Can I Put My Contacts in Water Overnight?
We’ve all been there. Maybe you’re on vacation and realize late at night as you’re getting ready for bed that you have completely forgotten to bring your contact solution. Or you’re stuck at the office late, and your eyes are so tired, you need to switch to your glasses but, again, no contact solution.
Hopefully, we all learn from our mistakes over time, but until then, the question asked repeatedly and googled, “can I store my contacts in water” is finally answered here. As a warning, you might not like the answer.
Why You Shouldn’t Put Contact Lenses in Plain Water
Water can have very damaging effects on your contact lenses. First, there is the cleanliness aspect. Water is not sterile, so storing your lenses in it can bring on some nasty eye infections that you just don’t want to deal with.
Contacts also easily absorb water, causing them to swell and change how they fit on your eye, making them too tight to wear. This can also lead to infections in the eye.
It’s a good idea to keep your contacts away from water in general. This includes swimming pools, hot tubs, and more. Error on the side of caution so that you can get full, worry-free use out of each pair of contact lenses.
How Contact Lens Solutions Keep Contacts Safe
Contact solution is meant to clean and keep your contacts safe and protected for you to put directly on your eye. If you don’t practice good hygiene in caring for your contacts, some substantial infections or injuries can occur to your eye.
In addition, your eyes have proteins that can regularly build up on your lenses if not adequately cleaned. Contact lens solutions help break those proteins down, leaving things disinfected, moisturized, and ready for wear.
How Long Do Contacts Stay Well in Water?
The short answer to “how long can I store my contacts in water?” is not at all! Don’t try it. Keep your contacts safe by steering clear from storing your lenses in water or even letting them come in contact with water at all. If you’re experiencing discomfort from wearing your lenses too long, try moistening eyedrops created for use with contacts. Worse comes to worst – throw your lenses out. It’s not worth the risk of infections and even blindness.
Always keep an emergency travel-sized bottle of contact solution with you. If you forget to pack it on vacation or need it in a pinch, it’s there for you, ready to work its magic.
For more information on how to keep your contacts in tip-top condition, talk to your eye specialists at Vision Boutique. Keeping your eyes and vision safe is our forte, and we can help educate you on all you need to know about contact cleanliness and safety. Give us a call to schedule an eye exam appointment or speak with one of our eye professionals today.
