Skip to Content

Can You Sleep With Contacts In? And Other Contact Lens FAQs

Whether you frequently wear contact lenses, you only wear them on occasion, or you are interested in becoming a contact lens wearer, you probably have a few questions about how to keep your eyes safe and healthy with contacts in.

Here are our answers to a few frequently asked questions about what you can and cannot do as a contact wearer.

Can You Sleep With Contacts In?

We do not recommend ever sleeping with your contact lenses in, even if the brand promotes extended or overnight wear.

Our eyes need oxygen exposure, even when they’re closed during the night. Even though our eyelids are shut during sleep, air can still reach the eyes and nourish them with oxygen.

However, if you have contact lenses in place blocking any air from reaching your eyeballs, your eyes will experience oxygen deprivation. Without enough oxygen, the contact lens can tighten around the eyeball, increasing your likelihood of experiencing irritation and cornea damage.

Those who sleep in their contact lenses can easily experience scratched corneas, which increases the risk of microbial keratitis, a bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic infection. Microbial keratitis causes inflammation of the cornea, which can then lead to more serious complications like permanent scarring and even vision loss, if left untreated.

Even those who wear contact lenses marketed for overnight use are five times more likely to develop microbial keratitis and up to eight times more likely to develop other types of infection than those who sleep with their contact lenses removed.

Can You Swim With Contacts In?

It is not recommended to swim with contact lenses in, unless you wear quality goggles that do not let water reach your eyes.

Whether you’re swimming in a pool, lake, or ocean, doing so with your contact lenses still in can increase your chance of several problematic issues:

You Increase Your Likelihood of an Eye Infection

Pools, lakes, and oceans are filled with bacteria and other microorganisms that thrive in water and easily attach to surfaces like your contact lenses. Since your lenses sit on the surface of your cornea, these bacteria and organisms are in a prime position to infect the eye, leading to painful or even eye-threatening conjunctivitis, microbial keratitis, or other eye infections.

You Increase Your Chances of Developing Eye Redness or Eye Dryness

Sure, you can still experience red eyes by swimming without your lenses in, especially if you’re swimming in a pool with a lot of chlorine or a lot of salt water. But swimming with your contact lenses in place increases the likelihood of red, irritated, dry, and itchy eyes.

Water exposure tends to cause contact lenses to adhere more to the cornea, depriving your eyes of getting the oxygen they need. As a result, you’re likely to experience the discomfort and irritation that comes with oxygen deprivation.

Plus, chlorine or salt water that gets between your lens and eye can lead to frustrating pain or discomfort.

You Increase Your Chances of Losing a Lens

Many times when we swim, we rub our eyes or wipe water away from our eyes when we emerge above the surface. That action alone can cause a lens to dislodge from its spot on the cornea, causing you to lose a lens.

Additionally, water exposure can cause your contact lens to shift around while you swim and ultimately fall out.

Can You Wear Contacts While Playing Sports

For the most part, sure! Contact lenses are a fantastic option for athletes who need corrective vision when playing or participating in a sport. In fact, they are recommended above glasses for a number of reasons:

  • You risk damaging your glasses during a sporting activity, especially something like a contact sport. However, your contact lenses are much less likely to be damaged.
  • You achieve better peripheral vision with contact lenses.
  • You have an easier time wearing other protective gear, like helmets or goggles.

If you find yourself Googling “Can You Sleep With Contacts In?” and similar kinds of questions, schedule a consultation with your eye doctor at Vision Eye Group!

Our ophthalmologists, optometrists, and team will be glad to answer all your questions about keeping your eyes healthy and safe while wearing contacts.

Optimize your eye health by scheduling your eye appointment with our team today: 478-744-1710

Recent Articles