Overnight Contact Lenses

Some overnight contacts are approved for shorter extended-wear schedules, such as up to six nights. These lenses are removed, cleaned, and replaced on the schedule written by your eye doctor.

Other lenses are approved for up to 30 nights of continuous wear. That does not mean every wearer should sleep in them for the full period. Eye health, dryness, redness, prescription strength, and follow-up exam results all affect the schedule your doctor gives you.

If your eyes feel uncomfortable before the approved wear period ends, remove the lenses. Do not push through pain, redness, foggy vision, or light sensitivity.

Several leading manufacturers offer overnight contact lenses for wearers who need a flexible wearing schedule. Your eye care professional can confirm which lens fits your prescription and overnight wear needs.

• Air Optix Night & Day Aqua by Alcon - approved for up to 30 nights of continuous wear, allows more oxygen permeation than any other soft contact lens
• PureVision by Bausch & Lomb - silicone hydrogel overnight lens for nearsightedness and farsightedness, also available in toric and multifocal versions
• Acuvue 2 by Johnson & Johnson - biweekly hydrogel lens approved for extended wear for nearsighted and farsighted prescriptions
• Air Optix Aqua by Alcon - monthly silicone hydrogel lens approved for up to 6 nights of continuous wear
• Acuvue Oasys with HydraLuxe Technology by Johnson & Johnson - biweekly silicone hydrogel lens approved for extended wear
• ULTRA by Bausch & Lomb - monthly silicone hydrogel lens with MoistureSeal Technology approved for extended wear

Take out your lenses if something feels wrong. Do not wait for symptoms to settle when you are wearing contacts overnight.

Watch for these signs:

• Eye pain or aching
• Redness that does not fade after lens removal
• Light sensitivity
• Cloudy or hazy vision
• Discharge or watering
• Swelling around the eye
• A lens that feels stuck
• A gritty feeling that does not clear after blinking
• One eye feeling much worse than the other

Contact an eye care professional right away for pain, light sensitivity, discharge, swelling, or sudden vision changes. These symptoms need care, not another night of wear.

Overnight contact lenses are soft disposable lenses and follow the standard insertion and removal process. Always wash and dry your hands before handling lenses.

To insert:

• Wash hands with mild soap and dry with a lint-free towel
• Scoop the lens out of the case with the index finger of your dominant hand
• Rinse with multipurpose solution and inspect for tears or debris
• Pull down your lower eyelid with the middle finger of your dominant hand
• Place the lens on your eye while looking straight ahead and blink to center it
• Repeat with the other lens

To remove:

• Hold your eyelids open with one hand
• Gently pinch the lens between your index finger and thumb
• Carefully lift the lens off your eye and repeat with the other lens

Sleeping in contact lenses increases the risk of eye infection because bacteria can become trapped between the lens and the eye, thriving in the moist, closed environment under the eyelids while the reduced oxygen supply makes the cornea more susceptible to inflammation. Infections can range from minor conditions like pink eye to serious sight-threatening ones like Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Modern silicone hydrogel overnight lenses have reduced this risk by allowing significantly more oxygen through the lens, and most are disposable to minimize deposit buildup, but overnight wear still carries more risk than daily removal and should only be done under your eye care professional's guidance.

To reduce the risks of overnight contact lens wear:

• Remove lenses before sleeping when possible to give your eyes a chance to breathe
• Remove lenses before bathing or swimming
• Always handle lenses with clean, dry hands
• Never wear expired lenses
• Avoid smoke as even brief exposure can affect eye health
• Follow your eye care professional's recommended wear schedule and never exceed the FDA-approved maximum