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CNET
24-06-2025
- Health
- CNET
Are You Replacing Your Contact Lenses Often Enough? Here's What Happens When They Expire
In an age where eye care is accessible, it is easy to take contact lenses for granted, especially in an age where laser correction surgery is widely available. However, those transparent plastic discs you slip into each eye every morning are still a relatively new invention -- and still carry risks if you don't handle them correctly and replace them when needed. It wasn't until almost 1950 that the first modern plastic contact lens were introduced, and disposable contact lenses wouldn't hit the market until the '80s. As Dr. Robert Kinast puts it, "We think of contact lenses as being so normal, but 100 years ago, nobody walked around with little pieces of plastic over their eyes." Kinast, the vice chair of ophthalmology at Legacy Devers Eye Institute and co-founder of GentleDrop, says, "Contact lenses are foreign bodies and should be treated with respect." To that end, we talked with eye experts to learn how to care for contact lenses and when to replace them. How long do contacts last? The lifespan of your contact lenses depends on a few factors. Dr. Meenal Agarwal, optometrist and podcast host, explains, "Soft daily disposables are single-use, so you need to discard them after one day." At the other end of the spectrum, she says that "hard lenses can last one to two years with proper care." The most important rule, Agarwal says, is to always follow the replacement schedule recommended by your eye doctor. Soft lenses are the most commonly worn contact lenses, according to Dr. Jovi Boparai, ophthalmic surgeon and co-founder and CEO of CorneaCare. He explains that these lenses "range from daily disposables to weekly, biweekly or monthly." However, "Rigid gas permeable contact lenses can last much longer, ranging from months to a year." These lenses are made of hard plastic. While most contact lenses will last for the intended duration, some factors may shorten their lifespan. For instance, dust and smoke may cling to your lenses and make them unusable. If there is a wildfire in your area or a high allergen count and your lenses start to feel uncomfortable, you may want to toss them early. How to know if your contacts are expired The quickest way to gauge whether your contacts are expired is to look at the date on the box. Boarpai says that unopened contact lenses generally have a shelf life of one to four years from the date of manufacturing. Beyond reviewing the expiration date, you should pay attention to how your lenses look. According to Dr. Boparai, old lenses may show discoloration or damage. He also warns that expired contacts can develop deposits -- meaning a buildup of residue on the lenses. On the other hand, your contacts may still be expired, even if they look great. Agarwal warns, "The lenses may look the same as they did on the first day, but that doesn't mean they're still safe to use." In short, you should defer to the expiration date first, but also ditch your lenses if there is obvious damage or they become painful. Anna Gragert/CNET Expired contact lens symptoms It's easy to lose track of your lens-changing schedule when life gets busy. If that happens, your lenses may let you know they're expired before you even have a chance to track down the date on the box. "Wearing expired contacts can cause redness, pain or discomfort, irritation, blurry vision, excessive dryness and/or infections," Agarwal warns. You should take these symptoms as a red flag. The doctor advises, "If you experience any of these symptoms, remove the lenses and consult your eye doctor." According to Boparai, additional symptoms may include "burning, watery eyes, light sensitivity, discharge, foreign body sensation and eyelid swelling." Signs that your contacts are ready to be replaced It's worth noting that you won't always experience symptoms when your contacts are ready to be changed. Sticking to the appropriate schedule is vital, even if you think your contacts could last a few more weeks. As Agarwal explains, "Most of the time, you will not have any symptoms when your lenses are ready to be replaced." However, the doctor reiterates that if you've overworn contacts for a long time, you may notice vision problems, painful symptoms or "a torn or damaged lens and/or a buildup of deposits or debris on the lenses." This means it's definitely time to switch to a fresh pair. How often should I change my contact lenses? The simplest answer is to follow the recommended duration of use. Boparai reiterates that you should change lenses based on "the lifespan of the contact lenses as recommended by your eye doctor." You may also want to consider the length of time you're wearing your lenses per day. According to Optometrists Network, about half of all contact lens wearers don't comply with the wear schedule recommended by their doctors. This can lead to something called contact lens