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What Are The Dangers Of Sleeping With Your Contact Lenses?
When your eyes are open, oxygen can pass through the contact lens and give air to your cornea, giving your eyes the oxygen they need. According to Dr. Twelker, there isn’t enough air movement when your eyes are closed to maintain the health of the cornea. Inflammation and edema are caused by the accumulation of toxins. This may create the perfect environment for keratitis, a painful eye infection, or a corneal ulcer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that keratitis causes one million medical appointments each year.
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In addition to keratitis, when you sleep with your contacts in, you’re at risk for:
- Other severe eye infection—every year, one in 500 contact lens users develops a serious eye infection
- Scratching your cornea
- Lenses that feel stuck to your eye and could peel off a layer from your cornea
- Corneal ulcers that could lead to scarring
The most typical cause of corneal ulcers, according to medical experts at Mount Sinai, is an infection with bacteria, viruses, fungus, or a parasite. Vision that is hazy or unclear, bloodshot eyes, itching, sensitivity to light, and painful, watery eyes are among the symptoms. Eye drops are frequently prescribed to lessen swelling and inflammation, though treatment relies on the underlying reason.
Your poor contact lens practices may be evident if your eyes appear bloodshot. When your blood vessels are attempting to supply more oxygen to your eyes, your eyes will become bloodshot. Additionally, you might experience eye discomfort or itchiness if this occurs. Wear your glasses and contact your eye doctor for treatment if you have bloodshot eyes because some eye infections can rapidly worsen.
What can you do to keep your eyes healthy when you wear contact lenses?
For better vision, contact lenses are a great choice. They’re an excellent option for many sports and activities and can improve your vision. Instead of donning glasses, many people find that contact lenses look better on them. Two-thirds of the approximately 45 million Americans who utilize contact lenses are female.
If your contact lenses are fitted by an optometrist, contact lens-qualified optician, or ophthalmologist, and you visit your eye specialist at least once a year, wearing contact lenses is safe. Despite the fact that you may not be experiencing any symptoms, your doctor can still identify potential issues.
You can often treat these problems by changing your lens care system or using a new type of contact lens.
According to the CDC, 40 to 90% of contact lens wearers don’t follow proper care instructions. And 99% of people who wear contact lenses have at least one behavior that could lead to infection or inflammation. To keep your eyes healthy, follow these tips for contact lens care:
- Make sure you know how to put in and take out your lenses and how to clean and disinfect them. If you’re not sure you’re taking care of your lenses properly, ask your eye care provider.
- Wash hands with soap and water, then dry them with a clean cloth before handling your lenses.
- Use a fresh disinfecting solution every time you store your contact lenses.
- Use the contact lens solution your eye care provider recommends.
- Clean the contact lens case with contact lens solution and store it upside down with the caps off.
- Replace the contact lens case every three months.
- Replace contact lenses as often as your doctor recommends.
- Avoid wearing lenses when swimming or showering, since water can introduce germs into your eyes.
- Wear glasses a couple of times a week or in the evenings after work to give your eyes a break from contact lenses.
- Take contacts out before you nap or sleep. Sleeping with your contacts in increases your risk of infection by up to 800%.
- When you remove your contact lenses, keep them in an approved disinfection solution or system. Do not use water.
- Never use saliva to rinse your contact lenses.
- Always have a pair of glasses available, so if you have any issues with your contact lenses, you can take them out.
The bottom line
When used correctly, contact lenses are a common option for vision correction and are very safe. To keep your eyes healthy, cheerful, and infection-free, remove your lenses every time you go to bed.