
Imagine finally arriving at your ultimate bucket list destination you’ve been saving, planning, and dreaming about for years. However, by the time you arrive, the long travel has left your eyes sore and dry, making it actually painful to experience all the sights the new place brings. Aching eyes can easily take over and destroy a day, or worse, an entire trip. Often, the culprit is an easily avoidable condition: contact lens intolerance, or CLI.
Contact Lens Intolerance

For contact wearers, developing short-term or chronic CLI is almost a rite of passage. Experiencing short-term intolerance is extremely common in people who wear contacts regularly. However, for some, this painful condition may become chronic and many may simply opt to give up contacts completely.
Contact lens intolerance is actually a term used to describe any physically or psychologically caused unease or discomfort from wearing contact lenses. People suffering from CLI are unable to wear their lenses without eye irritation. which can manifest from a burning sensation to gritty, dry eyes. In severe instances, CLI can even cause corneal abrasions or ulcers.
It can be caused by a variety of both preventable and unpreventable conditions, including:
- viruses or bacteria
- overwearing contact lenses
- improper contact lens care
- improper lens fit for the eye shape or size
- pre-existing conditions, such as allergies or dry eye syndrome
- ocular diseases, such as conjunctivitis
- cognitive issues, such as simply being uncomfortable
How To Combat Contact Lens Intolerance

For many years, contact lens intolerance sent people running back to their eye doctors for a prescription cure. However, there is finally an over-the-counter solution! Avenova is a company dedicated to helping those with eye issues get immediate relief. They developed an Antimicrobial Eyelid And Lash Cleaning Serum, completely safe for everyday use, to treat and prevent all types of eye irritation. Originally, this product was only available with a prescription, but it has recently been approved for simple OTC online ordering.
Avenova’s Antimicrobial Eyelid and Lash Cleanser is the only patented FDA lab-tested and approved formula currently on the market. The antimicrobial solution is made with 0.01% pure Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl), which is a naturally occurring acid found in white blood cells that helps them fight off infection. Occasionally, when bacteria threatens to overpower, it is helpful to supplement HOCl, particularly with eye disease. Avenova’s serum is the only one available with pure HOCl, free from bleach impurities that may cause long-term ocular issues.
In addition to contact lens intolerance, the Antimicrobial Eyelid and Lash Cleaner is also approved to treat other eye conditions including
- Dry eye syndrome
- Blepharitis
- Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
My Experience With Avenova

Contact lens intolerance can come on without much warning. When eyes decide they are done with contacts, the choices can be limited if you are a long-time wearer. I started. experiencing CLI last year and it made working and staring at the computer all day almost unbearable. In the beginning, my eyes were itchy and dry, and then they started producing a white goo-like substance while wearing contacts. I tried everything from switching the contact lens brand to trying multiple solutions. Nothing worked until I started using Avenova, and am thankfully still able to wear contacts. It was so easy to incorporate this spray into my morning routine; I simply spray it on my eyelids prior to applying makeup each morning and then again before bed. It has completely changed my relationship with my contacts!
Having experienced the debilitating nature of having an issue with my eyes, I can’t imagine going away on a trip without packing Avenova and risk ruining a weekend or a long vacation. For more on Avenova and its uses, consider “We Finally Found The OTC Cure For Dry Eyes,” which outlines dry eye causes from MGD and CLI to high altitude and flying, too.