an online vision assessment to see if you need to renew your prescription. It’ll assess your visual acuity with a 20-minute test and send the results to a licensed optometrist for approval. ContactsDirect can also help you book a fitting at one of its partner locations. Take advantage of these readily available online features to prevent eye strain from affecting your next literary adventure.
Carefully choose your contacts
The contacts you choose to wear can also impact how dry your eyes get during long reading sessions. Some factors you have to consider include how much oxygen they let through and if the materials they’re made of absorb moisture from your eyes instead of adding to it. Until recently, silicone hydrogel contacts have been touted as the best option for preventing and relieving dry eye symptoms because they don’t have as much water content as standard hydrogel lenses—something that can cause contacts to take more moisture away from your eyes—while transmitting more oxygen. Lenses like the ACUVUE OASYS 1 Day also provide additional internal wetting agents to keep the eyes moist and comfortable throughout the day.
Unfortunately, a more recent 2024 study published in Contact Lens & Anterior Eye finds that silicone hydrogel lenses can actually worsen symptoms of dryness and discomfort because they reduce the eyes’ cell density and increase corneal staining. That said, you may be better off with semi- or fully-rigid gas permeable contacts like hybrid and scleral lenses. Unlike soft silicone hydrogel contacts, the likes of SynergEyes iD and Bausch + Lomb’s Boston XO are shell-like, leaving space for moisture to accumulate beneath without absorbing any of it in the process. Using similar contacts can help minimize symptoms of eye dryness as you read.
Use eye drops
You can also consider giving your eyes some extra help. Regularly applying eye drops can help supplement the eyes’ natural moisture, restabilize your tear film, and keep on reading for longer (while also taking regular eye breaks, of course). For this tip, it’s important to remember that not all eye drops are okay to use with contact lenses
You’ll particularly want to use preservative-free formulations. From here, you can also look at eye drops designed to directly address eye strain or dry eye. If you’re partial to e-readers, for example, you can get eye drops from Rohto, which offers variants that specifically target digital eye strain. Otherwise, you can consider rehydrating eye drops like the Biotrue Hydration Boost for Contacts. It uses compounds like hyaluronan (something naturally found in your tears), antioxidants, and electrolytes, is preservative-free, and can keep your eyes moist for up to eight hours at a time.
Rework your reading habits
How you read while wearing contacts can significantly impact how much—and how long—you can enjoy your current read. Setting yourself up in a well-lit environment, for example, means your eyes don’t have to strain so hard just to see pages or e-reader screens clearly. A window-lined reading nook can be great for getting some sunlight during the day, while a well-placed lamp, overhead light, or the front lights of a Kindle can better illuminate books at night.
Opting for a dedicated e-reader rather than using a phone or tablet for e-books will also help with eye strain because of the e-ink it uses, which mimics the look of actual paper. And if you’re on a binge, make sure to give your eyes a break every so often. Picking up habits like the 20-20-20 rule will allow them to rest every 20 minutes by focusing on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds, helping the eye muscles stretch and relax.
Switch to audiobooks
Still experiencing strain and dryness despite the above tips? Maybe it’s time to mix up your reading routine with an eye-friendly alternative—like the audiobook. This digital format does more than just allow you to multitask, comprehend and retain information better, and improve your listening skills.
That’s because we count eye strain relief among the audiobook’s amazing benefits. If you already use digital devices for tasks like work and school, visually consuming books afterward can exacerbate symptoms of strained and dry eyes. With the audiobook, you’ll get more opportunities to rest your eyes without you having to drop your current read.
We offer an extensive freemium audiobook catalog here on Tokybook, so check out our site for more options to satisfy your bookworm habit—even if you’re experiencing strain and dryness from wearing contacts!