Your Eyes at Risk: The Truth About Sleeping in Colored Contacts

Many people wonder if sleeping with colored contacts is safe. A study shows that one-third of colored contact users doze off without removing their lenses. This behavior matches what happens with regular contact lens users across the United States, where 45 million people wear contacts.

Your risk of eye infections jumps six to eight times higher if you sleep wearing most types of contact lenses. The lenses block oxygen from reaching your corneas during sleep and create ideal conditions for bacteria to thrive. About 18 to 20 people out of every 10,000 who sleep with contacts develop bacterial keratitis. The symptoms range from mild irritation and redness to more serious issues like blurred vision, dry eyes, and corneal ulcers.

This piece will help you understand why colored contacts pose special risks during sleep. You'll learn what happens to your eyes and what steps to take if you accidentally fall asleep wearing contacts. We'll also share tips to keep your eyes healthy while wearing colored contacts.

Why Sleeping in Colored Contacts Is Risky

Sleeping in colored contacts puts your eye health at serious risk compared to standard clear contacts. Contact lenses reduce oxygen flow naturally, but colored contacts create additional complications that make overnight wear dangerous.

Reduced oxygen flow to the cornea

Your eye's transparent front layer, the cornea, relies completely on surrounding air for oxygen since it lacks blood vessels. A continuous oxygen supply keeps your cornea healthy and helps it regenerate, which prevents corneal edema (swelling) and other vision-compromising complications.

Your natural blinking stops while you sleep. So tears can't circulate under the lenses to deliver fresh oxygen and clear trapped debris. Your corneas end up in a suffocating environment. Corneal cells start breaking down without enough oxygen, which can lead to hypoxia (oxygen starvation) and neovascularization—abnormal blood vessel growth in your eye.

Increased risk of bacterial infections

The environment created by overnight lens wear becomes a perfect breeding ground for harmful microorganisms. Research shows your risk of contact lens-related eye infections increases six to eightfold when you sleep in them. These problems are systemic since about one-third of contact lens wearers admit to sleeping or napping with their lenses in.

Bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa thrive in the warm, moist environment your sleeping contacts create. These bacteria can cause severe infections within hours and potentially damage your vision permanently. Research reveals that colored contact users face 16 times higher risk of keratitis (corneal inflammation) compared to regular contact lens users.

Pigments in colored lenses can block airflow

Colored contacts contain added pigments and dyes that make them riskier than standard contacts for overnight wear. These colorants create an extra barrier your eye must breathe through. Over-the-counter tinted lenses often contain chemicals like chlorine and other harmful substances that can leak into your eye.

Many cheap colored contacts provide insufficient oxygen transmission compared to medical-grade lenses. FDA research detected bacteria in about 60% of colored contacts bought online without prescriptions, which substantially increases infection risks.

Higher chance of corneal ulcers and abrasions

Your risk of developing corneal ulcers—open sores that can permanently impair vision—rises substantially when you sleep in colored contacts. Contact lens users face 10 times higher risk of corneal ulcers than non-users, and this risk spikes to 100 times for those who sleep in their lenses.

Colored lenses that don't fit properly, especially those bought without prescriptions, can scratch your cornea's outer layer and cause painful abrasions. These scratches make bacterial invasion easier, which often leads to ulcers. Untreated corneal ulcers can create permanent scars affecting your vision—some cases need corneal transplants.

Case studies highlight the severe impact of sleeping in colored contacts. To name just one example, a man developed bacterial and fungal microbial keratitis after he kept taking them while sleeping. Another patient needed surgery and suffered lasting eye damage from an infection linked to overnight contact lens use.

What Happens If You Sleep with Colored Contacts

You wake up after accidentally falling asleep wearing colored contacts. The discomfort hits right away, and serious complications might follow. You should learn about what happens to your eyes during and after overnight wear to know when you need medical help.

Symptoms to watch for after sleeping in lenses

Your eyes will send clear distress signals after sleeping in colored contacts. You might notice redness that stays even after using eye drops, suggesting serious inflammation. Many people feel burning, itching, or a sandy feeling in their eyes—signs that their cornea is under stress or has small injuries from overnight wear.

