What Happens When You Sleep in Glasses or Contacts?

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Plus, eye health experts share how to care for glasses & contacts
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It’s always recommended to remove your glasses before bed, but why exactly is that? And what about your contact lenses? We’re here to answer all your questions about eyewear and sleep, including whether you should sleep in your glasses or contacts and why. We also spoke to ophthalmologist David Felsted and optometrist Mark Cannon about how to properly take care of your glasses and contacts to keep your vision sharp. Keep scrolling to learn more!

Is it bad to sleep with glasses on?

It isn’t recommended to sleep with glasses on. The frames and lenses could be broken or damaged as you move in your sleep, leading to ill-fitting or broken glasses. Bent or broken pieces may also poke or scratch your face, leading to irritation or even cuts. Always remove your glasses (or contact lenses) before bed.

Section 1 of 7:

What happens if you sleep with your glasses on?

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  1. You might bend or break your glasses, potentially leading to an injury. Unless you have a knack for sleeping perfectly flat on your back all night long, there’s a chance you could bend the frames or damage the lenses of your glasses when you move around in bed. This could lead to ill-fitting glasses or worse, broken lenses that need replacement. [1]
    • Some frames are more likely to bend than others. Thin metal frames may bend more easily than thick plastic ons, for example. However, plastic frames may snap.
    • If your glasses do bend or break in your sleep, they could scratch or even cut your face and eyes. For example, misaligned nose pad posts could dig into your nose or between your eyes, or a snapped arm could scratch or poke anywhere.
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Section 2 of 7:

Should you sleep in your glasses?

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  1. No, it’s not recommended to sleep in your glasses. At best, your glasses will feel uncomfortable while you sleep. At worst, you could break them and potentially injure yourself! So, when you start to feel tired and it’s time for bed, make sure to take your glasses off and safely store them in their case for the night. [2]
    • This applies to eye glasses, sunglasses, blue light-blocking glasses, and any other eyewear (unless directed by a medical professional).
Section 3 of 7:

Storing & Caring for Glasses

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  1. 1
    Store your glasses in their case any time you’re not wearing them. Felsted advises to “always keep them in a padded case. I always like to keep a microfiber cleaning cloth wrapped around the glasses when I put them in the case.” This applies whether you’re putting your glasses away for the night or just for a few minutes during the day.
    • Keep your glasses case away from hot places, like car dashboards, or places that may get wet, like bathroom vanities.
    • Never put loose glasses in your purse, pocket, or another bag.
    • If you don’t have a case available and need to set your glasses down for a moment, always set them with the lenses facing upward (never lenses down). [3]
  2. 2
    Use lens cleaning spray to clean your lenses. Felsted explains that “Most optomic or optometric glasses counters will give away free lens sprays. Using an approved lens spray to clean off your glasses and keep them from having dirt buildup and grit on the actual coating helps a lot. Never wash them with water.”
    • Simply spritz the lenses with the spray, then buff and wipe them dry with a microfiber cleaning cloth.
    • “Never use your shirt or other fabrics to clean them,” Felsted warns. “Most high-end optics will have a bunch of special coatings on the lens to decrease glare and protect against scratches. If you're rubbing your jeans with your glasses, it's going to have a different index of friction and it's going to scratch that off its surface.”
  3. 3
    Handle and wear your glasses correctly to prevent misalignment. Always use both hands to put on or remove your glasses, and never hold them by the lenses. Wear your glasses on your nose at all times and do not put them on top of your head, as this can cause them to bend slightly. [4] Never let someone else wear your glasses as they may stretch them out.
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Section 4 of 7:

Can you sleep in contact lenses?

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  1. No, you should not sleep with your contact lenses in. Cannon puts it simply: “Don’t sleep in them. Ever.” Sleeping with contacts in can cause redness, irritation, and dryness, as well as block oxygen to your corneas, resulting in damage. All this added stress also makes you more vulnerable to eye infections. [5]
    • Besides removing your contacts for sleep, Cannon offers more advice on preventing contact-related infections: “Wash your hands every time before touching your eyes. Use daily disposable lenses if you can.”
    • If you fall asleep in your contacts now and then by accident, you’ll probably only experience some mild irritation. If it becomes a habit, worse side effects are more likely.
    • Soft contacts may be harder to remove after sleeping in them . If this is the case, rewet them with some hydrating eye drops before gently removing them. Wear your glasses afterwards to let your eyes breathe.
    • Should you wear contacts when you’re tired? If your eyes are dry or itchy from being tired, you might be tempted to rub them with your contacts in. This could lead to cornea scratches, so it’s usually best to switch to glasses when you’re tired (although the contacts themselves won’t cause an issue).
Section 5 of 7:

