Want to wake up with clear vision instead of searching for your glasses every time your alarm rings? If so, extended wear contact lenses might be the right choice for you.
In general, contact lenses can be categorized into two types, based on how long they are approved to be worn before being removed:
- Daily wear (lenses you remove before sleep)
- Extended wear (lenses you can wear overnight)
So what’s the difference between daily wear and extended wear lenses?
Most extended wear (EW) contacts are thinner than daily wear soft lenses, or are made of silicone hydrogel material. This advanced lens material enables EW lenses to “breathe” better than regular soft (hydrogel) lenses. This is especially important when lenses are worn continuously for extended periods.
Most extended wear soft contact lenses are approved for up to seven days of continuous wear, depending on your eye care professional’s recommendations. Some EW lenses are approved for up to 30 days of continuous wear.
Extended wear gas permeable lenses also are available.
It’s important to note that these are the maximum recommended wearing schedules. Many people cannot tolerate wearing EW lenses for this length of time, and some people’s eyes cannot tolerate any overnight wear of contact lenses.
During your contact lens fitting and follow-up, your eye doctor will advise you whether you can wear EW contacts overnight and how many days of continuous wear your eyes can tolerate.
Risks of extended wear contacts
Research has shown that the risk of eye infections is higher among people who sleep while wearing contact lenses.
Wearing contact lenses continually (day and night) increases this risk because bacteria and other potentially dangerous microorganisms can adhere to the lenses and get trapped between the lenses and your eyes.
These microbes thrive in the warm, moist environment under your contact lenses, especially when your eyelids are closed during sleep. And because contact lenses reduce the oxygen supply to the front surface of your eyes (corneas), your eyes are less able to fight off corneal infections.
Contact lens-related infections can range from an annoying case of pink eye to more serious conditions such as Acanthamoeba keratitis and fungal eye infections that can cause permanent vision loss.
You can order extended wear contact lenses from Eye update Clinic & Optical Supplies by calling: 08107531046 or 08034971582. You can also visit our facility at 01 Ajuwon bus stop off Elliot bus stop Iju Ishaga Ajuwon near Akute Alagbole (Lagos and Ogun residents)