There are more than 140 million contact lens wearers worldwide. Some individuals can wear their lenses from morning to evening without a problem. But most people limit their hours to some degree.
The time you should wear contact lenses during the day depends on which type you use and whether you have any vision or eye health issues.
If you aren’t used to wearing contacts, it’s important to follow your optician’s instructions, but if you aren’t sure about wearing contact lenses for prolonged periods, here’s everything you need to know.
How Long Can I Wear Daily Disposable Lenses For?
Daily contacts must be removed before you sleep. You can generally wear them for 8-16 hours a day.
Soft contact lenses can absorb moisture from the eye and lead to dry eye symptoms, making it painful to wear them longer than recommended.
Contact lens (CL) wearers often suffer from ocular discomfort, which leads to a cessation of CL wear. About 30% to 50% of CL wearers complain of dry eye (DE) symptoms.
If you’re new to wearing contact lenses, we’d stick to the recommended schedule given by your optician. You might be able to push for an hour longer than recommended, but any more than this can cause pain, redness, and blurred vision.
Please do not pop them in a contact lens case or try to reuse them. Disposable lenses should be thrown away after the recommended amount of use.
How Long Can I Wear Extended Wear Contact Lenses?
Extended-wear contacts are a little different. With these, contact lens wearers can keep them in for up to seven days. However, some versions of these contact lenses can be kept in for up to 30 days.
Once again, though, follow the directions of your opticians and any information they supply. At some point, your contact lenses must be cleaned in contact lens solution or thrown away.
Extended-wear lenses are less of a faff than daily contacts. However, some users cannot tolerate extended wear contacts for the maximum amount of days. So, if you’re thinking of switching, bear that in mind.
To Sum Up
We recommend wearing contact lenses only for the recommended time. Wearing them for too long can affect your eyesight and cause an eye infection or other eye conditions.
If you need more clarification, ask your eye doctor how long you can safely wear contacts and follow their advice.
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Contact Lens FAQs
How Long Can I Wear Coloured Contacts?
If you like to wear coloured contacts, you should wear them for the same amount of time as standard daily lenses (between 8 and 16 hours a day) and follow the same maintenance procedure for coloured lenses. You can likely use the same contact lens solutions for these lenses, but double-check with your eye doctor just to be safe.
Can I Wear Contact Lenses Every Day?
Some people can wear contacts every day without issue. However, if you have an ongoing eye issue, avoid wearing them until it has cleared up. We generally recommend having a day or two free of contact lenses each week.
If you wear contacts for a prolonged period one day, your eyes may begin to hurt a bit sooner the next. If this is the case, avoid wearing contacts immediately, and let your eyes breathe for a day or two.
What If I Wear Contacts For Too Long?
If you wear contacts for too long, you may experience:
- Redness
- Irritation
- Dry eyes
- Itchiness
- Excessive amount of tears
You may even develop certain eye conditions from wearing contacts for too long. As a contact lens sits directly on your eye, it can block oxygen from getting to the cornea, leading to Hypoxia – abnormal blood vessel growth in the cornea.
It can also lead to corneal ulcers or infections, which are open sores on the cornea’s outer layer.
How Long Should I Wear Contact Lenses The First Time?
We recommend wearing contacts for at most four hours the first time you use them. Any more than this, and your eyes will begin to get sore and red.