Storing & Caring for Contact Lenses

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  1. 1
    Always store your contacts in a lens case with contact solution. Felsted says “I would not recommend storing your contact lenses and anything other than a case and solution, or you put yourself at a high risk of infection. It's just not worth it.” This applies whether you’re storing your contacts overnight or just for a few minutes while you shower.
    • And, if you think you can substitute water for contact solution in a pinch, think again. “I would never recommend putting [contact lenses] in water,” Felsted advises. Bacteria in water can linger on your lenses, potentially leading to infection.
  2. 2
    Use a new contact lens case every time you go through a bottle of solution. “They’re actually designed to be disposable,” Felsted explains. “What I recommend is anytime you get a new bottle of solution, throw away the old case and get a new one. Most bottles of solution now come with a case in it.”
    • “Contact lens cases should never be cleaned per se,” he continues. “I don't recommend anybody ever take soap and water to them.”
  3. 3
    Throw away contacts that you drop on the ground. While it’s true that you can probably reuse a contact lens if you pick it up right away (and it didn’t land in something dirty), contacts that remain lost on the ground for more than a few seconds should be thrown away. “That way, you don't risk putting it back in your eye and getting an infection that could potentially make you go blind. And I've seen plenty of those throughout my career now. It's just not worth it to keep a lens for that reason,” Felsted adds.
    • If you manage to rescue your contact lens right away, rinse it off immediately in contact lens solution only . “I would never recommend putting it in water or putting it in your mouth” to clean it if you’re on the go, according to Felsted.
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Section 6 of 7:

How Sleep Deprivation Affects Your Eyes

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  1. 1
    Sleep deprivation can lead to short- and long-term eye problems. Your eyes need at least about 5 hours of sleep at night to fully replenish. In the short term, a bad night’s sleep can temporarily lead to slightly unfocused vision and, most commonly, minor twitching in the eyelids and dryness from a lack of tear production. This won’t damage your vision, but can be irritating or distracting until your eyes feel more rested. [6]
    • Chronic sleep deprivation is more concerning, though. Side effects include popped blood vessels due to eye strain or dry eye (including pain, light sensitivity, itching, redness, and/or blurred vision).
    • In some cases, like for those with insomnia or sleep apnea, excessive sleep deprivation can cause Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (AION), an inflammatory disease of the blood vessels, glaucoma, or even optic nerve damage.
  2. 2
    Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep per night to avoid sleep deprivation. Adults should get 7 hours of sleep per night or more, while teens and children should get at least 8 to 10. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each night and morning to stay on a schedule. If you can’t fall asleep right away, leave your bedroom to do something else for 20 minutes and come back. [7]
    • Avoid nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, or large meals in the hours before bed, as these can keep you awake longer and make your sleep quality worse.
    • Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Limit your screen time before bed, and consider wearing blue light-blocking glasses in the evening to screen out stimulating blue light waves.
    • Try not to nap during the day so you’re prepared for a restful sleep at night. Exercising during the day can also encourage better sleep.
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Section 7 of 7:

Frequently Asked Questions

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  1. 1
    Can wearing glasses or contact lenses while sleeping improve eyesight? No, wearing glasses while sleeping will not affect your eyesight at all, since your eyes need to be open to use glasses. Sleeping in contacts can actually make your vision worse by causing dryness, irritation, cornea damage, or an infection. [8]
  2. 2
    Will sleeping in glasses make you blind? No, sleeping with glasses on will not make you go blind. However, if you roll over and break your glasses, it’s possible that a bent or broken part of your glasses could irritate or potentially injure your face or eyes.
  3. 3
    What happens if you wear prescription glasses when you don't need them? Wearing the wrong prescription of glasses can cause eye strain, headaches, or even migraines, so it’s best to only wear your own glasses (with a current and correct prescription). Children should always wear the correct prescription, as the wrong one can accelerate refractive error in the eyes as they develop. [9]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.specsavers.com.au/help-and-faqs/can-i-wear-glasses-all-the-time
      2. ↑ https://www.rd.com/list/damage-eyeglasses/
      3. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/08/how-to-take-care-of-your-eyeglasses/index.htm
      4. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/08/how-to-take-care-of-your-eyeglasses/index.htm
      5. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-you-sleep-with-contacts-in
      6. ↑ https://www.ehnpc.com/general/how-lack-of-sleep-affects-your-vision/
      7. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379
      8. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-you-sleep-with-contacts-in
      9. ↑ https://www.optometrists.org/general-practice-optometry/optical/do-eyeglasses-weaken-my-eyes/

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