9 Things Eye Doctors Say You Should Never, Ever Do

Westend61 via Getty Images Do you sleep in your contacts? “I never sleep in my contact lenses unless the contact lenses have FDA approval for extended wear because of the risk of painful eye infections and cornea damage,” said Dr. William McLaughlin, an optometrist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Sleeping in contacts allows for microbes and bacteria from the contact lens to multiply overnight,” said Dr. Ella Faktorovich, an eye doctor and founder of Pacific Vision Institute. “Under-lubricating the eyes is an often overlooked part of symptomatic eye issues, especially in people who use contact lenses or makeup,” said Dr. Avnish Deobhakta, an ophthalmologist at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. “A major change that occurs as we age is that we do not make adequate quality tears ― this is particularly problematic for people who use contact lenses, which are placed directly on the surface of cornea, or certain forms of makeup on the eyelids, which often disrupt tear production.” He noted that the cornea requires constant lubrication to function effectively, and both the aging process and use of contact lenses and makeup can reduce the body’s natural lubrication ability.