What is the danger of not removing my contact lenses at night?
Keeping your contact lenses in overnight might not seem like a big deal to some people, but you might think twice after reading the article below.
Understanding the problems that can occur when this bad habit persists will make the effort you need to put in to remove and clean them before going to sleep more than worth it!
About two out of three lens wearers say they prefer to keep their lenses in at night if they could, so it's a common preference in terms of ease of use.
Of course, there is a difference between sleeping with your contact lenses in all night and just dozing off on the sofa during the day for a quick nap, which in itself will certainly not be a problem.
The fibers of your eyes need oxygen, because if they don't get enough, they will start to swell, which will disrupt your vision.
When your eyes are deprived of the oxygen they need for an extended period of time, in extreme cases, small blood vessels will develop in the cornea to ensure that the fibers are supplied with the necessary oxygen.
If nothing is done about this, these blood vessels will become increasingly larger and can lead to permanent blockage of vision. If you continue to wear your lenses, it is likely to cause problems.
You can compare it to keeping your eye under water without oxygen for days on end. You can imagine that this cannot be healthy or good for your eyes, and wearing your contact lenses longer than they are designed for will have the same devastating effect.
Sleeping with contact lenses
When you sleep with your contact lenses in, you are not giving your eyes the rest they need, making them more susceptible to nasty infections, inflammations, and other anomalies.
When you are awake, your eyes will constantly produce tears to flush away harmful bacteria. But when you sleep, this does not happen, and bacteria and all other dirt can build up and lead to problems. Anyway, if your eyes become red, teary, swollen, and painful, or if you feel they are more sensitive than usual, you should immediately consult a doctor to have this problem looked at, as it can have serious consequences.
In some cases, you may not feel any discomfort from wearing your lenses for too long and sleeping with them. But you should always be attentive. Too little oxygen in the eyes can lead to a decrease in the sensitivity of the cornea, which can certainly be very dangerous.
Because you may not be aware of the discomfort that can occur with an infection or abrasion until the problem becomes particularly serious and your vision is threatened.
A simple answer to the question of whether you can wear lenses for extended periods: in some cases, yes
Fortunately, contact lenses have now also been developed for extended use for those people who need to sleep with their lenses in. They are made of special silicone hydrogel that allows more oxygen to pass through the lens to the cornea.
This can avoid many of the problems associated with wearing ordinary lenses overnight.
This type of lens is intended for wearing for several days, and it can be done without problems when you actually follow the prescribed period recommended by the manufacturer or specialist.
These types of lenses were designed to be worn for 7 to even 30 days, depending on the intended period, and this is clearly stated. The current Air Optix Night and Day, for example, are contact lenses that can be worn for more than 30 days.
They offer the highest oxygen permeability compared to other lenses. Those who want to wear their lenses at night immediately have the best choice with this type of lens.
If you follow the instructions for wearing these lenses closely, there is little or no risk of infection. The advantage of these lenses that you can wear for 30 days is that they ensure the wearer the comfort of not having to replace or maintain the lens every time, but the danger is that you will eventually forget that you have them in and have to replace them after a certain period.
You may also be tempted to wear the lenses a few days longer than prescribed because they may not be cheap, but the potential savings you could get is certainly not worth the risk of causing long-term or even permanent damage to your eyes.
Some doctors will also recommend taking the lens out of the eye for at least one night a week to give the eye a chance to rest.
Not suitable for everyone
In the beginning, eye infections were not uncommon with this type of lens, but after the necessary research and adjustment, the lenses for long-term use have overcome many of the initial problems.
However, it must be clearly stated that continuous wearing of lenses for 30 days is not suitable for everyone. People who already have a history of problems related to wearing contact lenses or people whose eyes occasionally need the necessary rest are certainly not advised to have lenses for long-term use continuously in for a long time.
If you are considering wearing this type of lens for a long time and continuously, you should definitely consult with your eye specialist first. This is of great importance, because it is best to play it safe with your eyes and vision.