Small Habits, Big Problems
Contact lenses can make life easier, but they also sit on one of the most delicate surfaces of your body. The fact of the matter is, how comfortable you are depends on what you actually do with these delicate little lenses. A seemingly harmless decision can increase your chances of irritation or infection, and while you don't need to become overly cautious, knowing what not to do can save you from a lot of trouble.
1. Fall Asleep in Them
There’s a reason people joke about stuff like this in sitcoms and books—it’s an actual issue! Drifting off on the couch while your contacts are still in isn't as harmless as it feels. Sleeping in lenses that aren't specifically approved for overnight wear actually reduces oxygen reaching the cornea, which increases your risk of infection. Even short naps are off the table.
2. Take a Shower
Keeping your contacts in while you shower exposes them to water that isn't sterile. Long story short, microorganisms in tap water can get trapped between a lens and your eye, creating the chance for a serious infection.
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3. Go Swimming
Well, if you can’t hop in the shower, you definitely can’t splash in the pool. Whether you're heading into a public spot or the ocean, contacts should come out beforehand. Water can make soft lenses swell or change shape, and it also introduces bacteria to the eye. Prescription swimming goggles are a much safer option when you want to see what’s going on beneath the waves.
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4. Relax in a Hot Tub
We know it sounds like hot tubs are safe, especially since you just sit around, but they combine water exposure with plenty of microorganisms. Wearing contacts while soaking gives those germs another chance to get trapped against the surface of your eye. Leave your lenses out until you're finished, and clean your hands before reinsertion, too.
5. Rub Your Eyes
An itchy eye can make vigorous rubbing feel mighty good in the moment, especially during allergy season. However, with a contact lens in place, rubbing can move the lens around and scratch the cornea. If something feels uncomfortable, it’s smarter to remove the lens.
6. Ignore Sudden Pain
Contact lenses aren't supposed to cause sharp pain. They’re not supposed to cause redness or sudden vision changes, either. Continuing to wear one anyway allows a developing problem to get worse. Do yourself a favor and contact an eye-care professional when symptoms appear.
7. Put in Random Eye Drops
A bottle labeled "redness relief" isn't automatically compatible with your lenses. Some eye drops are only intended for use after lenses get removed. Others are specifically labeled as contact-safe rewetting drops. Check the instructions and ask a healthcare provider before trusting any old label.
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8. Touch Them With Dirty Hands
Putting a lens back into place after touching your phone or using the bathroom can transfer germs directly toward your eye. Handwashing has never been more important! Drying them completely with a clean cloth matters too; contacts should also be kept away from water.
9. Wear Them Past Their Replacement Date
A two-week lens isn’t magically a three-week lens. Deposits and microorganisms can accumulate as contacts are worn, and replacement schedules are specifically designed around how the lenses are meant to be used. Stick with the schedule recommended, and don’t stretch a pair to save money.
10. Put Them in Your Mouth
A dropped contact should never get the quick lick-and-reinsert treatment. Don’t forget that saliva also has microorganisms and isn't considered a sterile cleaning solution for contact lenses (obviously). If a reusable lens needs cleaning, use the proper disinfecting solution.
11. Wear Them Around Heavy Smoke
We’re not just talking about a chain-smoker. Anything from sitting beside a campfire to spending hours in a smoky environment can leave your eyes dry and irritated. Contact lenses can also get even more uncomfortable when the tear film is already struggling to keep the eye properly lubricated.
12. Keep Them in When Your Eyes Are Dry
You’re not winning any prizes for tolerating contacts until bedtime. Persistent dryness not only makes lenses uncomfortable, but they also encourage you to rub. Worse still, you might be tempted to adjust them throughout the day.
13. Use Tap Water to Rewet Them
A dry contact can feel like it desperately needs moisture, but a bathroom faucet isn't the answer. Tap water can carry all kinds of stuff that could easily lead to a severe infection. Contact-lens solution is there for a reason, so use that when you need to re-lubricate.
14. Handle Hot Peppers and Then Adjust Them
Anyone who's chopped jalapeños and absentmindedly touched an eye already knows the pain it causes. If it’s never happened to you, now isn’t the time for your first rodeo! Capsaicin can remain on your fingers and cause intense burning if you reach up to reposition a contact afterward. Wash your hands thoroughly before going anywhere near your lenses after preparing spicy food.
15. Leave Them in While Removing Eye Makeup
Taking off mascara and eyeliner can involve all sorts of irritants, such as rubbing, cleansing oils, and plenty of movement around the eyelids. Leaving contacts in increases the chance that makeup remover reaches the lenses, so you need to remove them before going in with that wipe.
16. Wearing a Torn Lens
A tiny nick along the edge of a soft contact might not look serious, especially when it's sitting on your fingertip. Once it's against your eye, however, that damaged edge can become surprisingly irritating. It’s unfortunate, but throw it away and replace it—don’t try to get one last day of wear.
17. Put Them Back in After They Drop
Finding a dropped contact on the floor is definitely a mini achievement, but that doesn't mean a quick wipe makes it ready for use. Daily disposable lenses need to be replaced, while reusable lenses need to be properly cleaned and disinfected. Saving one inexpensive lens isn't worth gambling with an eye infection.
18. Wear Someone Else's Contacts
Sharing contacts isn't the same as lending someone a pair of glasses. Lenses are medical devices that should be properly prescribed and fitted for the person wearing them, including decorative versions that don't correct vision. Borrowing a friend's lenses could easily expose you both to germs.
19. Put Contacts in After Applying Makeup
Okay, so you can’t remove makeup, but what about applying it? Well, if you finish your mascara before remembering your lenses, don't be surprised if makeup finds its way onto them. Putting contacts in first reduces the chance of transferring cosmetic particles from your fingers or eyelids to the lens surface.
20. Assume Discomfort Is Normal
It’s not uncommon for contacts to occasionally feel noticeable, but persistent pain deserves attention. If you ever spot redness, tearing, blurred vision, or a gritty sensation, you’re not dealing with ordinary tired eyes. Remove the lenses and contact a professional to see what makes sense moving forward.
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