Is it safe to sleep in contact lenses?
Everyone has those nights where we forget to take out our contacts before bed. It happens. But it’s important to know the ramifications sleeping in contacts has on your eyes. Let’s chat a little about those ramifications and some tips on making removing your contact lenses before bed a habit.
So what’s the big deal? Why can’t I sleep in my contacts?
Even though some contact lenses are FDA-approved to sleep in, removing them overnight is still the safest practice. Studies have shown a 10-15 percent increase in the rate of infections in people who sleep in lenses versus people who remove their lenses at night.
- You eyes need oxygen to repair and fight infection
- Contact lenses can scratch and damage your eyes while you sleep
- There are multiple eye-related illnesses that can be caused by sleeping in contacts (like fungal keratitis, gross)
- Some of these infections can result in vision loss
Woah, that's kind of scary. What are signs of an eye infection?
If you’re experiencing one or more of these symptoms, make an appointment with your eye doctor, and be sure to bring your lenses with you.
- Decreased vision
- Redness
- Blurred vision
- Watery, gunky eyes
Are there contacts you can sleep in?
Short answer: not really. But, there are these…
The Air Optix Night and Day lenses made by Alcon and the PureVision lenses made by Bausch and Lomb are both FDA approved for 30 days of extended wear. Both of them are monthly disposable lenses, so they should be thrown out at the end of 30 days. But even though these lenses are approved for 30 days of sleeping, most doctors recommend that you leave them out overnight at least once a week.
The Air Optix Aqua lenses made by Alcon, Biofinity lenses made by CooperVision, and the Acuvue Oasys lenses made by Vistakon all have FDA approval for six nights of continuous extended wear before they should be removed and left out overnight. These lenses are a good option for people who usually take their lenses out at night, but sometimes forget. They are also nice if you sleep at a friend’s house and forget your lens case or if you are camping and it’s not possible to remove them.
So, what can I do to make taking out my lenses before bed a habit?
Leave a sticky note on your bedside table or on your bathroom mirror. You can also set an alarm on your phone with a reminder (gotta love technology). Or, you could do an image search for terrifying pictures of infected eyes on the internet… but that’s a drastic measure that you can’t come back from.
Whatever your process is, just promise us you won’t sleep in your contacts. Promise? Ok, cool. We feel better now.
If you fall asleep in your contacts
If you do happen to fall asleep in contact lenses that aren’t designed to be slept in, be sure to remove the lens as soon as possible in the morning and give your eyes a day to rest without the lenses in. If the lenses are still fresh, they should be safe to use again after soaking in solution overnight. If they’re older than they should be, be sure to throw them out and start with a fresh lens. If your eye is a little irritated or dry, use some artificial tears or lubricating drops. If you experience pain, light sensitivity, blurred vision or extreme eye redness after sleeping in them, be sure to contact your eye doctor right away. Not everybody is able to sleep in lenses, but if you’d like that convenience, ask your eye doctor if it is an option for you.
Original published date: 1/24/2020
Updated: 5/6/2022