Eye and Vision Care

Extended Wear Contact Lenses

A new age is upon us when it comes to sleeping in soft contact lenses and maintaining excellent eye health. With advances in contact lens technology, the introduction of a new class of lens material (silicone hydrogels) has made the possibility of continuously wearing a contact lens for up to 30 days and nights a reality.

These new materials offer the greatest potential for healthy lens wear. The new silicone hydrogel contact lens allows far more oxygen to get through to the eye than any other soft contact lens currently available. With the increased oxygen supply to the eye, most complications that can occur when sleeping in other soft lens materials have been greatly diminished.

Not everyone is a candidate to sleep in lenses, and you should speak to your eye care professional about this option.

For those who are not good candidates to sleep in contact lenses, these lenses still offer the same excellent health benefits that accompany the increased oxygen supply when worn as a daily wear lens.

This article originally appeared in Great Visions, Summer Quarter 2003 newsletter, The Ohio State University Optometry Services, and was adapted for use on NetWellness with permission, 2003.

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Last Reviewed: Sep 20, 2005

Joseph T. Barr, OD, MS, FAAO
Associate Dean for Clinical Services and Professional Program
E.F. Wildermuth Foundation Professor in Optometry
College of Optometry
The Ohio State University