What are extended wear contact lenses?

A guide to extended wear contact lenses

Copy Link

What are extended wear contact lenses?
What are extended wear contact lenses made of?
Which type of contact lenses are suitable for extended wear?
Benefits of extended wear contact lenses
What are the disadvantages of extended wear contacts?

Are extended wear contact lenses safe?
Can you sleep with extended wear contacts?

Extended wear contact lenses are designed to be worn for an entire day, for up to a week or up to 30 days, continuously, only if approved by an optician. In this article, we will discover more facts about extended or continuous wear contact lenses, their advantages and disadvantages. We will also walk you through the range of extended wear contact lenses available at Feel Good Contacts.

What are extended wear contact lenses?

Extended wear contact lenses can be worn continuously throughout the day, often for up to six night and seven days or even more depending on your optician’s advice. For instance, if you wear your contact lenses on Monday, you can wear them seamlessly for up to 7 days before replacing with a new pair or taking them out for an overnight clean (depending on the brand of lenses). These lenses are ideal for those with hectic schedules and busy lifestyles. With these lenses, you don’t need to worry about cleaning or storing them in a solution every night as they are meant for extended use. However, we recommend consulting your optician, who would prescribe the best extended wear contact lenses according to your eye health and vision needs.

Please note, if at any point your eyes feel irritated or dry, you must remove your lenses and seek advice from your optician. Prolonged use of the same pair of contact lens increases the risk of eye infections, therefore it is important to discard your lenses as recommended by your optician.

What are extended wear contact lenses made of?

Extended wear contact lenses are made of silicone hydrogel material, making them different from regular hydrogel lenses.

This advanced silicone hydrogel material allows more oxygen to flow into your eyes than regular hydrogel contact lenses, keeping your eyes healthy.

Which type of contact lenses are suitable for extended wear?

Some of the two weekly and monthly contact lenses can be worn as extended wear lenses. You’ll generally see this information stated on the packaging. However, you must speak with your optician to confirm if extended wear lenses are suitable for you.

At Feel Good Contacts, you can browse through a wide selection of extended wear contact lenses, such as Acuvue Oasys, Biofinity, Air Optix Night & Day Aqua and Bausch & Lomb Ultra. Shop these lenses for low prices!

Shop Now

Benefits of extended wear contact lenses

Extended wear contact lenses have several advantages. Some of them are mentioned below:

You can wear these lenses day and night for an extended period, often up to seven days to an entire month (based on the lens type and your optician’s advice)
Whether you go to bed early or stay up late, extended wear lenses accommodate various sleep schedules, providing flexibility in usage
These lenses reduce the daily maintenance routine associated with regular lenses, offering a more hassle-free approach to eye care

What are the disadvantages of extended wear contacts?

While extended wear lenses provide the utmost convenience, there can be certain disadvantages to these lenses, which you should keep in mind.

Extended wear contact lenses pose a higher risk of eye infections compared to daily disposables due to prolonged wearing schedule
Wearing lenses continuously may limit the amount of oxygen reaching the cornea, leading to complications

Continuous wear contact lenses can impact the quality of the tear film, leading to dry eyes, blurred vision or discomfort in the eyes
Extended use of lenses can lead to eye conditions, such as giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC), where the inner surface of the eyelids become inflamed

Consult your optician to assess whether extended wear lenses are suitable for you. Your optician will help you follow best hygiene practices to reduce risks associated with these contact lenses.

Are extended wear contact lenses safe?

Continuous wear lenses are made from silicone hydrogel material, allowing more oxygen to reach the eye than standard hydrogel lenses.

Whilst the standard hydrogel and soft lens materials are safe to wear throughout the day, they are not suitable to wear overnight when the eyelids are closed. During the 1970s and 1980s, extended wear contact lenses were made from materials with a lower oxygen permeability, which could lead to eye infections.

Today, the upgraded design featuring silicone hydrogel material reduces the risk of eye infections, making them a safe choice to wear, when you follow the care advice given by your optician. In addition, most of our extended wear contact lenses are disposable contacts designed to be replaced after 1-4 weeks. This frequent replacement schedule reduces the build-up of deposits. Frequent replacement of the lenses enhances comfort and safety of wearing an extended wear contact lens, making them a convenient choice.

Can you sleep with extended wear contacts?

Generally, wearing any contact lenses while sleeping is not recommended. Prolonged usage of lenses may decrease the oxygen permeability of lenses and increase the chances of developing eye complications.

During sleep, the eyes produce fewer tears, creating a dry environment that can give rise to lens-related problems. Contact lenses can attract bacteria and debris against the eye, increasing the risks of infection.

Remember, maintaining a proper contact lens care routine is crucial for good eye health. Additionally, you should always consult with your optician if you have any concerns about your lenses, or if you experience a sudden change in vision.