Stop sleeping in your contacts, US officials warn: Wearing them to bed could lead to bacterial infections and vision loss
- About 45 million Americans wear contact lenses exclusively, or with glasse
- Wearing them while you sleep can deprive the eye of oxygen and raise the risk of bacterial infections
- The CDC shared six cases of people who left their contacts in and suffered from bacterial infections, with one even requiring an eye transplant
Researchers are begging Americans to stop sleeping in their contact lenses.
About 45 million people in the US wear contacts but many forget to remove them before nodding off can lead to infections of the cornea.
This can lead to to serious infections known as microbial keratitis if left untreated, which can cause permanent damage to the cornea and even vision loss.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that an estimated one million annual outpatient and emergency visits were due to keratitis.
About 45 million people in the US wear contact lenses but many forget to remove them before nodding off can lead to infections of the cornea
According to the Vision Council of America, around 75 percent of American adults need vision correction.
About 64 percent wear eyeglasses and 11 percent wear contact lenses, either exclusively, or with glasses.
Contact lenses have been promoted has making it easier to play sports or perform outdoor activities because they’re less likely to fall out.
However, wearing contacts for too long can prevents your eyeball from receiving oxygen.
The cells of the cornea – the outer covering of the eye – can become damaged, making the eye more susceptible to infection.
For its commentary, the American College of Emergency Physicians reviewed a CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report about corneal infections that were linked to sleeping into contact lenses.
Published in the journal Annals of Emergency Medicine, doctors say the six examples should be considered warnings.
‘Sleeping in your contact lenses is risky and can lead to infections, or in some cases, permanent damage,’ said lead author Dr Jon Femling an assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine.
‘Falling asleep, or even napping, without removing your contact lenses can significantly increase the likelihood of serious health problems.’
In one of the cases, a man went to the room after he reported having eye redness and blurry vision.
Doctors learned that he was sleeping in his lenses three to four nights per week and was swimming with them. He was treated for bacterial and fungal microbial keratitis.
In another case, a young girl was sleeping in contact lenses that she purchased without a prescription at a chain drug store.
She developed a corneal ulcer that resulted in scarring.
Another example involved a man who wore the same lenses for two weeks without taking them out.
He was diagnosed with a perforated cornea, bacterial infection and ultimately required a transplant to save his right eye.
‘Sleeping in lenses is one of the riskiest and most commonly reported behaviors for adolescent and adult contact lens wearers,’ Dr Femling said.
‘If you want to avoid infection, and avoid a trip to the emergency department, proper eye care is a must.’