Waking up with blurry vision after accidentally sleeping in your contact lenses is a common but concerning experience. The immediate blurriness signals that your eyes have been stressed overnight, a reaction that can range from temporary discomfort to a sign of a more serious complication. Understanding the physiological reason behind this visual disturbance is the first step toward safe recovery. This situation requires immediate, careful action to protect the health of your cornea and ensure your vision returns to normal.
Why Sleeping in Contacts Causes Blurry Vision
The cornea, the clear, dome-shaped front surface of the eye, requires a constant supply of oxygen to remain transparent and healthy. Unlike most tissues in the body, the cornea receives the majority of its oxygen directly from the surrounding air, not from blood vessels. A contact lens placed on the eye acts as a barrier, naturally reducing this oxygen flow, a state known as hypoxia.
When you close your eyes for sleep, the available oxygen level drops significantly, and the contact lens further restricts the supply to a critical level. This severe oxygen deprivation forces the cornea to react by drawing in excess fluid, leading to a temporary swelling called corneal edema. This swelling changes the cornea’s precise curvature, causing light to be refracted improperly and resulting in the characteristic blurry or hazy vision you experience upon waking.
While alarming, this temporary edema is often reversible once the oxygen supply is restored. However, the hypoxic environment also compromises the cornea’s natural defenses, making it more vulnerable to infection.
Immediate Steps and Eye Rest
Your first priority is to safely remove the lenses without causing mechanical damage to the already stressed corneal surface. Do not attempt to pinch or pull out a lens that feels stuck or dry, as this can easily cause a painful corneal abrasion. The dryness is a result of reduced tear production combined with the lens absorbing moisture overnight.
Instead, you must rehydrate the eye and the lens before removal. Apply several drops of sterile, preservative-free rewetting or saline solution directly onto the eye. Close your eye and allow the fluid at least five to ten minutes to work its way underneath the lens and restore its flexibility. You should only attempt to remove the lens once it feels loose and moves freely on the eye when you blink.
After successful removal, you must allow your cornea a period of rest to fully recover its normal shape and oxygen balance. Wear your glasses for the remainder of the day, avoiding reinsertion of any contact lenses for at least 24 hours. You can continue to use preservative-free lubricating drops throughout the day to soothe any lingering irritation and aid the healing process.
Identifying Red Flags and When to Seek Medical Attention
While temporary blurriness and mild irritation should resolve within a few hours of lens removal, persistent or worsening symptoms indicate a much more serious underlying issue. The overnight period of hypoxia and the trapped environment under the lens dramatically increase the risk of complications like microbial keratitis or a corneal ulcer. These conditions are medical emergencies that require professional treatment.
You must seek immediate attention from an eye care professional—an optometrist or ophthalmologist—if you observe specific “red flags.” These urgent warning signs include:
- Severe or rapidly increasing eye pain that does not subside after the lenses are out.
- Intense sensitivity to light, known as photophobia.
- Any discharge from the eye, especially if it is thick or appears pus-like.
- Pronounced eye redness that fails to improve after several hours.
- A white or cloudy spot on the cornea itself, which signals a corneal ulcer and requires emergency evaluation.
If any symptom persists or worsens after a full day of wearing glasses, it is imperative to consult your doctor to prevent potential permanent vision damage.