Can i sleep in gas permeable lenses

These can be worn overnight for even as long as a month continuously. Not everyone's eyes may tolerate this, however. Wearing your contacts overnight increases the odds for eye infections, as bacteria can get trapped under them.

The longer you keep them in your eyes, especially when they are closed, the longer the bacteria can grow unimpeded. Eye infections can range in severity from conjunctivitis pink eye to keratitis and fungal eye infections that can lead to vision problems and even potential vision loss.

Even if contacts are approved for overnight use, wearing them to sleep increases the odds for contact-related complications and eye problems. Falling asleep in your contacts one time is not likely to lead to long-term damage. You may wake up with red and irritated eyes that are more dry than normal, and you may not be able to tolerate your contacts the next day, but taking them out and letting your eyes recover for a day or so will probably fix the issue. The real problems come when you keep wearing your contacts to sleep on a regular basis.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC warns that sleeping with your contacts in makes you six to eight times more likely to suffer from a corneal infection.

Infections in the eye can be uncomfortable, and they can also cause permanent vision loss. Wearing your contacts overnight stresses the cornea and can lead to tears, scratches, irritation, and inflammation. It can also deprive your eyes of oxygen. When your eyes do not get enough oxygen, a buildup of blood vessels on the cornea can form, which can lead to corneal neovascularization.

This level of inflammation can actually change the shape of your cornea and make it so your contacts will not fit anymore. Sleeping with contacts in can potentially make it so you will be unable to wear contacts at all anymore.

In short, it can be dangerous to continuously sleep with contacts in. Always follow all instructions related to your specific type of contact lens and how long you can wear them.

I suggest that you seek consultation from an ophthalmologist who is experienced in this procedure, but also offers contact lenses and refractive surgery such as LASIK. Sometimes doctors who get very skilled and enthusiastic about a particular procedure lose their objectivity, so be very careful. Ask a New Question. Not every question will receive a direct response from an ophthalmologist. However, we will follow up with suggested ways to find appropriate information related to your question.

Medical disclaimer. By submitting your question, you agree to be answered by email. Your email address will only be used to answer your question unless you are an Academy member or are subscribed to Academy newsletters.

About Foundation Museum of the Eye. JAN 12, Question: Is there such a thing as contacts that you wear at night and take out during the day and can see normally?

Answer: Yes. Ask an Ophthalmologist. Because they are smaller than soft lenses, gas permeable lenses can dislodge from your eyes during contact sports or if you rub your eyes aggressively. Vulnerability to sand and dust. GP lenses don't conform to the shape of your eye like soft lenses do, so it's possible sand or dust can get under your lenses at the beach or on a windy day.

You can minimize this risk by wearing wrap-style sunglasses outdoors. Higher lens replacement costs. Unlike soft lenses, which come in limited sizes, GP lenses are custom-made to the shape of your eye. This makes GP lenses more expensive to replace if you lose them. Also, it can take up to a week to get a GP lens replaced. So it's a good idea to purchase a spare pair to avoid the inconvenience of being without your GP lenses if you lose or break one.

Best of both worlds? Call for more information and a trial fitting To see if gas permeable lenses are right for you, call our office for more information and to schedule a trial fitting. Love dr Hopkins. Everyone who works there is wonderful and friendly. Search: Search. Schedule An Appointment. Patient History Form.

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