Wearing contact lenses for too long starves your eyes of oxygen and moisture, leading to redness, discomfort, dryness and, in some cases, infection. If your eyes feel sore or irritated, remove your lenses straight away and give your eyes a rest. Most symptoms settle quickly once lenses are removed. Learn more about the warning signs and when to get help below.
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What happens if you wear contact lenses for too long?
What happens to your eyes when you overwear contact lenses?
Your cornea, the clear front surface of your eye, needs a steady supply of oxygen to stay healthy. Contact lenses sit directly on this surface, and every lens reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches it, even lenses designed for extended wear. The longer you wear a lens beyond its recommended time, the less oxygen your cornea receives, and the higher the risk of swelling, dryness and tiny scratches on the eye's surface.
Overworn lenses also trap debris, bacteria and protein deposits against the eye. Combined with reduced tear flow underneath the lens, this creates the ideal conditions for irritation or infection to take hold. It is the main reason opticians recommend never exceeding your lenses' daily wear time, even if your eyes feel fine at first.
Symptoms of wearing contact lenses too long
Keep an eye out for these common signs that you have had your lenses in for too long:
- Redness or bloodshot eyes
- Persistent dryness or a gritty, sandpaper feeling
- Blurred or fluctuating vision
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Watering eyes or excess discharge
- A feeling that something is stuck under the lens
What to do if you've worn your lenses too long
If you notice any of the symptoms above, do not push through the discomfort. Take the following steps:
- Remove your lenses immediately, washing your hands first
- Switch to glasses and give your eyes a break for at least a few hours
- Use rewetting eye drops to soothe dryness and irritation
- Avoid rubbing your eyes, as this can worsen irritation or damage the cornea
- Check your lenses and case for damage before wearing them again
- If discomfort continues after removing your lenses, contact your optician
When to seek urgent medical advice
Most overwear symptoms settle within a few hours once lenses are removed. However, some signs point to something more serious, such as an eye infection, and need prompt attention.
- Severe or worsening eye pain
- Sudden vision loss or significant blurring that does not improve
- Heavy discharge, or pus-like fluid
- Significant swelling of the eye or eyelid
- Sensitivity to light that does not ease
How long should you wear contact lenses each day?
Most soft daily and monthly contact lenses are designed to be worn for around 8 to 12 hours a day. This gives your eyes enough time to breathe and rest overnight, whilst wearing your lenses during your typical waking hours. Always follow the specific wear schedule recommended by your optician or stated on your lens packaging, as this can vary depending on lens type and your individual eyes.
It is worth understanding the difference between extended-wear lenses and simply overwearing standard lenses. Extended-wear lenses are specifically designed and approved by an optician for continuous use, sometimes including overnight wear, for a set number of days. Standard daily or monthly lenses are not designed this way. Wearing them for longer than recommended, or sleeping with your contact lenses when they are not approved for overnight use, counts as overwearing and carries a much higher risk of complications.
How to avoid overwearing your lenses
A few simple habits can help you stay within safe wearing times:
- Set a daily reminder for when to remove your lenses
- Keep a spare pair of glasses handy for evenings or long days
- Replace lenses on the recommended schedule
- Never sleep in lenses unless your optician has specifically approved it
- Book regular check-ups with your optician to review your prescription and wear schedule
- Keep rewetting drops to hand for dryness during the day
FAQs
In most cases, no. Symptoms from occasional overwear typically clear up once lenses are removed and eyes are given a rest. However, repeated overwear, or ignoring symptoms, can increase the risk of corneal infections, which in rare and severe cases can cause lasting damage. This is why it is important to remove lenses at the first sign of discomfort.
No, unless you are using lenses that have been specifically approved by your optician for extended or continuous wear. Wearing standard daily or monthly lenses for a full 24 hours significantly increases the risk of oxygen deprivation, irritation and infection.
Signs of damage can include persistent redness, pain that does not ease after removing your lenses, blurred vision, or discharge. If any of these symptoms last more than a few hours, or feel severe, contact your optician promptly.
Remove your lenses as soon as you wake up, wash your hands first, and give your eyes a rest in glasses for the day. Use rewetting drops if your eyes feel dry, and watch for any redness, pain or blurred vision. See our guide on sleeping with contact lenses for more detail.
Many people wear lenses daily within their recommended wear time, but your eyes still need overnight rest without lenses to stay healthy. See our guide on wearing contact lenses every day for a full answer.
Conclusion
Overwearing contact lenses is one of the most common, and most avoidable, causes of eye discomfort. Listening to your eyes, sticking to recommended wear times and removing lenses at the first sign of irritation will keep your eyes healthier in the long run. If in doubt, or if symptoms do not settle quickly, always speak to your optician for advice tailored to your eyes.