More concerning symptoms include:

• Sharp or worsening eye pain (you need medical help right away)
• Blurred vision or distorted sight
• Unusual sensitivity to light
• Excessive tearing or watery eyes
• Eye discharge

These symptoms are more than just uncomfortable—they warn you about serious complications. Many people brush off these signs as minor issues, but eye infections from contact lenses can develop in just a few hours. You just need to see a doctor if symptoms last or get worse.

How infections like keratitis develop

Several processes meet overnight to create perfect conditions for infections. Your cornea starts to starve from lack of oxygen because contact lenses block about two-thirds of the oxygen your cornea would normally get, even with closed eyes. This oxygen shortage weakens your cornea's natural defenses against germs.

On top of that, the warm, moist environment under your closed eyelid with a contact lens helps harmful bacteria grow. Bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa multiply faster and attack your cornea. This can cause bacterial keratitis—an infection in the clear dome over the colored part of your eye.

Colored contact wearers are 16 times more likely to get keratitis than regular contact users. The color pigments create another barrier to oxygen flow, which makes things worse. Keratitis starts with inflammation and gets worse as bacteria enter tiny corneal scratches that form while you sleep in lenses.

Long-term damage: vision loss and scarring

Minor irritation can turn into permanent damage quick. Bacterial infections like keratitis can create corneal ulcers—painful open sores on your eye's surface. These ulcers often leave scars if not treated properly.

Your cornea develops abnormal blood vessels when it repeatedly doesn't get enough oxygen from sleeping in colored contacts. These vessels stay forever once they form and can affect how well you see.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology has found cases of blindness from just one use of unregulated colored contacts. Some cases of corneal damage become so bad that patients need corneal transplant surgery. Vision might not return to normal even after treatment.

CDC data shows that poor contact lens care results in almost one million doctor visits each year in the U.S.. This number shows how common and serious these complications are. Note that infections can cause permanent damage within hours, so you must act fast if you suspect something's wrong.

Types of Contact Lenses and Sleep Safety: What You Need to Know

Wearing contact lenses overnight can be convenient—but also risky if you’re not using the right type. Understanding how different lenses work is key to keeping your eyes safe and healthy.

Daily Wear vs. Extended Wear Lenses

There are two main categories of contact lenses based on wear time:

• Daily Wear Lenses — Designed for use only while you’re awake. You must remove them before going to sleep. This category includes daily disposables and monthly lenses that require nightly cleaning.

• Extended Wear Lenses — Made from advanced materials that allow more oxygen to reach your cornea. These lenses can be worn continuously from one week up to 30 days, depending on your optometrist’s advice.

Can You Sleep with Colored Contacts?

No—colored contact lenses are not safe for overnight use.
Even if a lens brand offers both clear and colored versions, only the clear ones may be FDA-approved for extended wear.

Colored lenses contain pigments that create their vibrant look, but these extra layers block oxygen from reaching your eyes. During sleep, your eyes already receive less oxygen, making overnight wear of colored contacts particularly risky.

FDA-Approved Lenses for Sleeping

Only a few clear lenses are FDA-approved for overnight wear. For instance, certain silicone hydrogel lenses allow continuous use for up to 30 nights. However, even with these lenses, studies show a small but real risk of infection or vision problems.

Important:

There are no FDA-approved colored contact lenses for sleeping. Even products from reputable manufacturers are designed only for daytime wear.

Why Colored Lenses Are Not Sleep-Safe

The pigments that give colored contacts their beauty also reduce breathability. This makes them unsuitable for extended wear. While some users with irregular schedules—like medical staff or first responders—may use approved extended-wear clear lenses, they must always remove colored lenses before bed.

What to Do If You Fell Asleep in Contacts

People sometimes fall asleep wearing colored contacts, even if they're careful. You need to take specific steps right after waking up to avoid damage and discomfort.

Steps to safely remove lenses

Stay calm - pulling out dry lenses could harm your cornea. Let your eyes rehydrate through natural blinking. Once you're alert, use saline solution or rewetting drops to help loosen the contacts.

