Corneal Neovascularization: What do you guys know about this?

Hey everyone.

This issue was touched upon briefly in the "contact lens" thread, since it's most common among contact lens wearers.

Here is the definition from Wikipedia:

Corneal neovascularization is the growth of blood vessels from the limbal vascular plexus into the cornea. It is caused by oxygen deprivation; normally, the cornea receives its oxygen from the air via the tear film and to some extent from the anterior chamber, as a healthy cornea contains no blood vessels. One of the most frequent causes of corneal neovascularization is wearing contact lenses, particularly prolonged use. In later stages, the condition can threaten vision, which is why ophthalmologists recommend routine exams for contact lens wearers, even if they aren't experiencing symptoms.

Essentially, the issue stems from oxygen deprivation caused by wearing contact lenses.
Since I was recently diagnosed with this myself, I’m starting this thread to hear about your experiences. I want to know how people deal with this—specifically, how to manage it effectively without having to give up contact lenses for good.
I also want to understand exactly what kind of damage this can do to one's eyesight and overall eye health.

Supposedly, this is a reversible condition that clears up once you stop wearing contact lenses.
I'm looking for any alternatives to just quitting them entirely.
Hearing from anyone who has dealt with this would be appreciated.

I’m dropping a link here with some basic info on the cornea...

The Cornea

Dear Hobby Lobby,

Making an informed decision requires a thorough examination to determine the exact extent of corneal neovascularization. That measurement dictates the entire treatment plan.

It is a misconception that wearing a contact lens is strictly forbidden across all stages of neovascularization—that's an important distinction to make.

In certain instances, a simple change in lens type does the trick—switching to silicone hydrogel lenses, for example, though sometimes rigid gas permeable lenses are the better call. Naturally, there are specific cases where lens wear is completely off the table. Localized therapy can also be an option.

The best course of action is to consult with an experienced American ophthalmologist specializing in contact lenses.

I’m facing the exact same issue. Back when I was at the hospital, the doctors told me I had some sort of widespread, superficial irritation across my entire eye surface. Looking back, I was wearing my older contact lenses on the day of the exam—which I took out right before they looked at me—so it’s entirely possible that was the culprit.
Five months later, I’m back at the doctor over at Harvard, and they’ve prescribed me the same old soft lenses I used to wear, rather than the rigid gas permeable ones the hospital staff originally suggested. Now I’m stuck in a bit of a bind because the redness and visible blood vessels in my eyes are quite pronounced. Even though these lenses are made from top-tier, highly oxygen-permeable materials, they still cause significant discomfort after just a few hours. I can't help but wonder if the doctor pushed the soft lenses on me simply because they carry a higher markup; it feels like there might be a kickback involved, considering how much they push certain brands... I honestly don't know what to make of it all. 🤷

Jessica James4 said:I’m facing the exact same issue. Back when I was at the hospital, the doctors told me I had some sort of widespread, superficial irritation across my entire eye surface. Looking back, I was wearing my older contact lenses on the day of the exam—which I took out right before they looked at me—so it’s entirely possible that was the culprit.
Five months later, I’m back at the doctor over at Harvard, and they’ve prescribed me the same old soft lenses I used to wear, rather than the rigid gas permeable ones the hospital staff originally suggested. Now I’m stuck in a bit of a bind because the redness and visible blood vessels in my eyes are quite pronounced. Even though these lenses are made from top-tier, highly oxygen-permeable materials, they still cause significant discomfort after just a few hours. I can't help but wonder if the doctor pushed the soft lenses on me simply because they carry a higher markup; it feels like there might be a kickback involved, considering how much they push certain brands... I honestly don't know what to make of it all. 🤷

Look, once corneal neovascularization kicks in, doctors usually prescribe lenses with higher oxygen permeability—like RGP or silicone hydrogel soft lenses. But me? I can't touch any of them. I'm allergic to silicone hydrogel. Hard lenses? No. Semi-hard? Nope. Most soft lenses are silicone hydrogel anyway, so that leaves just plain hydrogel, but nobody will give me those because the oxygen doesn't get to the eye well enough. Those lenses... 😠
That's why I'm sticking to glasses now, and honestly, life is so much better.

Douglas Green31 said:Hey everyone.

This issue was touched upon briefly in the "contact lens" thread, since it's most common among contact lens wearers.

Here is the definition from Wikipedia:

Corneal neovascularization is the growth of blood vessels from the limbal vascular plexus into the cornea. It is caused by oxygen deprivation; normally, the cornea receives its oxygen from the air via the tear film and to some extent from the anterior chamber, as a healthy cornea contains no blood vessels. One of the most frequent causes of corneal neovascularization is wearing contact lenses, particularly prolonged use. In later stages, the condition can threaten vision, which is why ophthalmologists recommend routine exams for contact lens wearers, even if they aren't experiencing symptoms.

Essentially, the issue stems from oxygen deprivation caused by wearing contact lenses.
Since I was recently diagnosed with this myself, I’m starting this thread to hear about your experiences. I want to know how people deal with this—specifically, how to manage it effectively without having to give up contact lenses for good.
I also want to understand exactly what kind of damage this can do to one's eyesight and overall eye health.

Supposedly, this is a reversible condition that clears up once you stop wearing contact lenses.
I'm looking for any alternatives to just quitting them entirely.
Hearing from anyone who has dealt with this would be appreciated.

So, here’s the deal with neovascularization—it’s actually a reversible process. And yeah, you're totally right that the blood can eventually recede from those new vessels, but there's a catch! Even if the blood is gone, those tiny vessels stay put, and they can end up messing with how light passes through your cornea—kind of like having a little scar on your cornea or something. That’s exactly why being disciplined about how you wear your contact lenses is such a big deal. Especially for those folks who have been wearing them for years and think, "Oh, this won't happen to me,"—well, that's a dangerous way to think, isn't it? You really can't let your guard down just because you've been doing it forever.
I honestly know a ton of people who have been wearing contacts with a super low Dk for years—like, seriously, years—but they strictly stick to an 8 to 10-hour daily limit and never run into any issues at all. It’s funny how that works, right? Even if the oxygen permeability isn't exactly top-tier, if you're disciplined about not overdoing it, your eyes seem perfectly fine!

I actually ended up dealing with corneal neovascularization from wearing contact lenses myself.
My ophthalmologist suggested switching up my lens type—I moved from annuals to monthly disposables—and picked something with much higher oxygen permeability.
Once I cut my daily wear down to just 10 hours, things started looking up.