The Everyday Contact Lens Habit That Could Be Hurting Your Eye Health
Your bedtime routine could be impacting your eyes.
Reviewed by Dietitian Madeline Peck, RDN, CDN
Key Points
Sleeping in contact lenses can reduce oxygen to the cornea and weaken eye health.
Contacts worn overnight can trap bacteria and increase risk of corneal ulcers.
Removing lenses nightly, regular eye exams and UV-blocking sunglasses can help protect eye-health.
Many of our daily routines have a direct impact on our overall health, and our eyes are no exception. Simple choices like the food we eat and how much screen time we log play a role in maintaining healthy vision for years to come. While many people are familiar with the basics of eye care, there's one widespread habit that often flies under the radar: sleeping with contact lenses in. Falling asleep with your contacts in might seem harmless, especially after a long day. However, this habit can create a dangerous environment for your eyes.
"Millions of people wear contact lenses for vision correction, and while it's a great option if you follow proper care and hygiene instructions, two of the worst habits for eye health I often see patients do involve contact lenses," said Ami Vadada, MD. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one-third of all contact lens wearers report sleeping with their lenses on. "Sleeping or showering in your contact lenses is never a good idea – this can lead to some serious, potentially vision-threatening, eye infections," Vadada adds.
Why Sleeping in Contact Lenses Is Bad for Eye Health
It Can Impact How Much Oxygen Your Cornea Gets
Your cornea, the transparent outer layer of your eye, needs a steady supply of oxygen directly from the air to stay healthy. When you are awake, blinking helps circulate oxygen-rich tears across your eye's surface. A contact lens, by its nature, already forms a barrier that slightly reduces this oxygen flow.
When you close your eyes to sleep, some of the oxygen supply from the air is naturally cut off by your eyelids. If you also have a contact lens in, you are essentially creating a double barrier. This condition, known as hypoxia, starves the cornea of the oxygen it needs to function and fight off germs. A chronically oxygen-deprived cornea can become weak and swollen, and therefore more vulnerable to infection.
It May Support Bacterial Growth
Your eyes are exposed to bacteria from your hands, the environment and other factors. Normally, your tears work to flush these microorganisms away before they can cause harm. However, a contact lens can trap bacteria against the surface of your eye, creating a warm, moist environment that is perfect for them to multiply.
Sleeping in your lenses gives these trapped germs an extended, uninterrupted opportunity to invade the cornea. This raises your risk of developing microbial keratitis, a severe infection of the cornea. This condition can cause pain, redness, discharge, and blurred vision. In serious cases, it can lead to corneal scarring and permanent vision loss. Even lenses approved for overnight wear carry a higher risk of infection compared to daily-wear lenses that are removed each night. Some evidence suggests sleeping in contact lenses increases the risk for contact lens–related eye infections by six to eightfold.
It Increases the Risk of Corneal Ulcers
A corneal ulcer is an open sore on the cornea, often caused by an infection. Sleeping in contact lenses is one of the leading risk factors for developing these painful ulcers. Symptoms of a corneal ulcer are hard to ignore and include severe pain, a feeling that something is in your eye, intense light sensitivity and heavy tearing. Treatment requires aggressive antibiotic eye drops and close monitoring by an eye doctor. If not treated promptly and effectively, a corneal ulcer can lead to scarring that permanently impairs vision or, in the worst-case scenario, requires a corneal transplant.
Expert Tips for Better Eye Health
Beyond breaking the habit of sleeping in contacts, you can incorporate other practices into your daily life to support long-term eye health.
Schedule Regular Eye Exams. Comprehensive eye exams are vital for detecting problems before they become serious. This is because "many serious eye diseases such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy often have no symptoms in their early stages," explains Karen Allison, MD, MBA. An eye care professional can spot the earliest signs of disease, often before you notice any changes in your vision, allowing for timely intervention.
Eat an Eye-Healthy Diet. What you eat plays a role in protecting your vision. Prioritizing certain nutrients in your diet can help reduce inflammation and combat oxidative stress. "Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids like fatty fish (salmon and sardines) reduce inflammation and may decrease the risk of vision-threatening conditions," Allison shares. Additionally, she notes, "For those who use digital devices for long periods of time (average of 7.4 hours per day), the importance of antioxidant-rich diets is underscored, as screen use increases retinal oxidative stress." To boost the antioxidant content of your meals, try adding produce like leafy greens and colorful fruits to your plate.
Protect Your Eyes from the Sun. Just as the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage your skin, they can also harm your eyes. Prolonged UV exposure is linked to an increased risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration. "Wearing UV-blocking sunglasses is like sunscreen for the eyes, helping to protect from the harmful UV radiation that can cause early cataract formation or even cause cancers to develop on the surface of the eyes," shares Benjamin Bert, MD, FACS.
Give Your Eyes a Break. If you spend hours looking at a computer or phone screen, you may experience digital eye strain. Symptoms include dry eyes, headaches, and blurred vision. "The 20/20/20 rule can prevent this problem – every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet or more away for 20 seconds or more," shares David G. Hunter, MD, PhD.
Our Expert Take
Protecting your vision often comes down to building healthy habits and breaking harmful ones. If you wear contacts, Vadada advises to "Always remove your contacts before bed or before being near water (showers, swimming, hot tubs, etc.), clean and store your lenses as instructed by the lens and cleaning solution manufacturers, and keep up with your regular eye exams." By pairing proper contact lens hygiene with other helpful practices, like regular eye exams, a nutrient-rich diet and sun protection, you are taking proactive steps to safeguard your sight. Hunter shares that "the big picture here (pun intended) is that if you take care of your eye health, the rest of your body and mind will benefit just as much as your eyes."
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