Evie Summers
Sleeping with contact lenses can be harmful to your eyes and vision. Contact lenses are classified as medical devices, and it is recommended to use them according to an eye doctor's directions. While asleep, your eyelids can trap the lenses, causing irritation, discomfort, scratches, and other injuries to your eye. Contact lenses can also absorb moisture from your eyes, leading to dryness, irritation, discomfort, and potential damage to the corneal surface. Additionally, wearing contact lenses while sleeping increases the risk of eye infections, such as microbial keratitis, and corneal ulcers. Poor contact lens hygiene, including failing to remove lenses before sleeping, increases the risk of infections. Sleeping with contact lenses can also lead to corneal hypoxia, a condition where the cornea does not receive enough oxygen, and can result in blurry vision, light sensitivity, eye fatigue, pain, and discomfort.
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What You'll Learn
Increased risk of eye infection
Sleeping with contact lenses can have adverse effects on your eyes, with one of the most common consequences being eye infections. The cornea comes into contact with bacteria daily, but infections rarely occur due to the cornea's protective function. However, the cornea requires both hydration and oxygen to maintain its protective role. When you sleep with contact lenses in, your eyes receive significantly less oxygen and moisture, making them more susceptible to infections.
Contact lenses can absorb the moisture in your eyes, leading to dryness. During sleep, your eyes naturally produce fewer tears, exacerbating the dryness caused by contact lenses. Dry eyes can cause irritation, discomfort, and potential damage to the corneal surface. This damage to the cornea increases the risk of microbial keratitis, an infection of the cornea. Microbial keratitis is five times more likely to occur when sleeping with contact lenses, according to a study. The lenses can trap microorganisms against the cornea, providing an ideal environment for them to multiply.
Fungal keratitis is another type of infection that can occur when sleeping with contact lenses. It is caused by various types of fungi, including Fusarium, Aspergillus, and Candida species. This infection is more common in tropical areas but can occur in any climate. Fungal keratitis can lead to vision loss or blindness if left untreated, requiring surgery or a corneal transplant in severe cases.
Sleeping with contact lenses can also increase the risk of corneal ulcers, open sores that form on the cornea. This condition can cause significant vision impairment or even permanent vision loss if not treated promptly. Additionally, conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, can develop as a result of sleeping with contact lenses.
While it may be tempting to leave your contact lenses in while sleeping, doing so can have serious consequences for your eye health. The risk of eye infections, such as microbial keratitis, fungal keratitis, and conjunctivitis, increases significantly. These infections can lead to corneal damage, surgery, and, in rare cases, loss of vision. It is always best to remove your contact lenses before sleeping and consult an eye specialist if you experience any eye discomfort or symptoms of infection.
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Dry, sore, or red eyes
If you sleep with your contact lenses in, you may also experience soreness in your eyes. This can be caused by irritation, discomfort, and corneal abrasions from the contact lenses. In addition, your eyes may be sore from trying to remove stuck contact lenses.
Redness in the eyes can occur when you sleep with contact lenses because the lenses can get dislodged or stuck. When you sleep, your eyelids move, putting pressure on your eyes' surface. This can cause the lenses to shift out of place. While asleep, your eyelids can also trap the lenses in unusual positions, especially if you rub your eyes while sleeping. Along with irritation and general discomfort, this displacement can also lead to scratches or other injuries to your eye.
If you sleep with your contact lenses in, it is important to examine them in the mirror when you wake up. If they are stuck, do not remove them. If they move easily, remove them and let your eye practitioner check them before wearing them again. It is recommended to let your eyes recover for a day before wearing lenses again.
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Corneal damage
Contact lenses are medical devices that should only be used as directed by an eye doctor. While it may be common, sleeping with contact lenses in is not recommended and can lead to corneal damage.
The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that requires a certain amount of oxygen to stay healthy and function properly. When a person sleeps with contact lenses in, the lenses act as a barrier between the cornea and the tears, limiting oxygen delivery to the cornea. This state of insufficient oxygen is called corneal hypoxia and can lead to blurred vision, light sensitivity, eye fatigue, pain, and discomfort.
Corneal hypoxia impairs the cornea's ability to protect itself from microorganisms, increasing the risk of eye infections such as microbial keratitis. Microbial keratitis is an inflammation and infection of the cornea caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, or parasites. It can lead to permanent corneal scarring, vision loss, and, in rare cases, blindness.
