So I just took my contact lenses out for the first time in 5 weeks...

[ArJuN]

Deleted

 

[Spineshank]

I think some of them you can do that with. I take mine out every night but every once in awhile i forget. But i just have Acuvue Advance

 

[geno]

Corneal neovascularisation is the ingrowth of abnormal blood vessel into the cornea from the limbus (junction of cornea and eye-white).The cornea normally has no blood vessels. Contact lens wear slightly reduce the oxygen deliver to the cornea, when lens wear is prolonged for days at a time or a lens that significantly limit the oxygen supply to the cornea, the cornea responds to this chronic oxygen deprivation by growing new abnormal blood vessels.

Further progression involves ingrowth of larger vessels accompanied by increasing amount of connective tissue into the transparent cornea. This fibrovascular scar is called Pannus, if unchecked it can grow over the pupil region of the cornea.

The occurrence of neovascularisation requires immediate lens change to allow sufficient oxygen supply to the cornea, by using of higher oxygen transmissibility lens material and stop extended wearing schedule.

I learned about this from my last visit with my optometrist, this can happen over time and is more likely to happen with infrequent lens changes. On your next visit, ask him/her to check just how far in your vessels are growing into your cornea if they haven't already.

 

[cjmtfd102401]

I work for an optometrist and we do no recommend sleeping in contacts. Your eyes need oxygen. You could have several things going on and not even know. Your blood vessels could start growing towards/in your cornea trying to get oxygen. You could get numerous infections. Your contact lens can get stuck to your eye and tear your cornea off when you try to take out you contacts (we have had this happen to a few patients) then you have to have a cornea transplant. What brand are you wearing. Most are only made for 2 week wear...taking them out everyday. Some are monthly, again taking them out everyday. All in all it is a bad idea.

 

[cjmtfd102401]

Originally posted by: geno

Corneal neovascularisation is the ingrowth of abnormal blood vessel into the cornea from the limbus (junction of cornea and eye-white).The cornea normally has no blood vessels. Contact lens wear slightly reduce the oxygen deliver to the cornea, when lens wear is prolonged for days at a time or a lens that significantly limit the oxygen supply to the cornea, the cornea responds to this chronic oxygen deprivation by growing new abnormal blood vessels.

Further progression involves ingrowth of larger vessels accompanied by increasing amount of connective tissue into the transparent cornea. This fibrovascular scar is called Pannus, if unchecked it can grow over the pupil region of the cornea.

The occurrence of neovascularisation requires immediate lens change to allow sufficient oxygen supply to the cornea, by using of higher oxygen transmissibility lens material and stop extended wearing schedule.

I learned about this from my last visit with my optometrist, this can happen over time and is more likely to happen with infrequent lens changes. On your next visit, ask him/her to check just how far in your vessels are growing into your cornea if they haven't already.

the dr. I work for always checks for this. I don't know why anyone wouldn't. If you abuse your c/l he takes you out of them gives you any medications you need to clear up the infection. Gives you another chance to wear them correctly. Checks you again in so many months (usually 3) if you are still misusing them he will take you out for good.

 

[AmberClad]

I couldn't imagine doing that with my Acuvue two-week disposables. The protein buildup would get nasty as hell. I've accidentally taken a nap wearing contacts before, and woken up feeling like they were glued stuck to my eyeballs.

 

[Fritzo]

I do that, but I have Focus Night & Days..they're kind of designed to do that.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I did it for a while, but over time my eyes got more an more sensitive to it. Eventually I had to stop because even a single night would result in unbearable irritation. My optometrist never saw anything wrong with my eyes, but recently I switched back to glasses on my own. If I'm any indication then you might want to go easy on the extended wearing now to preserve your ability to wear them in the future.

 

[nace186]

I used a contacts brand call Focus I think? You can use them for 30 days and 30 nights straight. It was alright. But it was too expensive for me back then.

 

[bobdole369]

It is a very, very, very bad idea to do this. Even 1 night is bad - even if the lenses are extended wear - even if your doctor says its OK, even if you don't have any problems because of it.

As noted above - corneal vascularization is likely already occurring and if left unchecked - you could go blind.

The risk for infection goes up dramatically with overnight wear.

Just take em out! Is your eyesight less important than the 5 minutes it takes to properly clean and disinfect and store your lenses overnight?

 

[zebano]

My wife does this. She knows she shouldn't but she's a -7 in both eyes and can't see at all without them.

 

[DrawninwarD]

After all this talk of impending doom, OP is tripping balls.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: zebano
My wife does this. She knows she shouldn't but she's a -7 in both eyes and can't see at all without them.

Does she know about this other great invention, called glasses?
------
I don't keep contacts in my eyes for more than what is recommended by my eye doctor because my eye health is important to me. Plus, my contacts start bothering me after they've been in all day and dry out a lot if I fall asleep in them. I have glasses for when I'm not wearing contacts.

