Contacts while sleeping?

[Eyecon82]

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Hey, I was wondering if one of you guys could answer a question for me. Is it ok to sleep with contacts on? If not, why is that?...thanks...i've been wondering for a long time!

Thanks

 

[cpw]

I'll get to this later, cuz I'm in the middle of writing a paper... BUT the answer in short version is...

If your contacts are NOT approved for extended wear (and there's really only one brand that is) your eyes are NOT getting enough O2. This causes corneal swelling, increases DRAMATICALLY your risk of ocular infection and ulcer, and your risk for corneal vessel growth (due to the lack of O2)

I'll get into more when I have more time. (or one of the other numerous ODs can answer this one).

So, the answer is NO DO NOT DO THIS (Unless you're wearing Focus Night and Days)

 

[Reality check]

In addition to what cpw wrote even night and day CL's I never recomend to anyone sleeping with them for extended period of time. 1 or 2 days if you have to ok even night and day NOT A GOOD IDEA 30 day wear. You are asking for trouble and trust me you'll get it.

 

[ckyuen]

I agree, I've seen way too many a corneal ulcer walk into the er b/c they thought it was okay to sleep in their extended wear lenses

 

[yOyOYoo]

as a child I always wore my contacts to sleep, also I wore 2 week disposables for periods of upwards of a month. Also I barely took the time to clean my contacts when I took them out, I just popped them in the solution.

This was before I was diagnosed with giant papullary conjunctivitus, a condition you do NOT want to have. After using the steroid Patanol for a while as well as now wearing only daily disposable contact lenses my eyes are much better and much less irritated.

 

[Tony.]

Wstsd,

I've worn my focus night and days for about 6 months now.....( i change them every 30 days of coarse). they are great! it was a bit irritating at first, and i got headaches but then you get use to it. also focus night and day are approved by the FDA so....they are ok to wear. I think they let enought oxygen through them so, thats why its ok to wear them while you sleep. but dont take my word for it. ask your optometrist!

 

[Andrew_Doan]

In regards to the Focus Night & Days, although the oxygen permeability is high, I've seen numerous patients with contact lens overwear or uclers b/c of sleeping in their contacts. I highly recommend the FND CL, but take them out and clean them at night.

You don't wear your underwear for 30 days straight. Then why would you wear your contact lenses for 30 days without cleaning them?! Respect your eyes and vision. 😉

 

[cpw]

did you take that ulcer picture andrew?

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Originally posted by cpw
did you take that ulcer picture andrew?

It's a picture from http://www.emedicinehealth.com

 

[Reality check]

yoyoyo,
Patanol is not a steroid. Mast cell stabilizer and antihistamine used predominantly for seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. Also used for GPC as well.
1 day disposables are the way to go for that. Cut down wearing time 4-5hrs per day if severe GPC and lubricating rewetting drops for CL's.
If GPC is severe 3+ yes you can use a steroid.

 

[eyedocmaggie]

Ok, here is the scoop. I actually participated in caring for patients in the Focus Night & Day study (FND), so I have a lot of experience with this lens.

A. It is an absolutely fabulous lens! Perhaps the best technology on the market .. and absolutely without apprehension the ONLY lens that I have EVER let any of my patients wear extended wear. Before this lens I was constantly battling with the EW junkies in their AV lenses.. UGH!!

B. Lets talk DK.... the higher the better.. Acuvue in the 20's , and FND in the 180's .. need I say more.

C. My Dear sweet 13 year old has been wearing the lens 30 day EW now for 1 year without complication, without myopic creep, without corneal swelling and without even the slightest trace of encroachment.

D. Some cool things I have observed with this lens:
1. Decreased Myopia after 6 months of wear.... this is due to an actual decrease in corneal edema secondary to the increase in O2 transmission. This seems to happen with both EW and DW pts.
2. The Rx on this lens may need to be up to -0.50 step higher than the empirical estimation of power...
3. I have had more teen male patients with complications (2 to be exact) than anyone. Actually those are the only 2 I've seen with any type of problem. It actually occured before the final fitting, so EW was D/C'd immed. in these 2. Not sure why males might make an interesting study.
4. No more problem with mucin balls.
5. CL abusers, GPC patients (obviously!), those with encroachment etc. should only wear this lens as a DW lens.
6. This is an excellent option for the peds patient who will not wear their rx. I treated a baby +5.00 with this lens. The parents were frustrated that the child who was also a CAET and needed strab surg. would not wear his Rx. The +5.00 took care of about 50% of the ET.. so it was nec. We trained mom and dad to use the CL and the baby did great!! Sucessful for a yr now!
7. The lens, which is great for dryness for some, can be slightly uncomfortable for a select few. CL awareness is likely in the first day, but generally goes away.
8. If using for DES, please use Clear Care!!

P.S. No, I dont work for Ciba, but gosh i love this product.
Working on testing the new AV advance on pts with DES (NOT EW LENS!!!, DK is 89, water is in the low 40's). Have had 6 successful fits, and 1 that saw halos and another that thought the lens was dry. I LOVE it when I wear it.

Sorry this is long
Dr. Maggie Shirk
Optometrist
ICO 2000
😍

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Dr. Shirk,

Welcome to SDN! 🙂

 

[eyedocmaggie]

I lived in Des Moines for 3 years!! I see you are in IA city!
nice to meet you ALL!

 

[cpw]

welcome to SDN Dr Shirk!

Thanks for contributing a practical point of view to the conversation. I love having "in the real world" ODs contribute to the conversations here.

WELCOME!!