Reuse daily contacts?

[Anonymous]

For insurance coverage, I waited until Jan. 1 to refill my Rx for daily contacts. I was just notified that they're on a month-long backorder, and I don't have enough to last until then. I know that the official websites say that you shouldn't reuse daily contacts, but I'm wondering if anyone has done so and not ended up with an eye infection. It seems like it should be safe if I use disinfecting solution?

[Anonymous]

Safe, but they won't be very comfortable and will likely tear.

[Anonymous]

With newer contacts, it wont be bad. When I was in grad school, I'd stretch dailies to a few weeks if I couldn't afford new packs

[Anonymous]

I think you're absolutely fine if you're careful. Use a disinfecting system -- I prefer the hydrogen peroxide based systems -- and rinse with saline afterwards. Be careful during the day about dryness and use appropriate drops if you need to so you don't rub your eye and potentially damage the lens. Limit your daily length of use to no more than 14-16 hours a day (or a lower length of time if you generally don't wear them that long anyway). Definitely don't sleep in them! Handle the lenses gently and with clean hands.

[Anonymous]

I've been wearing my dailies for at least a week for about 20 years, sometimes same ones for two or three weeks. I wear them until they tear or get blurry. I put them in saline overnight every night. I only need to use drops if I fall asleep wearing them, when I wake up I need drops.

[Anonymous]

If you’ve ever had a bad eye infection that resulted in many appointments and significant pain and long lasting problems, you probably won’t risk it. But chances are you’ve never experienced that, so you probably won’t understand the severity of the consequences should they be adverse.

[Anonymous]

Optician here. The lens material is not made to withstand that wear and is a breeding ground for bacteria. You are risking an eye infection which can result in your eyes rejection contact lenses permanently (or blindness on the extreme end). All to save a few bucks? Either switch to a monthly lens within your budget or cough up the cash to wear them properly.

That said, there was a lawsuit with a lens manufacturer not that long because they were selling the same monthly or 2 week contact lens as a daily product. But this isn’t the norm.

[Anonymous]

Rejecting *

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Optician here. The lens material is not made to withstand that wear and is a breeding ground for bacteria. You are risking an eye infection which can result in your eyes rejection contact lenses permanently (or blindness on the extreme end). All to save a few bucks? Either switch to a monthly lens within your budget or cough up the cash to wear them properly.

That said, there was a lawsuit with a lens manufacturer not that long because they were selling the same monthly or 2 week contact lens as a daily product. But this isn’t the norm.

Yep was gonna jump in that it's the same lens as the week or 2 week ones!

[Anonymous]

PP optician here and just saw the back order. We’ve had this issue as well. Call your doctors office and ask if they can fit you into a different lens in the meantime. They’ll probably charge and require an appointment to fit you. Otherwise wear your glasses!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Optician here. The lens material is not made to withstand that wear and is a breeding ground for bacteria. You are risking an eye infection which can result in your eyes rejection contact lenses permanently (or blindness on the extreme end). All to save a few bucks? Either switch to a monthly lens within your budget or cough up the cash to wear them properly.

That said, there was a lawsuit with a lens manufacturer not that long because they were selling the same monthly or 2 week contact lens as a daily product. But this isn’t the norm.

Yep was gonna jump in that it's the same lens as the week or 2 week ones!

In that particular case, yes, but this is not typical and I would not count on that being the case for every daily lens! Or really any other daily lens at this point. No one wants to be involved in a suit.