--- title: Improper Use of Contact Lenses Can Cause Serious Infections description: The CDC warned of the dangers of improperly using contact lenses, which they say can lead to serious eye infections and long-lasting damage. canonical: https://time.com/4459189/contact-lenses-cdc-infection/ author: Melissa Chan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-08-19T15:32:22.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-07T06:43:41.116Z article:section: Health og:title: Contact Lenses Can Cause Serious Harm if Used Improperly og:description: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention og:url: https://time.com/4459189/contact-lenses-cdc-infection/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt33231ea40af56078/6988a2f897cdff75916ad80c/contact-lens-cdc-dangers.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2121 og:image:height: 1193 og:image:alt: Close-up of woman putting in contact lens og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Contact Lenses Can Cause Serious Harm if Used Improperly twitter:description: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt33231ea40af56078/6988a2f897cdff75916ad80c/contact-lens-cdc-dangers.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Contact Lenses Can Cause Serious Harm if Used Improperly, CDC Warns > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=82c74ab8-5f4b-4ada-a8b4-68c1d58b96d6&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: CDC Warns of Serious Eye Damage From Improper Contact Lens Use-Brightcove [Watch (HLS stream): CDC Warns of Serious Eye Damage From Improper Contact Lens Use-Brightcove](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/5BZnTJaV.m3u8) (0:42)  _Published 2016-08-19. Federal health officials on Thursday warned the improper use of contact lenses can lead to serious eye infections and long-term damage._  by [Melissa Chan](https://time.com/author/melissa-chan/)  ## Melissa Chan Aug 19, 2016 3:32 PM UTC Federal health officials on Thursday warned the improper use of contact lenses can lead to serious eye infections and long-term damage.  by [Melissa Chan](https://time.com/author/melissa-chan/)  ## Melissa Chan Aug 19, 2016 3:32 PM UTC Federal health officials on Thursday warned the[ improper use of contact lenses](http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0818-contact-lenses.html) can lead to serious eye infections and long-term damage. Nearly one in five contact lens-related eye infections reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the last decade resulted in eye damage, according to a [new report](http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6532a2.htm?s%5Fcid=mm6532a2%5Fw) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report reviewed 1,075 reported contact lens-related infections between 2005 and 2015\. The patients in those injuries said they either had a scarred cornea, needed a corneal transplant or suffered a reduction in vision. In more than 10 percent of the reports, patients sought emergency care, the CDC said. **Read More:** [**_3 Mistakes You’re Making With Your Contact Lenses_**](http://time.com/3916165/contact-lenses-mistakes/) “Contact lenses are a safe and effective form of vision correction when worn and cared for as recommended,” Michael Beach, director of CDC’s Healthy Water Program, said in a statement. “However, improper wear and care of contact lenses can cause eye infections that sometimes lead to serious, long-term damage.” About 41 million people in the U.S. [wear contact lenses](http://time.com/4266427/contact-lenses-bacteria/), federal health officials said. The CDC said contact lens users should not sleep in contact lenses, always use fresh contact lens solution, and replace lenses often. The FDA regulates contact lenses as medical devices. ## Transcript [00:00] The CDC is warning that improper use of contact [00:02] lenses can lead to eye infections and serious long term [00:06] damage. According to their new report that studied [00:08] over 1, 000 contact lens infections between 2005 [00:12] and 2015 about one in five of them caused eye [00:15] damage. Patients that have problems with their [00:17] corneas or had reduced vision and some even sought [00:20] emergency care. The director of the CDC's Healthy [00:23] Water Program said, improper wear and care of [00:26] contact lenses can cause eye infections that sometimes [00:29] lead to serious long term damage. The CDC [00:32] recommends that contact users not sleep in their [00:34] contacts, regularly change contact solution, and [00:38] replace their contacts as directed. 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