What kind of contacts can i sleep in

Air Optix Colors are lotrafilcon B contact lenses. They correct nearsightedness or farsightedness in those who have been prescribed contact lenses. Even if you are wearing them just to change your eye color, contact lenses are still medical devices that require a prescription to use. You should only wear contact lenses as directed, while under the care and supervision of a licensed eye care professional.

If you improperly use contact lenses, eye problems such as corneal ulcers and loss of vision may result. Speak to your eye doctor if you experience any issues. If you choose to wear contact lenses without needing a corrective prescription, you are willingly assuming the same risks as someone who wears them to correct their vision.

There is an increased risk of irritation and infection when compared with not wearing contact lenses. If you do not remove your lenses at night or clean them properly, you may have an increased risk of eye infection, and in rare cases, loss of vision. You may experience burning, stinging, or discomfort while wearing contacts, and there is generally an adjustment period for all lens wearers.

Always follow the usage replacement schedule outlined by your eye health professional, but never exceed one month of daily use per lens. Air Optix Colors are available in prescriptions that treat near-sightedness myopia and far-sightedness hyperopia.

Say goodbye to dry eyes with Air Optix Plus Hydraglyde contact lenses for Astigmatism and Air Optix Plus Hydraglyde Multi-Focal lenses for presbyopia--both great though non-colored options for your corrective eyewear needs. Air Optix by Alcon is available in a wide array of colors. There a dozen shades for you to choose from, allowing you to try on every natural human eye color as easily as switching contacts. For an enhanced look in a comfortable and convenient monthly disposable contact lens, choose Air Optix colors!

You might think you need to special order colored contact lenses through your eye care professional. In general, contact lenses can be categorized into two types, based on how long they are approved to be worn before being removed:. Most extended wear EW contacts are thinner than daily wear soft lenses, or are made of silicone hydrogel material. This advanced lens material enables EW lenses to "breathe" better than regular soft hydrogel lenses. This is especially important when lenses are worn continuously for extended periods.

Most extended wear soft contact lenses are approved for up to seven days of continuous wear , depending on your eye care professional's recommendations. Some EW lenses are approved for up to 30 days of continuous wear. Extended wear gas permeable lenses also are available. It's important to note that these are the maximum recommended wearing schedules. Many people cannot tolerate wearing EW lenses for this length of time, and some people's eyes cannot tolerate any overnight wear of contact lenses.

During your contact lens fitting and follow-up, your eye doctor will advise you whether you can wear EW contacts overnight and how many days of continuous wear your eyes can tolerate.

Research has shown that the risk of eye infections is higher among people who sleep while wearing contact lenses. Wearing contact lenses continually day and night increases this risk because bacteria and other potentially dangerous microorganisms can adhere to the lenses and get trapped between the lenses and your eyes. These microbes thrive in the warm, moist environment under your contact lenses, especially when your eyelids are closed during sleep.

Throughout the day, as you blink, you regularly introduce new tear fluid and fresh oxygen into your eyes, keeping your cornea healthy. When you wear contacts, however, they fit snugly over your cornea and block off much of that tear fluid.

This makes it harder for your cornea to defend itself against microbes or remove them from beneath your contact lens. When you sleep with contacts in, your corneas receive even less tear fluid, since you are not blinking. As a result, there is less of an opportunity for tears to get underneath and mix with the fluid beneath your lenses. Sleeping with your contacts in or wearing contacts for an extended period of time significantly reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches your cornea.

Wearing your contacts overnight gives bacteria more time to develop into an infection. Soft contact lenses, which are worn by around nine in ten contact lens wearers , are designed to be more flexible and allow more oxygen to reach the cornea. But, there is still a fivefold risk of infection if you wear contact lenses while you sleep, regardless of lens type. Even if you do not want to sleep with contacts in, you might find yourself accidentally falling asleep before taking them out on occasion.

Once you wake up, it is important to remove your contacts as soon as possible. First, check that you can easily remove them. If they feel stuck, do not pull at them. Instead, use eye drops and blink until they are easy to remove.

Then, give your eyes a break. Avoid wearing contacts for at least a day and pay close attention to how your eyes feel. If you notice any symptoms indicating infection , stop wearing your contact lenses and call your eye doctor immediately.

Put your contact lenses in their case and bring them to your appointment. It is not safe to sleep while wearing contacts, even if you are just taking a nap. The occasional or accidental nap in your contacts can increase your risk of an infection. If you think there is a chance you could fall asleep, it is safest to remove your contact lenses first.

Sleeping is good for your health , but sleeping with your contacts in poses a risk of infection. Protect your eyes by only wearing your contacts when you are awake. Additionally, practice proper contact lens hygiene. Following these instructions can help protect against eye infections:. It is also important to visit your eye doctor every year. Always get a prescription for your contact lenses, even if they are decorative and do not alter your vision. Contact lenses sold without a prescription are violating the law and may be contaminated.

Danielle writes in-depth articles about sleep solutions and holds a psychology degree from the University of British Columbia. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies.

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Our editors and medical experts rigorously evaluate every article and guide to ensure the information is factual, up-to-date, and free of bias. Updated September 10, Written by Danielle Pacheco. How to Wear Your Contacts Safely.

Bacterial Keratitis Bacterial keratitis , or a cornea inflamed due to bacterial infection, can cause a person to lose part or all of their vision if not properly treated. Acanthamoeba Keratitis Ancanthamoeba keratitis , or inflammation of the cornea due to an infection caused by amoeba, can also lead to vision loss or blindness.

Fungal Keratitis Fungal keratitis , or corneal inflammation caused by a fungal infection, can also lead to vision loss or blindness when left untreated. Sign up below for your free gift.