# How is it possible to blind yourself with contact lenses? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 11, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096 "2013-05-11T18:32:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/1 "2013-05-11T18:32:47Z")
Aside from pouring acid in your eye. One of my employees was supposed to meet my boss to assist with a task and didn’t show up. When we got a hold of him he said his contact lenses had been irritating him the night before and when he woke up he was blind in one eye. Last I heard from him he was in the emergency room, but had been waiting for several hours. Does this sound like a vaguely plausible story or is this guy an idiot? I wore contacts for 10 years and would sleep in them (which I know you’re not supposed to do, but I was a lazy teenager) and the worst that happened was an eye doctor told me I was beginning to grow extra capillaries in my eyes because of lack of oxygen. Occasionally my eyes would become irritated, but I would take the lenses out then (duh). My vision was never affected. I did a Google search on blindness from contact lenses and found horror stories about parasites and fungus, but nothing like “I went to bed and woke up blind.” This is this guy’s first week so I’m considering firing him since his story doesn’t sound too likely, not to mention he had an attitude when I asked him what the deal was. I don’t want to be a compete insensitive ass though in case there is some way this can happen that I’m not aware of. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/2 "2013-05-11T18:44:20Z")
I’ve accidently slept with my contacts in on a few occasions. My eyes did not feel good the next day, and I think I got an minor infection once. IANAD, but if wearing contact lenses can cause you to go blind in a matter of hours, I would think massive lawsuits would be clogging up the courts for many years. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/3 "2013-05-11T20:02:59Z")
Corneal abrasions from a foreign body under the contact, or dry eye, could cause temporary sight problems, sometimes severe. The eye wouldn’t be blind in the sense of not being able to see anything, but things could be fuzzy and indistinct enough that they can’t read or see small objects with good acuity. See if you can get a better description out of him than “blind.” ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/4 "2013-05-11T20:10:01Z")
I actually just called him back. No further explanation and said the emergency room sent him home. He hung up on me when I said that sounded strange. He’s fired. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/5 "2013-05-11T20:14:20Z")
Yeah - probably a good call. Even if he was having legit vision problems related to contact lenses, he’s not behaving like someone who cares about keeping his new job. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/6 "2013-05-11T20:56:40Z")
Clearly. Some people are just morons. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/7 "2013-05-11T20:58:03Z")
I’ve known two people that have scratched their corneas and ended up going to the ER due to the pain (and not initially knowing what happened). Both of them did it by falling asleep with their contacts in and trying to pluck them out after they had gotten a bit too dry. But, FTR, I don’t think either of them would have said they went blind, they would have said that they scratched their eye and had to go to the ER. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/8 "2013-05-11T21:20:38Z")
I doubt they would have hung up on their boss when asked about the blindness aspect either. ---
**Author:** ![cougar58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@cougar58](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cougar58)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/9 "2013-05-11T21:33:54Z")
very possible > **[Why going to sleep in your contact lenses can blind you](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2028226/Why-going-sleep-contact-lenses-blind-you.html)** > > Katie Richardson, 24, discovered, poor lens hygiene can lead to a range of nasty eye ailments, including microbial keratitis, an infection of the cornea. and > **[Regular contact lense use can leave you blind, says research](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-715/Regular-contact-lense-use-leave-blind-says-research.html)** > > People who regularly wear soft contact lenses are being warned that however, I just got my contacts renewed, and they say they can be worn 24/7 for weeks at a time. I have slept with mine in, for 15 years. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/10 "2013-05-11T21:54:13Z")
Using tap water to clean lenses instead of saline seems to be the main factor in infections causing blindness from sleeping in lenses. These infections also appear to be far more serious than, “I’m blind. Emergency room sent me home. _click_” ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/11 "2013-05-11T22:00:26Z")
I have a corneal scratch before (from a contact that decided to break in half while still in my eye.) It didn’t make me blind, but it hurt more than just about anything I can think of. It’s like being stabbed in the eye with a red hot nail. I think it’s been shown to be one of the worst types of pain a person can experience, up there with childbirth. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/12 "2013-05-12T00:18:52Z")
Wearing contacts, especially overnight, can lead to [corneal ulcers](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001032.htm). One symptom of this is blurred vision in the affected eye. This usually clears up with treatment, although severe loss of vision is a possible complication. It seems unlikely that this guy developed a corneal ulcer and went completely blind overnight, but it’s certainly possible that he woke up with impaired vision. Several years ago I developed a corneal ulcer after suffering an eye injury, and while this was pretty serious I didn’t have to stay in the hospital or anything. I used an antibiotic gel for a day or two, and when that didn’t totally do the job I had to have my eyelids sewn closed for about a week to protect the eyeball and allow it to heal properly. It was my understanding that this was an extreme measure though, and that normally this sort of problem could be treated with medication alone. Had I gone to the emergency room rather than to my ophthalmologist I assume they would have started me on antibiotics and then sent me home with instructions to see an ophthalmologist. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/13 "2013-05-12T01:42:12Z")
