Don't Sleep with your Contacts

A recent report by the CDC cautions against sleeping while wearing contact lenses, as it increases the risk of dangerous infections of the cornea. In some reported cases, patients developed corneal ulcers, perforations or scarring.  Many people had damage that permanently impaired their vision. Certain ulcers such as Pseudomonas ulcers can even lead to blindness. Experts say sleeping with lenses (even extended wear lenses) may raise the risk of contact lens-related eye infections six to eight times. Doctors warn that even if someone has slept wearing contacts many times without problems, they should stop this practice immediately.