overwear syndrome, which occurs when your lenses obstruct your eyes' ability to absorb oxygen. Left untreated, you may experience bloodshot eyes, infection or a damaged cornea. Both doctors we spoke to insisted that you should never sleep in contacts unless it's recommended by a doctor. This may help prevent overwear syndrome and lower your risk of infections and ulcers. It also gives you an incentive to check your lenses each morning to make sure it's not time to change them to care for your contact lenses Proper care for your contacts not only helps maximize their lifetime but may also prevent eye infections. First and foremost, you should always handle your contact lenses with clean hands, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The organization also recommends using a "rub and rinse" method each time you use your lenses. This means you should first rub your lens with clean fingers and then rinse it with a contact lens solution. Contact lenses carry an increased risk of eye inflammation and infection, Boparai says. He adds that proper contact lens hygiene includes rinsing the lenses for 10 to 20 seconds before wear and making sure you don't touch your cornea when adding or removing the lenses. Boparai also recommends changing your contact lens solution every day. Meenal emphasizes the importance of storing your lenses "in a clean case and replacing the case every three months." She warns that you should never use water or saliva to clean your contact lenses. How to prevent contact lens-related eye infections The most common eye infection associated with contact lenses is keratitis, which the Mayo Clinic describes as an inflammation of the cornea. And this infection happens a lot. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed contact lens-related infections between 2005 and 2015 and determined that "keratitis from all causes, including contact lens wear, results in approximately 1 million clinic and emergency department visits annually." The AAO says that wearing extended-wear lenses, sleeping in your lenses and keeping a dirty lens case can all make you vulnerable to this type of infection. The Mayo Clinic warns that poor contact lens hygiene allows for the growth of bacteria, fungi and parasites that can infect your cornea. Agarwal adds to this advice, explaining that contact lens wearers should never share or reuse lenses. She also warns that you should "avoid wearing contacts in pools, hot tubs or the shower," removing your lenses at the first sign of discomfort. And don't use saliva to clean your lenses, as Boparai warns this makes you more vulnerable to infection. What about colored contacts and costume contacts? Cosmetic contacts, especially non-prescription costume lenses, are dangerous to your eyes and the American Academy of Ophthalmology warns against wearing any contact lenses not prescribed to you by a medical professional. In fact, it's against the law to sell contact lenses without a prescription in the United States because of the risk of eye infections or permanent eye damage from poorly fitting or poorly manufactured lenses, which can damage wearers' eyes. There are prescription cosmetic lenses on the market, mostly used to hide eye problems present from birth, but those need to be made specifically for the wearer's eyes, and they'll come with guidance from your eye doctor as to how long you should wear them and when they'll need replacing. When to contact an eye doctor if you wear contact lenses The AAO says that patients who are at low risk for ocular disease should get an eye exam at least every two years until the age of 64, unless their doctor recommends more frequent exams. After the age of 65, annual eye exams are the standard. However, even if you're not high risk, you should see your eye doctor "as soon as possible if you experience eye pain, persistent redness or swelling, intolerance or discomfort with your lenses, sudden blurry vision, unusual discharge, excessive tearing and/or sensitivity to light," Agarwal said, adding that you should remove your lenses and not wear them again until your doctor gives you the go-ahead. Vision changes also call for another visit to the eye doctor, says Boparai. He emphasizes that if you have uncomfortable symptoms or vision loss, "Your eye doctor will help guide management to keep your eyes comfortable and clear." The bottom line When in doubt, don't overwear your contact lenses. You should throw them out as soon as they expire, start to hurt your eyes or appear damaged. Wearing lenses improperly isn't just uncomfortable -- it can also lead to serious infections. Don't be afraid to call your eye doctor if something seems wrong.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Prevent digital eyestrain and protect your vision with these simple tips and tools
