What Can Happen If I Wear My Contact Lenses For Several Days In A Row Without Taking Them Out?

Aug. 24, 2009— -- Question: What can happen if I wear my contact lenses for several days in a row without taking them out?

Answer: I, as a cornea surgeon, really don't recommend that people sleep in their contact lenses. We see a lot of very serious corneal infections, and we know that the risk of infections increases when you wear the lens overnight. For this reason, I really recommend to my patients who are able to wear them to use the daily disposable lens. You use a fresh pair of lenses every morning and then throw them away at night. If you wear your lens too long, you can have a problem as minor as having your eyes be red and irritated and as serious as having an infection in the eye that can cause loss of vision.