Sleeping with scleral lenses?

Is sleeping with scleral lenses unhealthy or dangerous?

It is common for the patients with scleral lenses to fall asleep with the lenses. People who wear contact lenses sometimes forget that they wear contact lenses. Especially if the wearing comfort of the lenses is optimal. They then find out in the morning that they still have their lenses in their eye. Is that dangerous?

6 to 8 hours of no blinking eyes

When you wear scleral lenses, the tear layer behind the lens will hardly be refreshed. So if you have already had scleral lenses in for 16 hours, the tear layer needs to be replaced. If you then also fall asleep with the lenses, you put a lot of strain on the eye. Fortunately, your eye can take a beating, but you never know exactly when it becomes too much for your eye. An inflammation is then lurking. So yes: sleeping with scleral lenses can have unpleasant consequences!

What to do after sleeping with scleral lenses

If you notice in the morning that you have slept in your contact lenses, it is best to remove them immediately and clean them well. If your lenses are stuck, first drip your eyes with contact lens solution or saline before carefully removing them. So never remove your contact lenses from your eyes if they are stuck. You can damage the eye so badly. Once you’ve removed and cleaned your lenses, leave them out for a while to give your eyes a rest and recovery. If you are concerned that your eyes are damaged, visit your contact lens specialist to have your eyes checked.