Whether you like it or not, screen time is an inevitable part of modern life, and for some of us, it's pretty much how we spend our whole workday. If your job requires you to spend the bulk of your day staring at a computer, tablet or phone, you may be wondering if all the blue light exposure is harmful to your vision. Fortunately, this type of digital eyestrain, also known as computer vision syndrome, is unlikely to cause any permanent damage, but it may lead to discomfort. You don't have to resign yourself to dry, irritated eyes, though — we consulted with the experts to get tips on how to avoid annoying symptoms and keep your vision strong. If you've ever been locked into an hours-long perusal of spreadsheets followed by back-to-back Zoom calls, you may have come away from the day with dry eyes, blurry vision and a bit of redness. Certainly, if your eyes themselves are telling you that they've been overworked, there's reason to take note. However, you may also wonder what's actually different between a day spent staring at a screen and a day spent ditching your devices. Well, it's all about light. "All 'white light' is actually a combination of the rainbow of light waves, from red to indigo," says Ashley Hayden, MD, retired ophthalmologist and cofounder of GentleDrop. "Blue light is emitted by screens more than the other colors in the spectrum and has been suggested to cause eye damage," she says. However, that doesn't mean the blue light from your computer is actually damaging your vision. This is because the damage noted from blue light was studied as light emitted from the sun — at levels that are much greater than anything produced by screens, says Hayden. "Blue light is a range of light that contains the highest amount of energy in the visible light spectrum," says Danielle Richardson, OD, a Los Angeles-based VSP network optometrist. "Blue light is a short wavelength, which means it produces higher amounts of energy. It's all around us, from natural sources like the sun to artificial ones like LED lights and digital screens. "Some level of blue light exposure is normal, but too much, especially from artificial sources like your smartphone, tablet or computer, may contribute to digital eyestrain," Richardson explains. This is because blue light's shorter wavelength focuses in front of the retina instead of directly on the retina. "The eye has to work harder to maintain focus, leading to eyestrain and fatigue," she says. This may lead to computer vision syndrome symptoms, including dry eyes, blurred vision, tired eyes, sore eyes, watery eyes and headaches. It's important to note, though, that these symptoms are due to the eyestrain required to focus on the screen emitting the blue light, not the blue light itself. While excessive exposure to blue light from your screens may cause annoying symptoms, it shouldn't actually damage your vision. "Blue light doesn't cause damage, but it may cause discomfort or vision issues," says Richardson. Indeed, the American Academy of Ophthalmology says there is no evidence of a link between blue light exposure and actual damage to the retina or age-related macular degeneration. Overexposure to blue light from the sun can increase the risk of developing eye disease. However, the amount of blue light coming from your computer is not nearly as strong and should not damage your eyes in the short or long term. While this is a relief to hear, it's probably not helpful when you experience the feeling of tired eyes or headaches after spending all day on your computer. "When you spend hours focusing on things up close, like your computer screen or smartphone, the muscles in your eyes have to work overtime to keep things clear and focused," notes Richardson. "The longer you work on those near tasks, the more fatigued those eye muscles get, and that can lead to symptoms." If left untreated, those symptoms can occur more often and become more uncomfortable. "While it's not causing permanent damage, taking steps to reduce digital eyestrain can help keep your eyes more comfortable in the long run," she says. You may have heard that blue light glasses are the solution to digital eyestrain, but that's not really true. Blue light glasses have their place, but they won't keep your eyes from feeling blurry and tired at the end of a long day. "If you are having eye irritation, blurry vision or headache with screens, I recommend a few coping steps that don't involve blue light glasses," Hayden says. She suggests walking away from the computer and spending a few minutes outside in the fresh air. Richardson laid out several ideas for ways to mitigate and prevent any eye discomfort resulting from too much screen time. Make sure you have the correct prescription for any vision correction needs. