How bad is it to take a nap with contact lenses in?

Question

I've always been a good kid and never slept with contacts in, not even by accident. I'm in a bus right now and the ride is like more than 2 hours, I had a long day and I'm super tired and sleepy. :( Obviously I can't take em out right now... so, how bad is it to sleep with contacts in? Will something horrid happen? Or can I just not give a fuck and just do it? #FirstWorldProblems -_-

abacaxi84 · Accepted Answer

It's not advisable, but if you do fall asleep in your contact lenses by mistake then THE WORST possible thing you can do, is take them out straight away. I learned this the hard way many years back, when I took my contacts straight out after I woke up from accidentally sleeping in them, and my eyes would not stop streaming.

I went straight to my optician who told me that if you fall asleep in your contacts, then you need to wait a few hours before taking them out, to allow new tears to form in your eyes while you are awake, which moistens the lense before you try and take it out of your eye. If you try and take lenses out as soon as you wake up - then your eyes are too dry from being asleep and it will massively hurt your eyes.

I never deliberately go to sleep in lenses but if I accidentally fall asleep in them, I follow this advice of waiting a couple of hours before removing them, and I haven't had a problem since.

Delicious5 · Accepted Answer

You'll be okay. I wear contacts while I take naps just don't wear them when you go to sleep at night. I used to fall asleep with them on because I was too lazy to get up & take them out. Until one time I woke up & one of them almost went to the back of my eye. My eye was super red.

birdy1 · Accepted Answer

Nothing bad usually happens, I mean I guess they could get lost or break in your eyes but I've done it before by accident and they've been fine, just a little dryer when I wake up. Just make sure not to do it everytime you sleep, you will be more prone to infections and such.

dartmaul15 · Accepted Answer

using it regularly, and on such a short trip you'll wake up just fine
Then you blink and realize they're dry as hell. It's no danger, but it feels REALLY strange, and you easily loose them. Just blink and get them mosturized well, and it should be ok.

Sleeping with them overnight is generally not a huge risk, but you shoud go the day after without contacts, and remove the contacts asap. So even if it's not really that dangerous, it's not a good idea.

The horror stories about cutting the oxygen flow happens because of using them for days, often combined with bad hygiene.

dangerDoge · Accepted Answer

Well I remember pulling some all nighters last year studying for math with my friend. He decided to take a nap (he wears contacts) around 4am to 5am.

When he woke up, he had completely bloodshot eyes and they looked like they hurt... But he even had drops to help out his eyes.

Short answer, probably not a good idea. (But then again, I guess your bus ride is probably already over? 😅)

BertMacklinFBI · Answer

I heard that it might hurt you after a while.

R3d_Anonymous · Answer

This is why you should consider having a spare pair of glasses. I am actually looking to get contacts soon because I don't like how I look in glasses, but I am always going to have my current pair of glasses and keep a spare pair for situations like yours.

That sucks though. Perhaps if you really don't want to sleep, keep yourself awake from using your phone and going on GAG. Maybe visit some controversial content that gets you all worked up... if I do that, I have trouble sleeping (I only got like 3 hours last night just because of that :( ).

Yumix · Answer

if it's just once and for not too long it's okay. your eyes might hurt but nothing you can't fix with some help...

THE_Godfather · Answer

I wear RGP (hard lenses) you are to never sleep with them in.
I take hour long naps all the time in a chair & never had a problem. The only minor trouble is sometimes getting them out. My eyes get dry. I just put a drop of soaking solution in my eyes & that seems to work.

pinkbubble · Answer

Your eyes requires oxygen always.
and the lenses block oxygen to your eyes.
so if you sleep with lenses your eyes start to make new blood vessles to get oxygen.
and then you will live with seeing ur vessels in ur sight forever for the rest of ur life ^^/

valgov291 · Answer

for a couple hours you shouldn't be too bad. I've slept all night with them in. when i woke up they were hard and a little painful to get off. I thought about leaving them in but everything is blurry when you seep with them in for long periods of time.

