Don't Drink and Wear Contacts?

FantasyEyeland · #1 (**permalink**) 04-30-2008, 12:10 PM

I've heard a lot of stories about people having a few too many drinks and then "falling asleep" with their contact lenses in.

If you wear a daily disposable contact lens like 1-Day Acuvue Moist, would it be better to just take them out before hitting the pubs?

ebonyeyez · #2 (**permalink**) 05-31-2008, 06:39 PM

lol i have never heard of this but this might explain some rough days i have had lol.

Simplyme · #3 (**permalink**) 06-01-2008, 02:59 AM

With the raised risk of wearing them longer than suggested that may not be a bad idea at all.

Georgiaonmymind · #4 (**permalink**) 07-25-2008, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simplyme

With the raised risk of wearing them longer than suggested that may not be a bad idea at all.

I don't suppose it's possible to suggest that you take it easy on the alcohol consumption.
There's drinking, and then there's drinking too much. If you can't remember to take your contacts out when you go to bed, I'd say you're pretty well impaired.

psimonk · #5 (**permalink**) 01-04-2009, 04:41 PM

I drink with my lenses in on occasion, drinking that is. It's not related. It's perfectly okay to drink alcohol with your lenses in, just...don't drink too much. ^^ hehe.

bammer · #6 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009, 10:06 AM

Maybe if you take them out first you shouldn't drive hahahahaha. Seriously, I have not heard that falling asleep with the lens will damqge the eyes but I imagine that it can cause your eyes to be more sensitive. I sometimes fall asleep and I have not had problems, yet

Ricardo · #7 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009, 10:55 AM

My wife actually saw a printed warning about that type of thing in a travel brochure for holiday resorts that are all-inclusive.

We were surprised to see a warning about it, but I guess there have been cases of people having trouble with that kind of thing.

SLTE · #8 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009, 08:11 PM

Perhaps contacts should be used in anti-drinking ads from now on. Though given all the other side effects that come from too much alcohol, dry eyes are probably the least of your problems.

FantasyEyeland · #9 (**permalink**) 05-05-2009, 03:15 PM

Thank you for your answers everybody. I didn't expect this to turn into such a long thread! Now that I've looked over the whole thing, I think people agree that it's probably a good idea to take your contacts out of you're going to imbibe.

Georgiaonmymind suggested that people limit their alcohol intake, which is probably not a bad idea. I don't think your eye doctor will tell you to drink more.

Psimonk suggested that you remember to not drink "too much." The trouble is, the more you drink, the more you believe "too much" to be. I read about the effects of alcohol on the brain and discovered that the very first thing that it does is affect the part of your brain that says "I think maybe I've had enough."

Pretty convenient, huh?

petlover1 · #10 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 09:40 PM

You might want to "pre treat" if you are planning an evening of imbibing! Take an aspirin before you begin to indulge and I have also heard a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage will go a long ways to prevent a horrible hangover!

FantasyEyeland · #11 (**permalink**) 11-18-2009, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricardo

My wife actually saw a printed warning about that type of thing in a travel brochure for holiday resorts that are all-inclusive.

We were surprised to see a warning about it, but I guess there have been cases of people having trouble with that kind of thing.

What did the warning in the travel brochure say? Did it specifically mention drinking and contact lenses?

Georgiaonmymind · #12 (**permalink**) 12-10-2009, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petlover1

You might want to "pre treat" if you are planning an evening of imbibing! Take an aspirin before you begin to indulge and I have also heard a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage will go a long ways to prevent a horrible hangover!

Have you tried this technique and found it to be effective, petlover1? There are many myths out there about how to reduce the intoxicating effects of alcohol as well as reduce the severity of the aftereffects. However, most of these things turn out to be just stories with little or no truth to them. I wonder if your "aspirin and water" techniques fall into this category?

I don't drink so I can't tell you from experience.

Knotlob · #13 (**permalink**) 12-11-2009, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petlover1

You might want to "pre treat" if you are planning an evening of imbibing! Take an aspirin before you begin to indulge and I have also heard a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage will go a long ways to prevent a horrible hangover!

Not heard of the Aspirin trick before and not sure I see any logic behind it either.

The drinking a glass of water for each drink makes perfect sense since alcohol is a diuretic and dehydrates you. Hence the horrible hangover in the morning. If I was going out for a good drink, I would try and drink a couple of glasses of water before I went to sleep. That fends off the hangover quite effectively. However, what I used to believe was a hangover in my younger days, turned out sometimes to be a complete lack of sleep rather than an excess of alcohol/dehydration.