In addition to infections, sleeping with contact lenses can also cause physical damage to the cornea. During sleep, the eyelids move and put pressure on the surface of the eyes, causing the lenses to shift out of place. This displacement can result in scratches or other injuries to the cornea.
Furthermore, contact lenses can absorb moisture from the eyes, leading to dryness. This condition is exacerbated during sleep as the eyes produce fewer tears. Dry eyes can cause irritation, discomfort, and potential damage to the corneal surface.
To maintain eye health, it is crucial to remove contact lenses before sleeping and allow the eyes to breathe and rehydrate. Sleeping with contact lenses can have serious consequences for corneal health and vision, so proper lens hygiene and eye care are essential.
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Potential vision loss
Contact lenses are medical devices that should be used according to your eye doctor’s directions. Sleeping with contact lenses can put your eye health and vision at risk.
Contact lenses reduce the amount of oxygen and moisture your eyes can access. The cornea of your eye relies on oxygen from the atmosphere, which dissolves in the tear film that coats your eye. When there isn’t enough oxygen supply, corneal cells can get damaged, leading to various symptoms and complications. This condition is called corneal hypoxia.
Corneal hypoxia can lead to blurry vision, light sensitivity, eye fatigue, pain, and discomfort. If not treated quickly and appropriately, corneal hypoxia can cause significant vision impairment or even permanent vision loss.
In addition to corneal hypoxia, sleeping with contact lenses can also lead to corneal ulcers, which are open sores on the cornea. Corneal ulcers can cause severe pain and significant vision impairment and can also lead to permanent vision loss if not treated promptly and properly.
Microbial keratitis is another serious complication that can arise from sleeping with contact lenses. It is an infection and inflammation of the cornea caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, or parasites. Microbial keratitis can lead to vision loss and permanent scarring of the eye, resulting in blindness if left untreated.
Fungal keratitis is a specific type of microbial keratitis caused by fungal infections. It is a leading cause of blindness in India and can also occur in other parts of the world. If not treated promptly and appropriately, fungal keratitis can lead to vision loss, requiring surgery or a corneal transplant in severe cases.
While it may be tempting to sleep with your contact lenses on, doing so can have serious consequences for your eye health and vision. It is always best to remove your contact lenses before sleeping and to follow the recommendations of your eye doctor to maintain healthy eyes and vision.
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Discomfort and irritation
Sleeping with contact lenses can cause a lot of discomfort and irritation to the eyes. The lenses can get stuck to the eyes and become dry, sticky, and difficult to remove. This can cause redness, irritation, and inflammation of the eyes. The eyelids can trap the lenses in unusual positions, leading to scratches or other injuries.
Contact lenses absorb moisture from the eyes, causing dryness, which can worsen during sleep as tear production decreases. Dry eyes can lead to further irritation, discomfort, and potential damage to the corneal surface. This can result in a condition called keratitis, a severe and potentially sight-threatening corneal infection caused by bacteria, fungi, or amoebas.
Sleeping with contact lenses also increases the risk of corneal ulcers, which are open sores on the cornea that can cause significant vision impairment or even permanent vision loss if left untreated. The reduction in oxygen supply to the cornea during sleep can lead to corneal hypoxia, resulting in blurry vision, light sensitivity, eye fatigue, and pain.
Additionally, the eyes can be exposed to debris trapped under the lenses during sleep, causing further irritation and potential damage. The risk of eye infections also increases, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that sleeping in contacts can increase the risk of infection by six to eight times.
While it may be tempting to leave contact lenses in while sleeping, the potential discomfort, irritation, and risk of infection make it a practice best avoided.
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Frequently asked questions
Leaving contact lenses in while you sleep can cut off the oxygen supply to your eyes, leading to corneal hypoxia. This can cause corneal damage, including scratches and other injuries, and in rare cases, loss of vision.
Sleeping with contact lenses in can increase the risk of eye infections, such as microbial keratitis, by six to eight times. It can also cause corneal ulcers, conjunctivitis, and dry, sore, or red eyes.
If you accidentally fall asleep with your contact lenses in, don't panic. Gently massage your eyes to get some moisture moving, and then try to nudge the lenses out. Let your eyes rest and recover for a full day before wearing lenses again.
While it is generally not recommended to sleep with contact lenses in, there are extended-wear contact lenses that are approved for overnight wear. These lenses are highly breathable and retain moisture better, but even with extended-wear lenses, it is recommended to remove them whenever possible to give your eyes a break.
