What Is Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis, What Causes It And If I Get It, Will I Have To Stop Wearing Contact Lenses

 

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Question: What is Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC), what causes it and if I get it, will I have to stop wearing contact lenses?

Answer: Giant papillary conjunctivitis, or GPC for short, is an allergic reaction to proteins that build up on the contact lens. It can be very uncomfortable; it can make the eyes red and have a discharge when you're wearing the lens. Typically, the treatment is cessation, or stopping the contact lens wearer for a time, and usually we give allergy drops to help reduce the amount of inflammation in the eye.

The condition can be prevented by proper cleaning of the contact lenses, and often we find people who over-wear their lenses or don't practice good hygiene with their contact lenses are the ones who are prone to get GPC. Also, if you have history of allergies, for example, seasonal allergic conjunctivitis or if you have allergic asthma, often these patients are more at risk for developing GPC, which is an allergic condition related to the contact lenses.