I don't drink much these days, but some years ago I worked and lived in Jamaica. I used to stay at the all inclusives whenever I had a chance and of course drink was included (except Champagne!). Anyway, I never saw any warnings about not wearing contact lenses there and anyway, if you drunk so much that you fall asleep, then you will be spoiling the next days sporting activities, etc. Falling asleep for a couple of hours with your lenses in, isn't the end of the world anyway. If your eyes are sore and it's difficult to get the lenses out, then a few drops of lens solution in the eye should help - but don't make a habit of it.

I normally find that after wearing contact lenses for years, the routine of taking them out before sleep is automatic and not a problem.

Some people advocate drinking a pint of milk before you go out drinking. This put 'food' in your stomach and slows down the passage of the alcohol into the intestine, where in fact most of the alcohol is absorbed into the blood stream (rather than in the stomach).

knotlob

Eyeofthetiger · #14 (**permalink**) 12-11-2009, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knotlob

Not heard of the Aspirin trick before and not sure I see any logic behind it either.

The drinking a glass of water for each drink makes perfect sense since alcohol is a diuretic and dehydrates you. Hence the horrible hangover in the morning. If I was going out for a good drink, I would try and drink a couple of glasses of water before I went to sleep. That fends off the hangover quite effectively. However, what I used to believe was a hangover in my younger days, turned out sometimes to be a complete lack of sleep rather than an excess of alcohol/dehydration.

I don't drink much these days, but some years ago I worked and lived in Jamaica. I used to stay at the all inclusives whenever I had a chance and of course drink was included (except Champagne!). Anyway, I never saw any warnings about not wearing contact lenses there and anyway, if you drunk so much that you fall asleep, then you will be spoiling the next days sporting activities, etc. Falling asleep for a couple of hours with your lenses in, isn't the end of the world anyway. If your eyes are sore and it's difficult to get the lenses out, then a few drops of lens solution in the eye should help - but don't make a habit of it.

I normally find that after wearing contact lenses for years, the routine of taking them out before sleep is automatic and not a problem.

Some people advocate drinking a pint of milk before you go out drinking. This put 'food' in your stomach and slows down the passage of the alcohol into the intestine, where in fact most of the alcohol is absorbed into the blood stream (rather than in the stomach).

knotlob

Hi Knotlob,

So many times I look at this website and wonder if there's any way people reading it can misunderstand it and hurt themselves. I like they way you and many others make sure to put the "Don't Try This At Home" message in your posts. I don't know how it is in Europe, but here in the United States, they literally have warning labels on cups of coffee reminding you that it's really hot and not to spill it on yourself.
If I had my way, no one would drink any alcohol, but since I'm Just Some Guy On The Internet, all I can say is . . . please be careful, Lens 101 readers. New Year's Eve is coming up and for some reason New Year's Eve=Drunkenness. If you must drink alcohol, don't drive at all. Take a cab, spend the night and sleep it off, or get a ride from someone who hasn't touched the stuff.

Stay safe. I want to hear from you in 2010.

Knotlob · #15 (**permalink**) 12-11-2009, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eyeofthetiger

Hi Knotlob,

So many times I look at this website and wonder if there's any way people reading it can misunderstand it and hurt themselves. I like they way you and many others make sure to put the "Don't Try This At Home" message in your posts. I don't know how it is in Europe, but here in the United States, they literally have warning labels on cups of coffee reminding you that it's really hot and not to spill it on yourself.
If I had my way, no one would drink any alcohol, but since I'm Just Some Guy On The Internet, all I can say is . . . please be careful, Lens 101 readers. New Year's Eve is coming up and for some reason New Year's Eve=Drunkenness. If you must drink alcohol, don't drive at all. Take a cab, spend the night and sleep it off, or get a ride from someone who hasn't touched the stuff.

Stay safe. I want to hear from you in 2010.

Hello Eyeofthetiger

Yes, Health & Safety is going completely over the top here in Europe and especially the UK. Can't have a real public Xmas Tree because it may fall down, etc!!!!

The beauty of the All Inclusive Resorts I mentioned is that is you want to drink yourself into a coma, you don't need to drive anywhere. So many tragic accidents, lives lost and families wrecked through drinking & driving, especially at this time of the year.

Your 'Cup of Coffee - I'm hot' warning reminds me of the safety sticker reportedly necessary for Food Mixer manufacturers to include - Don't try and lick the food off the blades while the blades are still turning!! I know that manufacturers and employers must cope for the stupid, ignorant or foolhardy individual, but that really does take the biscuit.

But as you say, stay safe everyone, especially at this time of year.

knotlob