How can contacts hurt your eyes

For fastest service during the hours of 8 am-5 pm Monday-Friday, call us at Otherwise, fill out the form below to schedule your consultation. Back to All Insights. Advancements in Treating Diabetic Eye Disease. Eye Care Series: Treatment of Keratoconus.

Eye Care Series: Symptoms of Keratoconus. Understanding Color Blindness. Schedule Your Appointment Today! Are You a Physician? These were alarming, to say the least — almost enough to consider giving up my contacts. There are many types of contact lenses — hard, soft, daily wear, and extended wear — all of which are considered quite safe.

But rarely, serious problems may occur. And since about 45 million people in the US wear contact lenses , a risk affecting even a small percentage of users could translate to many thousands of people affected.

Although minor irritation may go away on its own within a day or two, stop wearing your contacts and call an eye doctor if you have severe or persistent symptoms. Usually, this requires evaluation by an ophthalmologist.

The cornea is the transparent outer layer of the eye. It protects the eye and helps focus light on the back of the eye, enabling you to see clearly. While contacts rarely harm the cornea, sleeping in contacts not intended for extended wear can make a corneal infection or even an ulcer more likely to happen.

In a report , doctors described the stories of six people with serious eye infections after wearing their soft contact lenses while sleeping. For example:. Treatment for these problems included prolonged courses of antibiotics. Additionally, two people needed a corneal transplant. Even with these treatments, some people lost vision. Serious problems like this are rare: estimates suggest keratitis occurs in two to 20 per 10, contact lens wearers.

However, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there are up to a million visits per year to emergency rooms and other outpatient healthcare providers for problems related to contact lens use. If you notice problems, such as redness or pain in your eye or a change in vision, take your lenses out right away and let your eye doctor know. If you have serious problems despite taking good care of your lenses, report it to the FDA MedWatch program.

Here's what to do for eye…. Yet no…. Glasses can help people see better, but you might not realize you need them. Droopy eyelids can affect more than your appearance. Over time, they can start to limit your field of vision and impact your ability to see. Keratoconus is a disorder that leads to thinning of your cornea.

It primarily affects children and young adults. We explain causes, treatment, and…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Ann Marie Griff, O. Approved for sleep? How does sleeping in contacts raise your risk of infection?

What can go wrong? What if I accidentally fall asleep in them one night? Eye care tips for lens wearers. The bottom line. Read this next.