Sleeping with contact lenses: a risk for tired eyes

Did you know that around 3.9 million people in Germany wear contact lenses? They're generally safe, but there's a catch: if you don't take care of them properly or wear them for too long, especially while sleeping, they can damage your eyes.

You might already know some essential tips, like cleaning your lens case daily and changing it every three months. But did you know you shouldn't wear your lenses while swimming, showering, or sleeping? In this article, we'll discuss why sleeping with contact lenses is a bad idea and what kind of trouble it can cause your eyes.

The Risks of Sleeping with Contact Lenses

Sleeping in contact lenses is one of the most common ways people get infections, Dr. Steinemann, an ophthalmologist at MetroHealth, says. "Bacteria comes into the eye from the contact lens or lens case and can bind to the cornea, causing an ulcer," he said. Why so?

Your eyes naturally protect themselves from bacteria and other stuff with tears. But when you wear contacts, they cover your cornea and block some of that protection. So, when you sleep with them, your eyes don't get as much oxygen or new tears because you're not blinking. This can mess up your cornea and make it easier for bacteria to cause infections.

Even though some contacts let in more oxygen, like soft ones, wearing them while sleeping still raises the risk of infection by five times. So it's best to take them out before hitting the hay!

Sometimes, you might accidentally doze off with your contacts still in. When you wake up, try to take them out right away. If they feel stuck, don't tug on them. Instead, use eye drops and blink until they loosen up.

Then, give your eyes a rest. Take a break from wearing contacts for at least a day and pay attention to how your eyes feel. If they start to feel weird (blurry vision, redness, sensitivity to light), stop wearing contacts and call your eye doctor ASAP. Bring your contacts with you when you see the doctor.

Even if it's just a quick nap, sleeping with your contacts in is not safe. It can increase your chances of getting an infection. So, if you think you doze off, take them out first.

Other Risks of Contact Lenses

Dr Cope, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC, warns that wearing contacts while showering or swimming exposes them to harmful microorganisms in water, such as bacteria and amoebas. Experts advise against wearing contacts during water activities and suggest using prescription goggles if vision correction is needed. If contacts must be worn in water, they should be disinfected immediately afterwards. Daily disposables should be discarded after swimming.

How to Wear Your Contacts Safely

Experts stress the importance of good contact hygiene to prevent eye damage. These practices include:

• Avoiding sleeping in contacts
• Washing hands before handling contacts
• Cleaning contacts with disinfecting solution
• Use fresh contact solution to replace the lens case, not top off the old solution
• Steering clear of water to prevent germ and bacteria exposure
• Regularly cleaning and replacing the contact lens case every three months.