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, it's important that you have a current prescription. "Often, I find that patients are straining their eyes, and the fix is simply an updated prescription, which you can get during an eye exam with your local optometrist," says Richardson. "There are also specialty options like digital lenses and anti-fatigue lenses that can help make screen time more comfortable." Adjust your screen distance and brightness. Sitting too close or too far from your screen can definitely contribute to feelings of strain and discomfort over the long term. "Keeping your screens at least an arm's length away and turning down the brightness can make a difference on how hard your eyes have to work when focusing on a screen," she says. Keep your eyes moist and hydrated. "We tend to blink less when our eyes are focused on near work like using computer screens and smartphones," says Richardson. "Less blinking means less lubrication, which can lead to dry and irritated eyes." Make it a point to blink your eyes more frequently, and also consider using eye drops to help keep your eyes moist. Take frequent breaks. "When possible, take a break to get up, walk around, stretch or simply look out the window to give those eyes a rest," she says. Some people may find it helpful to set alarms on their phones as reminders to step away from the screen. Get an annual eye exam. "The best thing you can do for your eye health is to schedule an annual eye exam," says Richardson. "Your eye doctor can provide tailored treatment options to reduce symptoms of digital eyestrain and correct an underlying refractive error, but they can also help identify if something more serious is going on with your vision and eye health." You may have heard that if you spend your days in front of a computer, you should be using blue light glasses to help reduce eyestrain. But if you're hoping blue light glasses will be the panacea for your achy eyes, you're probably going to be disappointed. "We know that blue-light-reducing products may help alleviate the symptoms of digital eyestrain, but other factors — like taking breaks, adjusting your distance from screens, and proper lighting — are just as important. I would say while blue light glasses are a nice tool to have, they're not a magic fix," says Richardson. However, if you're looking to reduce eyestrain and have already made some lifestyle changes, you might want to try a pair to see if they help. This is especially true if you think your screen time may also be affecting your bedtime routine and keeping you up at night. "Blue lights from screens have been known to disrupt your circadian rhythms," Richardson says. "Scrolling before bed can really damage your sleep cycle and should be avoided." If you aren't able to limit your bedtime doomscroll [slowly raises hand], at least put your phone in night mode to limit blue and UV light exposure, she suggests. When it comes to symptoms of eyestrain, dryness is one that is easy to alleviate. Keeping the eyes hydrated can go a long way toward making your screen time more comfortable. "Artificial tears are a great tool to keep those eyes hydrated," says Richardson. "Just make sure to select products that are preservative-free, and avoid any generic artificial tears, as there have been a number of mass recalls in the last few years." She suggests consulting with your eye doctor for recommendations of the most reputable brands of eye drops. "The American Academy of Ophthalmology does not recommend blue light glasses to prevent or treat digital eyestrain due to lack of evidence," says Robert Kinast, MD, vice chair of ophthalmology at the Legacy Devers Eye Institute and CEO and cofounder of GentleDrop. However, he does recommend FL-41 rose-tinted glasses for people with photophobia (severe light sensitivity). "These blue-blocking glasses may also have some benefit for chronic eye pain and migraines," he says. While it's true that blue light glasses won't literally treat digital eyestrain, they may make staring at screens feel a little better if you're experiencing symptoms. "While blue light glasses can help with glare, they won't solve everything on their own," says Richardson. "I often like to tell my patients that blue light glasses are a part of the puzzle, not the whole picture. They are a great tool that may contribute to preventing and alleviating symptoms of digital eyestrain, but to get the best results, you'll need a solid combination of healthy screen time habits to truly prevent digital eyestrain." She suggests implementing the lifestyle changes she outlined previously to help reduce uncomfortable symptoms of digital eyestrain. She also says you can look into adding a blue light antireflective coating to your eyeglass lenses if you already wear glasses. While there is no simple fix for digital eyestrain, a combination of lifestyle and work habit changes can go a long way toward making your days spent in front of your laptop more comfortable. When it comes down to it, keeping it simple and balancing your day could be the best cure of all. Ashley Hayden, MD, retired ophthalmologist and cofounder of GentleDrop Robert Kinast, MD, vice chair of ophthalmology at the Legacy Devers Eye Institute and CEO and cofounder of GentleDrop Danielle Richardson, OD, a Los Angeles-based VSP network optometrist Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.