Gentle removal technique: Make sure the lenses move freely after moistening them. The lens might feel stuck, so close your eyes and massage your eyelid gently until you feel movement. Don't force a stuck lens - extra drops and patience work better than risking corneal scratches.

You should remove the lenses carefully once they feel properly lubricated. A mirror helps locate a missing lens under your upper eyelid, or ask someone to help you find it.

How to soothe irritated eyes

Your eyes need adequate rest after lens removal, so switch to glasses for at least a day. Use preservative-free artificial tears during the day to reduce dryness and clean out irritants.

Your eyes might feel itchy, but don't rub them - this makes irritation worse and might damage the cornea. Keep your eyes clean and away from bright light if they feel sensitive.

When to see an eye doctor

Get medical help right away if you notice:

• Redness that stays or gets worse
• Pain or discomfort that doesn't go away after removing lenses
• Blurred vision or light sensitivity
• Discharge from the eye
• Swollen eyelids

Just one night of sleeping in colored contacts can cause serious issues. Eye infections develop faster, sometimes in just hours.

Monitoring symptoms over the next 24–48 hours

Watch your eye health closely for two days. Minor irritation should get better within 24 hours after removing lenses and using artificial tears. Watch out for worsening symptoms that might point to an infection like keratitis.

Clean hands are essential before touching your eyes during this time. Notice any changes in how comfortable your eyes feel, how well you see, or how your eyes look.

Quick action makes the most important difference in treatment results. Doctors can treat eye infections from contact lens misuse more easily when caught early. Stick to wearing glasses until your eyes heal completely, and don't put in any contact lenses, even new ones.

How to Use Colored Contacts Safely

Safety comes first when using colored contacts. These guidelines will protect your eyes from complications that you can easily avoid.

Always get a prescription

You need a valid prescription from a licensed eye care professional for all contact lenses—including decorative colored ones. An eye exam will give a perfect fit for your unique eye shape, even if you don't need vision correction. A professional fitting prevents corneal abrasions and other injuries that poorly fitted lenses can cause.

Buy from FDA-approved retailers

You should only buy colored contacts from vendors that ask for a prescription. Legal sellers must check your prescription with your doctor before they sell you lenses. Don't buy from costume shops, beauty supply stores, flea markets, or unlicensed online vendors. About 60% of colored contacts bought without prescription had harmful bacteria.

Follow hygiene and wear-time rules

Clean your hands really well with soap before you touch your lenses. Use proper solution to clean contacts—never water or saliva. Get a new contact lens case every three months. You should only wear your lenses for 8-12 hours each day.

Never share or reuse lenses

Sharing contacts increases your risk of infection by a lot. Shared lenses can pass bacteria between friends and cause corneal ulcers. You must throw away daily disposables after one use.

Avoid sleeping in any colored contacts

No colored contact lenses have approval for overnight wear. The colored pigments create an extra barrier that blocks oxygen flow to your eyes.

Conclusion

Colored contacts definitely boost your looks, but their effect on eye health needs serious attention. You've seen how sleeping with colored lenses raises your infection risk by a lot and stops your corneas from getting enough oxygen. The pigments in these lenses create an extra barrier that makes overnight wear especially dangerous.

Your eyes need protection. No colored contacts have FDA approval for sleeping - whatever brand or price you choose. Just one night of sleeping with these lenses could cause problems from mild irritation to serious infections like keratitis or corneal ulcers.

If you doze off while wearing colored contacts, don't pull them out right away. Instead, follow the proper removal steps we covered earlier. Watch your symptoms carefully and get medical help if you notice ongoing redness, pain, or vision changes.

Safe colored contact use comes down to a few key steps: getting a proper prescription, buying only from legitimate retailers, keeping everything clean, and taking out your lenses before bed. These basic but crucial habits protect your vision while you enjoy your colored contacts' beauty benefits.

Let's be real - colored contacts' temporary beauty isn't worth damaging your eyes forever. Put your eye health first, because once your vision goes bad, no beauty enhancement can make up for that loss.