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So if that many people do it, it can’t be that bad, right?

a woman holding her eyebrow with one hand and inserting a contact lenses with the other

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Is it safe to sleep with your contacts in?

The short answer: no, sleeping with your contacts in is not safe.

What exactly happens when you sleep with your contacts in?

Open container with contact lenses on a yellow background

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Eyes covered with contacts slept in receive even less than that, leading to problems.

“Sleeping with contacts in will, at best, only cause eye dryness.

“When your eyelids are closed, the contact lens can prevent oxygen from reaching the cornea.

Open package of contact lenses on a yellow background

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Eyes must also be healthy to fight off the variety ofharmful yet common bacteriaour eyes encounter every day.

When you blink, you flush away particles that have been building on the eye’s surface.

“These cells are an important part of the eyes' defense against infection.

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Can you at leastnapwhile wearing contacts?

How much damage can anhour napreally do?

Apparently, a lot.

Oops, you accidentally did it anyway… what happens now?

Maybe you accidentally fell asleep after bingingOutlander, or maybe you immediately jumped into bed after a night out.

Hey, it happens!

Whatever the reason is, falling asleep with your contacts in is bound to happen at some point.

But even with the risks of doing so, there’s no need to panic.

Dr. Tsai says your eyes might be dry when you first wake up.

Before you take the lenses out, she recommends adding some lubricating drops to help loosen them for removal.

Next, you’ll want to give your eyes a full day of rest so they can recuperate.

Can you at least wear contacts in the shower?

We’ve established that just about ever sleepy situations is out.

Howdoyou wear contacts safely?

The safest way to wear contact lenses is how your doctor prescribed them to be worn.

It’s all about curating the right routine for you.

“Contact lenses are incredibly safe as long as you maintain the right regimen,” explains Dr. Tsai.

When you clean the lenses themselves, Dr. Tsai says to always use a cleaning solution.

To give your eyes a break from time to time, she also recommends wearing your glasses instead.

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