Do you ever fall asleep wearing your contact lenses? It’s hard to remember every night to take out your contacts and it’s not always convenient, either. You know it’s bad for your eyes. But sometimes you might think not having to go through the trouble of taking out your contacts is worth the risk.
What happens if you sleep in contact lenses
“Redness and irritation is a common problem if you leave your contacts in when you sleep. But you can also experience other problems with your cornea, which is the front surface of your eye,” says ophthalmologist Allison Babiuch, MD.
Contact lens advice to keep your eyes healthy
CDC researchers found that six out of seven contact lens wearers reported at least one risky behavior when it came to their contact lenses.
To reduce the risk of developing any negative symptoms or an eye infection, don’t do the following things:
- Sleep in your contact lenses.
- Reuse disposable contacts.
- Swim in your contacts.
- Forget to replace disposable lenses frequently enough.
- Use the same contact lens case for more than three to four months.
- Rub your eyes with dirty hands.
- Share contacts with another person.
- Buy fashion contact lenses.
Do these things to keep your eyes healthy and safe from infection:
- Wash hands with soap and water before handling contact lenses.
- Rinse your lenses with contact lens solution only. Tap water can contain micro particles that can irritate your eyes.
- Rub the lenses gently with your fingertips (even if the lens packaging advises against it) to remove bacteria and debris that has stuck to the surface, then rinse them again in a new squirt of solution.
- Replace cases every three to four months to reduce bacteria.
- Store lenses in a clean case with fresh solution every single day.
- Only buy contact lenses from a healthcare professional. Fashion contact lenses can be risky because contact lenses need to be specially fitted to each individual’s eyes.
Source: The Cleveland Clinic
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