ACUVUE^® Blog

Do contact lenses expire?

By Dr. Giovanna Olivares, OD, FAAO; Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Director & Staff Writer

Yes, all contact lenses expire

Even though contact lenses are sealed up and sterile when originally packaged, you should NOT wear contact lenses past their expiration date. We’ll cover why in the rest of this blog.

How long do contact lenses last?

The problem isn’t so much the contact lenses—which are typically made from a hydrogel polymer or a silicone hydrogel—but instead the saline solution they’re packaged in, as well as the seal of the package. You can find the manufacturer’s expiration date for the contact lenses on the original packaging (usually a box) as well the individual contact lens packaging. It’s usually one to four years from the day they’re made. Beyond that date, the quality of the saline can degrade over time, and/or become contaminated if the seal of the package is compromised, allowing bacteria and other organisms inside.

What to do with expired contact lenses

There’s only one thing to do with expired lenses: Throw them out. Bummer, right? It’s never fun when things go to waste, but it’s for your own safety. To avoid running into this issue, be sure to wear your contact lenses from oldest to newest.

Effects of wearing expired contact lenses

About 26 million1 people in EMEA wear contact lenses, and they’re quite safe—when cared for properly. It’s often when people don’t follow the care instructions their eye care professional provides that the risk of serious eye infections rises. People who choose to wear expired contact lenses run the risk of experiencing a variety of issues, including:

Inflammation of the cornea
Eye pain
Eye infection
Scarring from infections or inflammation
Sight loss

Another reason not to wear expired contact lenses: Your prescription may be expired, too

When you hear the words “medical device” you might imagine a pacemaker or hip implant. But contact lenses are considered medical devices too, and because of that, a prescription is required to wear them (even costume or colored contact lenses!). The thing is, a contact lens prescription generally expires on a yearly basis, so even if your contact lenses haven’t expired yet, your prescription may have. Your eye health can change over the course of the year, and so can your prescription, so it’s recommended that you visit your eye care professional every year.

Re-up your contact lenses

It may be tempting to take the risk and wear expired lenses, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Depending on its severity, an eye infection can become a serious matter, leading to corneal scarring and even sight loss. Do your due diligence and re-order your lenses before their expiration. Just remember—you may need to renew your contact lens prescription to do so.

See how to get contact lenses

About the author

Giovanna E. Olivares, OD, FAAO is the Global Director, Specialty Platforms Research & Development, at Johnson & Johnson Vision Care (JJVC). In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the strategy, design, and development of new products to support the company’s global Astigmatism and Presbyopia platforms. In 2017 under her leadership, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, launched ACUVUE^{^®} Oasys 1-Day with Hydroluxe^{^®} for Astigmatism and ACUVUE^{^®} Vita^{^®} for Astigmatism to meet our patients’ needs. In 2021, her team launched ACUVUE^® OASYS MULTIFOCAL with PUPIL OPTIMIZED^{^®} design. Recently in September, 2022, she launched ACUVUE^{^®} OASYS MAX MULTIFOCAL for presbyopia patients.

Dr. Olivares joined Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. in 2004 as Sr. Manager of the R&D Design Clinical Research Group. In this role, she led a multidisciplinary group including Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, Vision Scientists, and Biostatisticians responsible for the development of new innovative contact lens products and clinical methodology. Under her leadership, the group launched several brands including ACUVUE^{^®} ADVANCE for ASTIGMATISM, ACUVUE^{^®} OASYS for ASTIGMATISM, and 1-DAY ACUVUE^{^®} MOIST for ASTIGMATISM. Under her leadership, the first validated patient questionnaire for JJVC was developed, CLUE (Contact Lens User Experience).

In 2010, she was appointed to the position of Director of Professional Education, responsible for developing innovative educational programs across the spectrum of students, eye care professionals, Professional Affairs Consultants, and the company’s Sales & Marketing organizations.

Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson Vision, Dr. Olivares served as the Director of Clinical and Professional Development for Unilens Corp. USA, where she developed contact lens designs for presbyopia. Additionally, she has practiced in an ophthalmology practice, private optometric practice, retail optometry, and as a technical medical consultant at TLC, a center for LASIK surgery.

Dr. Olivares received her BS degree from the University of Rochester and her OD degree from the State University of New York (SUNY). She subsequently completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Ocular Disease management at the SUNY College of Optometry. After her fellowship, she joined the SUNY faculty as an Assistant Professor with clinical and didactic teaching responsibilities in the areas of contact lenses, ocular disease, pediatric/binocular vision, and primary care.

Dr. Olivares is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, has authored numerous scientific articles and has lectured internationally on contact lens technology and fitting for success.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs About Contact Lenses Expiration

Can I use contact lenses after the expiry date?

No, it is not advisable to wear or use contact lenses once they have passed the expiry date.

How many years are contact lenses good for?

You can find the manufacturer's expiration date for the contact lenses on the original packaging (usually a box) as well the individual contact lens packaging. It's usually one to four years from the day they're made.