TripleAce · Answer

Yes its bad... very bad

Even ones that are overnights ones are not recommended by optometrist... you will eventually develop astigmatism or dry eyes.. those are common... other problems can be worse like glaucoma - which can lead to blindess later in life, worst case scenario

soccerchick4eva · Answer

okay so i have disposable contacts and i always sleep in them and only take them off like on weekends or on some random nights, they never seem to hurt me, but if you keep doing it, my optometrist said that once you get older it isn't good for your eyes, but if you're just doing like for one day you should be all good :) haha

Levin · Answer

I thought it was a length of time thing too. Maybe an hour or so won't be a bad thing, if you have your eye-drops?

Curmudgeon · Answer

it is generally a bad idea. On the bus for 2 hours napping you might get away with it, but certainly not overnight.

Hopefuldreamer8 · Answer

I've done it a couple times. It's not a habit you want to get into but it won't be bad if it happens once and a while. Your eyes will be dry at first so it's best to have eye drops on you. Don't try and take them out right away either.

allahu_snackbar · Answer

I wouldn't risk impairing the oxygen flow to my cornea like dat.

guy532 · Answer

It's fine, I used to be super paranoid about my contacts, but it's fine. I've slept with once a day contacts and have even had them on for weeks with no problems.

springocelot · Answer

sleeping in with them on time would be no big deal however, making it a habit could give you an eye infection :/ just make sure you take them off once you get home

Tabbie · Answer

... yeah it's quite bad x_x

COCOCHANEL · Answer

i've never heard it's bad. i once left mine in for 3 days by accident.

SurströmmingLover · Answer

I've only done it twice. One when I was drunk and I forgot them on (then RIP eyes) and another time which I've forgotten my contact lenses box. My eyes got really dry afterwards. Just sleep without' em or don't sleep at all :)

Ashely_Princess · Answer

I think I got the lenses where you can sleep in because I sleep in mine and nothing ever happens to my eyes. Although, I do take them out when I want to shower. But if it isn't lenses that are like that, then I done messed up already :/

Ihav2fart · Answer

Really bad, your eyes need oxygen.. I've read stories where peoples eyes got infected. :x

Anonymous · Answer

Skip to 5:04 He went blind in one eye due to leaving his contacts in when sleeping. Not a first world problem :)

mskay · Answer

I've slept with lens on while taking naps.. for three times already. Thank the stars nothing happened, cause my naps were real long hours.. 🙊

RBT-RS · Answer

You're not meant to, but if it's an isolated incident, then you'll be fine. Just don't let it happen again.

KDA20 · Answer

I have heard it is not good but that is all I know.

Texas89 · Answer

You have to take them off, I kept mine on over night and it hurts bad!!!

abundantlyrich · Answer

You might get conjunctivitis.. Or bacterial infection

Anonymous · Answer

@MissNowhare are you from tennessee? Because your the only ten i see.

RainbowFanGirl · Answer

Don't do it, it can cause eye infections. Take them out and let your eyes breathe.

Omar5881 · Answer

One of my friend did that so my advice is DON'T FREAKING DO IT he regret it and why don't u were a glasses I bet u look sexy in a geeky glasses 😉😂😛

Familygirl · Answer

on my case i dont need lenses but i were some collored and i orften sleppt with them in once the eyes are fine thery not a problem in sleep too

Alexious · Answer

2 hours on the bus? Damn, where did you go?

jj21xxx · Answer

Nothing is gonna happen just relax you'll be fine just don't make it a habit

cinderelli · Answer

why do you use contacts? they are not good..

MrEMann · Answer

I wouldn't lose any sleep over it! Bwahahaha!

jormungand · Answer

You could get an infection, so yeah. You shouldn't

helva · Answer

No problem about that.

kartoos · Answer

Lenses might eat your eyes out.

OrdinaryGentleman · Answer

Why don't you... ya know... fix your eyes?

GoldHeart · Answer

Really bad... don't do it.

Anonymous · Answer

Girl don't do it.

How bad is it to take a nap with contact lenses in?

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