Will Crying Make My Contact Lenses Fall Out?

You’re watching a movie and suddenly the tears are coming, your vision is blurry, and one of your contacts feels like it’s moving around. Great. Now you’re crying and wondering if your contact lens is about to slide right out of your eye.

Crying normally won’t make a properly fitted contact lens fall out. However, all of those extra tears can make your contacts move around slightly or cause your vision to become temporarily blurry.

Can You Cry While Wearing Contact Lenses?

Yes. You can cry while wearing contact lenses. Your eyes actually produce tears all day, even when you’re not crying. These tears create a thin layer of moisture called the tear film, which helps your contact lenses remain comfortable and move smoothly each time you blink.

When you cry, your eyes simply produce a much larger amount of tears at once. This can temporarily change how your contacts feel, but it doesn’t automatically make them unsafe to wear or cause them to fall out.

If your contacts still feel comfortable and your vision clears once you stop crying, you usually don’t need to remove them.

Why Do My Contacts Feel Weird When I Cry?

When you cry, your eyes can produce tears faster than they’re able to drain them. The extra tears collect along your eyelids and eventually spill down your face.

That sudden rush of fluid can make your contacts feel like they’re floating or moving around more than usual. Your vision may go back and forth between clear and blurry, especially while tears are collecting over the surface of your eyes.

You may also blink more forcefully, squeeze your eyes closed, or scrunch your face while you’re crying. All of this can make your contacts feel much more noticeable, even when they haven’t moved very far.

Once you stop crying and your tear film settles down, your lenses should usually start feeling normal again.

Can Tears Wash a Contact Lens Out of Your Eye?

It’s possible, but it’s pretty uncommon. Soft contact lenses curve closely around the surface of your eye. They’re not just loosely sitting there, so a rush of tears usually isn’t enough to wash them out.

A contact is more likely to fall out if it was already dry, damaged, inside out, or not fitting your eye correctly. The extra moisture from crying may make the lens move a little more easily, but rubbing or aggressively wiping your eyes is much more likely to actually dislodge it.

Rigid gas-permeable contacts are smaller than soft lenses, so they may move more noticeably. Even then, a properly fitted lens should normally remain in place while you cry.

Why Does Crying Make My Vision Blurry?

It’s completely normal for your vision to become blurry while you’re crying, whether you wear contacts or not.

Your tear film normally creates a thin, even surface over your eyes. When you cry, the extra tears make that surface thicker and less consistent. Light doesn’t pass through it as evenly, so everything may look temporarily blurry or distorted.

Your contacts may also move slightly as tears flow across your eyes. If you wear toric contact lenses for astigmatism, you may notice this even more. Toric lenses need to remain in a particular position to provide clear vision, so even a small amount of rotation can make things look blurry until the lens settles again.

Blinking normally a few times can help redistribute the tears and recenter the contact. Your vision should usually return to normal once the crying slows down.

Is It Okay to Rub Your Eyes While Crying?

When you rub your eye, you’re putting pressure on the contact through your eyelid. This can push it onto the white part of your eye, fold it in half, move it underneath your upper eyelid, or cause it to fall out completely.

Rubbing can also transfer makeup, skincare products, oils, dirt, and bacteria into your eyes. If any of that becomes trapped underneath your contact, the lens may start feeling scratchy or painful.

Instead of rubbing, gently blot the tears underneath your eyes with a clean tissue. Avoid pressing directly against your closed eyelids or dragging the tissue across your eyes.

Can Wiping Away Tears Knock Out a Contact?

Gently dabbing tears away shouldn’t make your contacts fall out. The problems usually begin when you wipe too hard, pull at your eyelids, or swipe directly across your closed eyes. Use a clean tissue and lightly blot underneath your eyes as the tears fall. Try not to press on the contact through your eyelid.

If your lens suddenly feels folded or out of place after you wipe your eyes, stop touching it until you can wash and completely dry your hands. Poking at the lens with unwashed fingers is only going to make the situation worse.

What Should I Do if My Contact Moves While I’m Crying?

First, blink normally a few times. A slightly displaced lens may move back into place on its own once the extra tears begin to drain.

You can also use rewetting drops that are specifically approved for contact lenses. Not every eye drop can be applied while contacts are in your eyes, so always check the label first.

If the lens still feels blurry, folded, or out of place, wash and completely dry your hands before touching it. You may be able to gently guide the lens back toward the center of your eye.

If it remains uncomfortable, remove it. Daily disposable contacts should be thrown away. Bi-weekly and monthly lenses need to be properly cleaned and disinfected before you put them back in.

What if My Contact Falls Out While I’m Crying?

If a contact falls out, throw it away and open a fresh one when you’re ready. Don’t put it back into your eye, even if it landed somewhere that looks clean.

A contact can pick up makeup, fibers, dust, bacteria, and other debris that you can’t necessarily see. Putting it straight back in could irritate your eye or increase your risk of infection.

If you don’t have a fresh lens or the supplies needed to clean it properly, switch to your glasses. It may not be the look you were going for, but putting a dirty contact back in is definitely not worth it.

Can a Contact Get Stuck Under My Eyelid While I’m Crying?

