Patients considering extended wear lenses must understand that they can't be worn forever. The lens must be cared for and cleaned regularly so that oxygen can continue to pass through it to the eye, and to prevent an irritating build up of debris on the lens surface. Dirty or even discount contact lenses are the main cause of eye irritation, which can lead to eye infections.

With a daily wear contact lens, if the eye gets irritated it gets a chance lo recover when the lens is removed at night. When you use extended wear lenses, the eye doesn't get that break.

Presently most doctors fit only one patient in ten with cosmetic extended wear lenses because most people do fine with daily wear lenses.