Sleeping With Contact Lenses In: What Happens When You Sleep Without Removing Contact Lenses?
Sleeping With Contact Lenses In: Even taking a nap with contact lenses can lead to eye infections, lens displacement, and dryness.
Falling asleep with contact lenses may even happen to the most attentive, but it shouldn’t become a habit. If you fall asleep with lenses in, your eyes can become vulnerable to dryness, irritation, and certain infections due to the way lenses manage and retain oxygen.
Dr. Allison Babich, an ophthalmologist, explains the risks associated with sleeping in contact lenses and what to do if it happens.
Sleeping With Contact Lenses In: Is It Safe To Sleep With Contact Lenses?
Sleeping With Contact Lenses In, In short, no, it’s not safe. Even if you think it might not be a big deal, your eyes will thank you if you make it a habit to remove your lenses before even taking a c.
Sleeping With Contact Lenses In, There are several reasons against sleeping with contact lenses. Dr. Babich says, “It’s important to let your eyes rest and your cornea breathe. When your eyes and lenses are too dry, you may damage your eyes when removing the lenses.”
Why Is Sleeping With Contact Lenses Dangerous?
Sleeping With Contact Lenses In, If you’ve ever fallen asleep with your lenses in, you’ve probably felt the effects as soon as you woke up. The lenses are likely dry and sticky, making them difficult to remove.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved some lenses for overnight use, but they cannot be considered “long-term lenses,” and there’s no guarantee they are safe for everyone. Dr. Babich says, “I still don’t recommend them.”
Blocking Oxygen
Sleeping With Contact Lenses In, Sleeping with contact lenses makes it impossible for the eyes to get the oxygen they need. The cornea requires oxygen from the air, which dissolves in the tear film covering the eye. When there is not enough oxygen, corneal cells are damaged, leading to various problems and complications.
During sleep, the closed eyelids reduce the oxygen available to the cornea, and if contact lenses remain in place all night, they add another barrier to oxygen supply.
Increased Vulnerability To Infection
Sleeping With Contact Lenses In, Many bacteria and microorganisms come into contact with our eyes. Keeping lenses in during sleep or for an extended period allows these bacteria to accumulate and can lead to infections.
Increases Risk Of Lens Displacement
Sleeping With Contact Lenses In, If used correctly, contact lenses should stay in their proper position. However, this doesn’t mean they won’t shift or get stuck. During sleep, the eyelids move and put pressure on the surface of the eye. This can cause lenses to move.
When asleep, the eyelids might place lenses in an abnormal position, especially if you rub your eyes during sleep. Such displacement, particularly if accompanied by irritation, can lead to scratches or other damage.
Dry Eye
Sleeping With Contact Lenses In, Contact lenses absorb moisture from your eyes, leading to dryness. This condition worsens when you sleep with lenses, as the eyes naturally produce fewer tears during sleep. Dry eyes can cause irritation, discomfort, and potential damage to the corneal surface.
Habitual sleeping with contact lenses can lead to specific eye diseases, including keratitis (corneal inflammation), corneal ulcers, and hypoxia (oxygen deprivation of the cornea).
Sleeping With Contact Lenses In, Even taking a short nap or resting your eyes should involve removing your lenses. Sleeping with lenses, even briefly, increases the risk of irritation or infection.
If you accidentally fall asleep with your lenses in, don’t panic. Follow these steps:
Sleeping With Contact Lenses In, Do not remove the lenses immediately, as they may be dry and sticky, causing more discomfort. Instead, gently massage your eyes to distribute moisture on the surface.
Try to remove the lenses gently. Do not pull them as this can cause more irritation.
If you have trouble removing them, put a few drops of lens solution in your eyes and blink several times.
Try to remove them again. Extra moisture helps in taking them out.
Sleeping With Contact Lenses In, After removing them, if possible, avoid wearing lenses for a whole day to give your eyes a rest. Watch for signs of infection such as redness, excessive tearing, or eye discharge. If you notice these symptoms or any changes in your vision, see an eye doctor immediately.
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