Crying alone usually won’t push a lens underneath your eyelid, but rubbing your eyes can. A soft contact may fold or slide upward underneath your upper eyelid, making it feel like the lens has completely disappeared. The good news is that it cannot travel behind your eyeball. A thin membrane connects your eyelid to the surface of your eye, creating a barrier that prevents the lens from moving behind it.

If you think your contact is underneath your upper eyelid, wash and dry your hands, look downward, and gently massage your closed lid toward the center of your eye. Rewetting drops approved for use with contacts may also help loosen the lens. If you still can’t find or remove it, your eye doctor can help. Don’t keep digging around your eye trying to find it.

Is Crying Bad for Your Contact Lenses?

Crying itself isn’t bad for your contacts. Tears are naturally produced by your eyes and already surround your lenses throughout the day. They’re very different from tap water, pool water, or shower water, which can contain microorganisms and should be kept away from contacts.

You don’t need to discard your lenses just because you cried while wearing them. If they remain comfortable and your vision returns to normal, you can usually continue wearing them. However, makeup, skincare products, oils, or dirty hands can contaminate a lens while you’re crying. If your contacts feel cloudy, painful, or unusually uncomfortable afterward, remove them and give your eyes a break.

What Happens if You Cry With Eye Makeup On?

Mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, concealer, and skincare products can all move toward your eyes when you cry. Your contact may trap some of that residue against the surface of your eye, causing burning, irritation, or blurry vision.

If makeup gets into your eye and your contact starts bothering you, wash and completely dry your hands before removing the lens. Throw away daily disposable contacts. Reusable contacts should be properly cleaned and disinfected before they’re worn again.

The FDA recommends putting contacts in before applying makeup and removing them before taking makeup off. This helps reduce the amount of makeup and remover that comes into contact with your lenses.

Why Do My Eyes Hurt After Crying in Contacts?

Your eyes may feel sore after crying because you’ve been rubbing them, your eyelids are swollen, makeup has gotten underneath a lens, or one of your contacts has shifted out of place.

Your contacts may also have been in for a long time before the crying even started. If you put them in early that morning and then cried at the end of the day, the lenses could already be dry or nearing the end of your normal wearing time.

Mild discomfort may improve once you remove your contacts and give your eyes a break. However, ongoing pain isn’t something you should ignore.

The FDA recommends removing your contacts and contacting an eye care professional if you experience pain, unusual redness, persistent blurry vision, light sensitivity, swelling, or significant irritation.

When Should I Call My Eye Doctor?

If your vision clears and your contacts feel normal once you’ve stopped crying, you probably don’t need to call your eye doctor.

However, you should remove your contacts and contact your eye doctor if you experience persistent pain, significant redness, discharge, sensitivity to light, swelling, or blurry vision that doesn’t go away.

You should also schedule an appointment if your contacts regularly move out of place or fall out, whether you’re crying or not. A properly fitted contact lens should remain relatively stable during normal daily activities.

FAQ

Will crying make my contact lenses fall out?

Usually not. A properly fitted contact lens should remain in place while you cry. Extra tears may make the lens move slightly, but rubbing or aggressively wiping your eyes is much more likely to make it fall out.

Can I cry while wearing contact lenses?

Yes. Tears are naturally present on the surface of your eyes, so it’s generally fine to cry while wearing contacts. Your vision may become temporarily blurry until the extra tears drain and your lenses settle.

Why do my contacts become blurry when I cry?

Extra tears create an uneven surface over your eyes and contacts. They can also make your lenses shift slightly, causing temporary blurry or fluctuating vision.

Should I take my contacts out after crying?

Not necessarily. You can leave them in if they still feel comfortable and your vision returns to normal. Remove them if they feel painful, scratchy, folded, or out of place.

Can rubbing my eyes make my contacts fall out?

Yes. Rubbing can push a contact onto the white part of your eye, fold it underneath your eyelid, or knock it out completely.

What should I do if my contact moves while I’m crying?

Stop rubbing your eye and blink normally several times. You can also use rewetting drops approved for contact lenses. If the lens remains uncomfortable or blurry, wash and dry your hands before removing it.

Can crying make a contact go behind my eye?

No. A contact lens cannot travel behind your eyeball. It can fold or slide underneath your upper eyelid, but a membrane prevents it from moving behind your eye.

Can I put a contact back in if it falls out?

Don’t put a daily disposable contact back in your eye. Throw it away and use a fresh one. A reusable lens must be properly cleaned and disinfected before you wear it again.

Is crying with makeup and contacts bad?

Crying may cause mascara, eyeliner, or other makeup to run into your eyes and get onto your contacts. If your lenses become blurry or uncomfortable, remove them with clean, dry hands.

Can tears clean my contact lenses?

No. Tears help keep your contacts moist, but they don’t properly clean or disinfect them. Reusable contacts still need to be cleaned and stored using the contact lens solution recommended by your eye doctor.

Why do my contacts hurt after I cry?

The discomfort may come from rubbing, swollen eyelids, makeup, dryness, or a lens that has shifted or folded. Remove your contacts if they hurt. If the pain, redness, or blurry vision continues, contact your eye doctor.