It is estimated that around 45 million Americans wear contact lenses and one-third of all the contact lens wearers fall asleep without removing their lenses out. Most of them wake up with dry eyes, watery eyes and even with more serious eye conditions. These conditions can lead to infections in cornea like microbial keratitis, corneal ulcers or cornea damage. If you are also a contact wearer and usually fall asleep with the lenses inside in, then now take it seriously to ensure your eye health.

Why sleeping with contact lenses cause risk to your eye health?

As contact lenses reduce the required amount of oxygen to the cornea and even the eye surface, which causes dryness in the eyes. the cornea gets oxygen both from the air and from the blood vessels in the eyelids at night. A regular contact lens wearer relies on the nighttime supply of the oxygen to keep the eyesight healthy and skipping that nighttime can make the condition detrimental or you may lose your vision.

Also, during the day time, dust particles, debris and pollutants from the air get entered in your eyes. And the combination of reduced movement of the eyes, low oxygen and closed eyelid can cause serious eye problems due to viral and bacterial infections. To cut your risk, it is always recommended not to wear your contacts during sleep, remove it when it immediately when you reach home after your office or parties. Even It is also crucial to remove them as soon as possible if you accidentally fall asleep with the contact lenses you have worn since morning.

Here are some recommendations for you if you are a regular contact lenses wearer:

• Make sure you are following the lens care routine recommended by your eye doctor. You should not skip the timings of putting off your lenses after the set hours.

• Never use the normal water, saliva or homemade saline solution while wearing or removing your lenses.

• Don’t touch your lenses without washing or drying your hands.

• Use only the prescribed solution and take new drops every time.

• Remove your lenses right away when you notice any redness, sensitivity to your eyes, pain or blurry vision.

• Don’t wear the lenses all day long.

• Replace your contact lenses every 3 months.

• Visit your eye doctor for regular checkups.

Sleeping with contacts is one of the most common and riskiest behaviours of teenagers and even the adult contact lens wearers. As per the research, contact lenses seem enticing to around 85 percent of teenagers, 81 percent of youngsters and 88% of older adults. And at least one behaviour of them including sleeping with lenses puts them at risk of developing a chronic eye condition. Thus, to avoid any risk of developing serious eye conditions, you should stop sleeping without removing your lenses and follow the above-mentioned recommendations from experts to take care of your eyes- “The most precious gift from God!”