My cousin had a fungus develop in one of her contacts and it spread to her eye. She, indeed, woke up blind. She recovered, but it was terrifying. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/14 "2013-05-12T01:45:36Z")
I’ve only ever slept in my contacts once, and woke up with a blurriness or mistiness that lasted for several hours. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/15 "2013-05-12T02:46:24Z")
Well, if I ever go back to wearing contacts again I’ll certainly stop sleeping in them. I switched to glasses because one of my eyes turned bright red after a long day and stayed bloodshot for around 24 hours. I didn’t see a doctor because there wasn’t any pain and I could see fine. And I went to work. Anyway, if he had simply explained to me what the problem was and said more than “I’m blind,” 30 minutes after he was supposed to show up, I would have been more sympathetic. Not being able to adequately explain what the problem is (especially after supposedly seeing a doctor), not to mention hanging up on me when I asked for more details, is a red flag for issues down the road. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/16 "2013-05-12T03:17:06Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > Yeah - probably a good call. Even if he was having legit vision problems related to contact lenses, he’s not behaving like someone who cares about keeping his new job. IF all of a sudden I think I am going blind my new job is the least of my worries. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/17 "2013-05-12T03:21:03Z")
I developed a really bad eye irritation from using contacts - my optometrist made me stop wearing them completely for 3 months and now I’m only allowed to use daily disposables a few times a week at most. But my symptoms came along gradually - things slowly just getting fuzzier and dry eyes all the time. I never had an instant I can’t see moment, so it does sound suspicious to me, but I’m only judging it by my experience. I’d be inclined to give him one more chance if he was the best result of a long hiring process - do you really want to do that again? Although if it’s an easy thing to find a replacement and he was rude to you, I guess perhaps moving on is best. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/18 "2013-05-12T03:34:42Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > IF all of a sudden I think I am going blind my new job is the least of my worries. He said the ER sent him home. He was there for two hours. If it was that serious wouldn’t they have kept him there for longer? Also, if I had a serious medical problem keeping my job would be the first of my worries. I’d be terrified to be both blind and jobless. > [@Girl\_From\_Mars](#): > > I developed a really bad eye irritation from using contacts - my optometrist made me stop wearing them completely for 3 months and now I’m only allowed to use daily disposables a few times a week at most. But my symptoms came along gradually - things slowly just getting fuzzier and dry eyes all the time. I never had an instant I can’t see moment, so it does sound suspicious to me, but I’m only judging it by my experience. > > I’d be inclined to give him one more chance if he was the best result of a long hiring process - do you really want to do that again? Although if it’s an easy thing to find a replacement and he was rude to you, I guess perhaps moving on is best. He was not the result of a long hiring process. He was hired at the last minute to replace someone (who needed to be replaced immediately) who we had to fire for stealing and threatening employees who discovered the stealing. He was a recommendation from another employee. I work in the food industry so there’s nothing too complicated to learn. Part of his job requires dealing with customers though. Some people are a little rough around the edges and need some coaching, but someone who’s flat out rude and thinks hanging up on people is acceptable is not a good choice. The only way I’d rehire him is if he apologized and explained the situation in a more rational way. But the way he acted made me think that maybe he just overslept and made up a story instead of admitting that he was running late meeting my boss. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/19 "2013-05-12T05:51:47Z")
> [@CatherineZeta](#): > > He said the ER sent him home. He was there for two hours. If it was that serious wouldn’t they have kept him there for longer? To do what? I was never “kept” anywhere for my corneal ulcer, and it was a pretty serious one. I was treated on an outpatient basis. ---
**Author:** ![midnight-dreary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@midnight-dreary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/midnight-dreary)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/20 "2013-05-12T05:58:23Z")
> [@CatherineZeta](#): > > He said the ER sent him home. He was there for two hours. If it was that serious wouldn’t they have kept him there for longer? If there is nothing they can do immediately, then why would they keep him in? If it’s an infection, they’ll hand over antibiotics, and send him home. If they can’t find a reason for it, and do not think it’s something that need to do RIGHT THIS SECOND, they’ll give him a referral to a specialist. My sister went into ER with terrible back pain, They gave her painkillers, said ‘lol, we don’t know why.’ and sent her home. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096.md?page=2)