Travelers who keep their contact lenses in during long-haul flights may be risking far more than temporary discomfort, according to eye care professionals. The dry air inside airplane cabins, combined with hours of continuous lens wear, can leave the eyes vulnerable to irritation, infection, and in severe cases, lasting vision damage.
A recent case described by the New York Post illustrates the potential consequences. A woman wore her contact lenses throughout an 11-hour flight home from Greece and for roughly 24 hours of total travel time. She also kept them in while swimming and showering. Within days of returning home, she experienced pain and sensitivity to light, and her vision deteriorated significantly. Doctors diagnosed her with a corneal ulcer, an open sore on the eye's surface. She required weeks of treatment with eye drops and now has a small scar that continues to blur part of her vision.
Valerie Kattouf, an Illinois-based optometrist, told Fox News Digital that the cabin environment plays a major role in the problem. «The cabin air has significantly reduced humidity that can actually remove moisture from the contact lens and create more dryness,» Kattouf said. That dryness can lead to symptoms including a «sandy, gritty feeling» and intermittent blurred vision. Falling asleep during a long or overnight flight adds another layer of risk. «People often sleep on long flights, which contributes to more risk with contact lens wear,» she said.
As a contact lens loses moisture, it may move less freely on the eye. Removing a particularly dry lens could disturb the epithelium, the outer layer of the cornea, causing significant irritation and potentially affecting vision. In the reported case, the combination of extended wear, swimming, and showering with lenses in likely compounded the danger.
Kattouf recommends that travelers pack an up-to-date pair of prescription glasses for long flights. «Wearing glasses during a long flight is more ideal for eye health and long-term comfortable contact lens wear,» she said. For those who begin their journey wearing contacts, she suggests switching to glasses before sleeping or partway through the flight. If contacts must stay in, single-use vials of artificial tears can provide additional lubrication.
The issue has sparked discussion among travelers online. Some say they routinely choose glasses for longer trips. «I always wear glasses on long flights,» one Reddit user wrote. «My eyes just feel so much more comfortable by the time I land, and I don't have to worry about taking them out at the airport or on the plane, or sleeping on the plane.» Another traveler regretted leaving contacts in: «My eyes were so dry at the end, even with eyedrops.»
Corneal ulcers are serious and can lead to permanent vision loss if not treated promptly. Symptoms include eye pain, redness, sensitivity to light, and blurred vision. Anyone experiencing these signs after contact lens use should seek medical attention immediately.
For frequent flyers, the advice is straightforward: prioritize eye health by packing glasses, using lubricating drops, and avoiding sleeping in contacts. As Kattouf noted, a little preparation can prevent a painful and potentially lasting problem.