How long can you wear contact lenses in a row?
Question: 'I've been wearing monthly contact lenses almost every day for eight years now. That's going really well. But when I recently told a friend that I wear my lenses for an average of 15 hours a day, she was shocked. She claims that you can wear contact lenses for a maximum of eight hours.' O.T., LANDSmeer
Answer from ophthalmologist Erik Mertens: 'No two eyes are the same, so there are no standard rules for the maximum daily wearing time of soft lenses.
Problems with long-term lens wear
What is known and researched are the problems that arise when wearing lenses for a long time. Examples of this are vascular ingrowth (due to oxygen deficiency of the cornea), inflammation due to the friction between the eyelid and contact lens, staining (damage) due to dehydration of the cornea and built-up allergies to certain materials and liquids. These changes are very slow and you don't feel them. But it could mean that you should never wear contact lenses again.
Control It is therefore of the utmost importance that you regularly have your eyes and lenses checked by a qualified contact lens specialist and that you replace your lenses regularly, at least once a month. Soft lenses are very fragile. For example, cleaning alone can cause scratches that fill with dirt and protein.
Enough oxygen The oxygen permeability of the contact lens then quickly decreases. Sometimes this even causes inflammation of the eye. For several years now, there have also been silicone hydrogel lenses that allow more oxygen to pass through than standard materials and which dry out less quickly.
Be kind to your eyes
If you want to wear contact lenses until you are 80, make sure you handle your eyes with care. Shorten the wearing time and also wear glasses regularly to ensure that your eyes get enough oxygen.'
How long do you keep your lenses in?
