Once you get used to wearing contact lenses, it won't be long before you potentially get a little too comfortable with them. While it sounds great, it can get rocky when that comfort translates to not wanting to remove them before you go to sleep. No matter how harmless this seems at first, there are serious long-term effects you should be aware of before you make it a habit. 

The Risks of Sleeping With Contact Lenses

It's one thing to keep your contacts in while catching a few Zs during an afternoon nap, but doing so overnight can lead to permanent eye problems. It’s tempting to forego removal and cleaning, particularly after a long, tiring day, but this ultimately deprives your eyes of much-needed oxygen.

Without taking a break from contact lenses, your eye tissue will swell, leading to temporarily blurred vision. Needless to say, that goes against the entire purpose of having contacts in the first place. 

Your eyes are also much more likely to develop inflammation, abrasions, and infections while wearing contacts overnight. Tears are constantly being produced during the day to wash out harmful bacteria and debris, but not during sleep, so just imagine the damage caused by a lack of oxygen combined with collected bacteria.

Blurred vision and irritated eyes are the best case scenarios. Oxygen deprivation may also cause blood vessels to develop on the cornea of the eye, and if these vessels grow long enough, they can permanently obscure your vision. 

There are solutions out there for people who insist on keeping contacts in at night, such as extended wear lenses designed to allow oxygen to reach the cornea. For standard contact lenses, follow your eye doctor’s directions closely, because the time saved keeping them in isn't worth the trouble it can cause over time. 

For the best optometrist on Oahu, look no further than Dr. Edwin Y. Endo, OD & Associates. Give them a call at (808) 487-5500 to schedule an appointment, and head to the website regarding additional information about the services available.