I've been wearing my contacts too long... is it ruining my eyes?

Question

I have worn contacts for a year and a half, and for the last four months or so, I've worn them far more often than I should. I'm supposed to wear them only up to 16 hours a day, but I leave them in for 2-3 weeks.

It seems that my vision is getting worse, too... not by a whole lot but words are fuzzier on the board.

Have I completely f*cked up my vision because of contacts, or is it all in my head? Should I see the optometrist?

Answer 1

You will have undoubtedly done some permanent damage, if only to your corneal endothelial cell count.
(You have millions of spare ones of those but they never get replaced, so later in life you might regret the waste...)

You may have increased the likelihood of contact lens intolerance in the future: "corneal exhaustion syndrome"

No, you have probably not COMPLETELY...

But yes, you need a check-up, and a firm clear discussion about modifying you lens type, your behaviour, or both.

Answer 2

If you wear contacts all the time you could end up damaging your eyes. I used to wear my contacts all day everyday but I would take them out at night. Even though I took them out at night, I still ended up with corneal ulcers do to the fact that my eyes were not getting enough oxygen when my contacts were in. I ended up having to switch to glasses cause my eyes would get so irritated when I put the contacts in. I finally had lasik surgery about a year ago and don't have to worry about either contacts or glasses.

Answer 3

I've had contacts for years, without a disorders. I'd advise getting delicate touch lenses as they could also be extra secure and less difficult to get used to than rough lenses. It'd be quality to invite an optometrist what is quality for you.

Answer 4

My eye doctor has told me how bad it is to even sleep with your contacts in for just one night, let alone leave them in for a couple weeks. It's not good for your eye. Your eyes need to breathe too. And the contacts can collect a lot of dirt and dust in the air and make your eye dirty.
You're supposed to visit your optometrist once every year. I'm sure your prescription has changed and you need a different strength in your contacts now.
Maybe try a contact you don't have to keep cleaning. I used to hate cleaning my contacts every night. Then I switched to the kind you throw away every night and start with a fresh pair every morning. I use Focus Dailies, but Acuvue has a daily one too. Maybe try that. But leaving your contacts in for weeks at a time is definitely a bad idea.

Answer 5

Leaving your contacts in that long can negatively affect your vision. The bacteria caught between your eyeball and contact will fester and infect the eye itself.

There are so many different eye diseases its hard to classify them. One thing is for sure though some of them are incurable and effect more than the eye. Nasal passages and eyelids are affected to. I've had friends get bad eye infections and one has infected lids that produce to much oil that is incurable he can no longer wear contacts.

You need to take them out wash them and leave them out for the night. Hard to tell if you messed your eye up or if you vision is getting progressively worse on its own. Only an optomistist can tell.

Answer 6

You definitely need to take them out for a while. You could be stressing out your eyes. Take them out for a while and wear your glasses...if they doen't improve, see your dr.

Answer 7

you definitley should not wear them that long. they make special contacts that you can leave in foe that long. but if you have normal contactdss you can seriously screw up your eyes. take them out now.

Answer 8

I have Acuvues and leave them in for up to 2 weeks...lol. I have never had a problem with them. So, don't listen to the others saying it is bad.