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 contacts 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 contacts

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 contacts from oldest to newest.

Effects of wearing expired contacts

About 45 million people in the U.S. wear contacts, and they’re quite safe—when cared for properly. It’s often when people don’t follow the care instructions their eye doctor provides that the risk of serious eye infections rises. People who choose to wear expired contacts 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 contacts: 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 contacts!). 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 doctor every year.

Re-up your 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.

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.

Footnotes

Consult your eye care professional for more information. Johnson & Johnson does not provide medical advice; this information is for educational purposes only.

Important information for contact lens wearers: ACUVUE Contact Lenses are available by prescription only for vision correction. An eye care professional will determine whether contact lenses are right for you. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing contact lenses. To help avoid these problems, follow the wear and replacement schedule and the lens care instructions provided by your eye doctor. Do not wear contact lenses if you have an eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. If one of these conditions occurs, remove the lens and contact your eye doctor immediately. For more information on proper wear, care and safety, talk to your eye care professional and ask for a Patient Instruction Guide, call 1-800-843-2020, or download the Patient Instruction Guides.

2024PP06050

Do contact lenses expire?

Yes, all contact lenses expire

How long do contact lenses last?

What to do with expired contacts

Effects of wearing expired contacts

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

Re-up your lenses

About the author

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Footnotes