 

[EMPshockwave82]

really should take them out every night. it gives your eyes a chance to take in some oxygen and heal the calluses that are formed by contacts.


With that being said if they don't bother you then I don't know man. Mine feel horribly dry if I leave them in over night and I need eyedrops all the next day to counter it.

 

[RollWave]

Originally posted by: ArJuN
Does anyone else keep their contact lenses in for a really long time? They've never bothered me at night or in the morning, I actually sometimes forget I'm wearing contacts. It started out as an occasional all nighter with them in, then sleeping once or twice, then it just became a habit to not take them out. My last eye check up was about 4 months ago. The doc said my eyes are fine...so anyone know how much harm I'm actually doing? I don't trust my doc for some reason.

NOT GOOD FOR YOUR EYES.

 

[MattCo]

Originally posted by: cjmtfd102401
I work for an optometrist and we do no recommend sleeping in contacts. Your eyes need oxygen. You could have several things going on and not even know. Your blood vessels could start growing towards/in your cornea trying to get oxygen. You could get numerous infections. Your contact lens can get stuck to your eye and tear your cornea off when you try to take out you contacts (we have had this happen to a few patients) then you have to have a cornea transplant. What brand are you wearing. Most are only made for 2 week wear...taking them out everyday. Some are monthly, again taking them out everyday. All in all it is a bad idea.

maybe a dumb question, but how do your eyes get oxygen when you are sleeping? I sleep with my eye lids closed over my eyes, I guess they are gas permeable?

 

[lxskllr]

Do a Google image search for corneal ulcer. I think you might stop doing that ;^)

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: RollWave

Originally posted by: ArJuN
Does anyone else keep their contact lenses in for a really long time? They've never bothered me at night or in the morning, I actually sometimes forget I'm wearing contacts. It started out as an occasional all nighter with them in, then sleeping once or twice, then it just became a habit to not take them out. My last eye check up was about 4 months ago. The doc said my eyes are fine...so anyone know how much harm I'm actually doing? I don't trust my doc for some reason.

NOT GOOD FOR YOUR EYES.

unless you have the right type of lenses

<--- has the right type of lenses (ortho-k rigid gas permeables)

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

Originally posted by: RollWave

Originally posted by: ArJuN
Does anyone else keep their contact lenses in for a really long time? They've never bothered me at night or in the morning, I actually sometimes forget I'm wearing contacts. It started out as an occasional all nighter with them in, then sleeping once or twice, then it just became a habit to not take them out. My last eye check up was about 4 months ago. The doc said my eyes are fine...so anyone know how much harm I'm actually doing? I don't trust my doc for some reason.

NOT GOOD FOR YOUR EYES.

unless you have the right type of lenses

<--- has the right type of lenses (ortho-k rigid gas permeables)

Still not ideal though. You are still limiting the oxygen to your eyes and allowing for calcium deposits to build-up.

 

[IEC]

Wow... please, do your eyes a favor and take proper care of them and the contacts.

Just because you do not "feel" something going wrong doesn't mean it isn't.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon

Originally posted by: RollWave

Originally posted by: ArJuN
Does anyone else keep their contact lenses in for a really long time? They've never bothered me at night or in the morning, I actually sometimes forget I'm wearing contacts. It started out as an occasional all nighter with them in, then sleeping once or twice, then it just became a habit to not take them out. My last eye check up was about 4 months ago. The doc said my eyes are fine...so anyone know how much harm I'm actually doing? I don't trust my doc for some reason.

NOT GOOD FOR YOUR EYES.

unless you have the right type of lenses

<--- has the right type of lenses (ortho-k rigid gas permeables)

Still not ideal though. You are still limiting the oxygen to your eyes and allowing for calcium deposits to build-up.

the lenses are designed for overnight use (that's the whole point of ortho-k, actually)
wear the lenses to sleep, take them out in the morning, and you have ~20/20 vision for a day. pretty cool stuff :thumbsup:

 

[bonkers325]

Its a bad idea to leave them in. Higher risk of infection and tie eyes need oxygen. Its tour eyes just take a minute to take out your damn contacts and take care of your eyes!

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: zebano
My wife does this. She knows she shouldn't but she's a -7 in both eyes and can't see at all without them.

Does she know about this other great invention, called glasses?
------
I don't keep contacts in my eyes for more than what is recommended by my eye doctor because my eye health is important to me. Plus, my contacts start bothering me after they've been in all day and dry out a lot if I fall asleep in them. I have glasses for when I'm not wearing contacts.

Mine too- even if I take a short nap with them in, there's a good chance that I'll wind up with a contact lens (or two) stuck to my eyeball(s).

 

[DarrelSPowers]

You're peeling off layers of epithelial (sp?) cells. My senior design project is based on this crap... testing contact lenses.

 

[evident]

contacts are so nasty, ugh!