Years of wearing soft contact lenses can lead to drooping eyelids, according to PhD research by ophthalmologist Dr. Isabel Bleyen at the Rotterdam Eye Hospital.
The study involved 35 individuals aged 18 to 50 with drooping eyelids. In nine cases, there was a clear association between the drooping eyelids and soft contact lens wear.
Hard lenses have long been known to cause this by pulling on the upper eyelid during removal, which stretches the tendon of the upper eyelid muscle.
The reason soft lenses pose a similar risk is still unexplained, as they don't require pulling. Dr. Bleyen proposes it may stem from irritation by the lens or solution, or rubbing of the eyelid against the lens during blinking.
