I Finally Slept in My Contacts!

I can't believe I finally slept in these [the contacts, not the makeup].

I finally did it! I bit the bullet and slept in my contacts. So, what's the big deal?

Because of Reasons
It is such a big deal for me because when I decided to wear contacts, I wanted to be absolutely sure and so I researched to death [apparently not because I'm still alive] and the outcome was not quite reassuring; particularly when I came across a disconcerting story of a girl in Taiwan who wore her contacts for six months straight and got infected by acanthamoeba [Google search] and had to pay with her eyes. Also, to top it of, most comments often accompanying those articles I came across, supposing from users who claim they have been using contacts and have followed the proper care and still get some form of infection, was not encouraging for a newbie like me. I don't know how accurate and authentic the story about the Taiwanese girl is, but it is an extreme case and if you want to do your research online, it helps to be impartial and you'll probably come across an article such as from Live Science to give you another perspective.

Safety First
I took a conservative approach to sleeping in my contacts, which I had [and still have] been wearing almost daily, consistently averaging twelve hours a day with daily cleansing for almost four months prior to sleeping in them. The contacts I've been wearing, taking naps in, and finally have slept in are Biofinity contacts by CooperVision which have been approved by the FDA to be worn continuously for six nights and seven days - I have blogged about them here. It is important to note that you can't simply sleep in any contacts; you can't even wear some contacts for more than eight hours [well, technically you can but the risks are manifold compared with contacts that are approved for extended wear].

Safety Second
When I say 'conservative' approach, I really did take precautions. The contacts I wore to sleep were fresh from the package and I only wore them for one, yes one, night or to be specific just over thirty eight hours of wear, with about eight hours spent asleep.

Breakdown of wearing time:
Put on contacts - eyes felt great.
After about fifteen waking hours - eyes felt relatively good but slightly dry.
After sleeping for about eight hours - eyes felt relatively comfortable, and by this time I could feel the contacts in my eyes more prominently than before.
After another fourteen waking hours - by this time, I have washed my face and showered, so my eyes were slightly uncomfortable and a bit dry.

My Concerns
- Showering
- Prominent blood vessels

In my previous post, I have touched upon my concern with my blood vessels becoming more noticeable here; they are not too troublesome and don't amount to a pink eye. The more serious problem here is showering. Since the risk of getting an infection is greater if you shower or swim in your contacts, you do have to remove them prior or immediately after. If that it so, what it means is that you do have to go through the process of cleansing and disinfecting your contacts every time you do one of these activities. I do one of these activities every day, and if I have to do the whole cleaning/disinfecting process every time, that sort of defies the purpose of having the convenience of extended-wear contacts.

The End
In the end I didn't buy Biofinity to sleep in or wear for a week without removing my contacts. I wanted a pair of contacts that I could wear for more than just eight hours a day and maybe take occasional naps in, and extended wear contacts are perfect for this.

I took a risk but a measured one when people around me kept telling me not to sleep in my contacts; ever. The thing is, we hear people die every day in a car crash but the car has been a ubiquitous form of transport that we never think twice [or once] before we get into one every day. I've made my choice and I took a risk but it's a calculated risk to wear contacts and to finally sleep in them even though for only one night.

Have you tried any extended-wear contacts specifically Biofinity? Have you slept in them?

& Buy

- Biofinity Monthly Contact Lens [Lazada]
- Biofinity Monthly Disposable Contact Lenses [Lenstore]
- Biofinity Monthly Disposable Soft Contact Lenses [1800Contacts]
- Biofinity Contact Lenses [ACLens]