If I touch my cornea will I permanently damage my eye?

[Anonymous]

Backgrounder

So I went to bed and then passed out before I had a chance to undress and brush my teeth. I woke up at 4am and I was afraid I left my contacts in. My vision was clearer than usual. Sometimes I fall asleep with my contacts in... However, interestingly, my glasses were on the bed beside me! I thought maybe there was a 50-50 chance that I left my contacts in.

I paced around my apartment and because my vision was a bit clearer than usual I was paranoid that I left my contacts in so I tried to see if I could remove them. I tried each eye once or twice to no avail. Then I went back to sleep.

The next day my vision was likely worse... But not substantially.


Question

If you touch your cornea will you permanently damage your eye/vision?

[Anonymous]

No, not all. Been there done that on multiple occasions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, not all. Been there done that on multiple occasions.

Maybe the atmospheric conditions and head position were just right to temporarily improve my vision?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Backgrounder

So I went to bed and then passed out before I had a chance to undress and brush my teeth. I woke up at 4am and I was afraid I left my contacts in. My vision was clearer than usual. Sometimes I fall asleep with my contacts in... However, interestingly, my glasses were on the bed beside me! I thought maybe there was a 50-50 chance that I left my contacts in.

I paced around my apartment and because my vision was a bit clearer than usual I was paranoid that I left my contacts in so I tried to see if I could remove them. I tried each eye once or twice to no avail. Then I went back to sleep.

The next day my vision was likely worse... But not substantially.


Question

If you touch your cornea will you permanently damage your eye/vision?

Even if you scratched your cornea your vision would likely still be okay, although temporarily damaged. So you are absolutely okay! Maybe a little health anxiety though?

[Anonymous]

If you injure your cornea you will know it. It’s very painful and your eyes burn and water. I slept in my contacts and my eyes were very red and painful the next day. I went to the eye doctor and they said I had abrasions. My contacts are thick and dry out quickly so leaving them on was just a really bad idea. My son scratched his cornea on a tree branch once and that caused his eye to burn, water, and be very light sensitive. It healed pretty quickly because he’s a kid. If your eyes are not painful or watering you’re totally fine. Just touching your cornea will not damage it.

[Anonymous]

No problem to touch your cornea so long as you didn’t scratch it. You would know if it were damaged.

Sometimes super dry eyes can randomly improve your vision temporarily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No problem to touch your cornea so long as you didn’t scratch it. You would know if it were damaged.

Sometimes super dry eyes can randomly improve your vision temporarily.

Well tell that to my super dry eyes. Without my prescription drops it's like looking through a vaseline covered camera lense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you injure your cornea you will know it. It’s very painful and your eyes burn and water. I slept in my contacts and my eyes were very red and painful the next day. I went to the eye doctor and they said I had abrasions. My contacts are thick and dry out quickly so leaving them on was just a really bad idea. My son scratched his cornea on a tree branch once and that caused his eye to burn, water, and be very light sensitive. It healed pretty quickly because he’s a kid. If your eyes are not painful or watering you’re totally fine. Just touching your cornea will not damage it.

Agree. If you scratch your cornea, you will know. It’s quite painful.

[Anonymous]

You're fine. You would know if you weren't.

How long have you had contacts? As a long-time contact wearer I've touched my eyes many times. I'm surprised you're concerned enough to post about it.

[Anonymous]

I once, while much younger and very drunk, attempted to take out contact lenses that were no longer in my eye. I apparently bruised my eye in the process and optometrists would comment on it for years. (There was nothing noticeable on the eye, but apparently during exams they could see evidence of "old trauma") I would always lie and say I got hit in the eye while playing softball. Optometrists have stopped commenting on it, so maybe it's gone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No problem to touch your cornea so long as you didn’t scratch it. You would know if it were damaged.

Sometimes super dry eyes can randomly improve your vision temporarily.

Well tell that to my super dry eyes. Without my prescription drops it's like looking through a vaseline covered camera lense.

It can go the other way too. The dryness is t trying to correct your vision for you!