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    Question

    Does smoking matter if you wear scleral lenses?

    It does. The FDA lists smoking among the things contact lens wearers shouldn't do, and studies link it to a higher risk of serious eye infection. Here's what's known, and what it means for scleral lens wearers.

    By the Scleral Lens Team · Last reviewed October 2, 2026 · 6 published sources cited

    The short answer

    Yes. The FDA notes that contact lens wearers who smoke have a higher rate of problems than nonsmokers, and studies of contact lens infections have found smoking to be a risk factor for serious infection. Most of that research is in soft lens wearers, not scleral lenses specifically, but there's no reason to think scleral lens wearers are exempt. Tell your fitter you smoke, wash your hands well before handling lenses, and follow the rest of the safety routine closely.

    Key points

    • The FDA says smokers who wear contact lenses have more problems.
    • Studies link smoking to a higher risk of serious contact lens infection.
    • Smoking is also linked to changes in the oil glands that protect the tear film.
    • Most of the evidence comes from soft lens wearers.
    • Wash your hands well before handling lenses, and tell your fitter you smoke.

    What the FDA says

    The FDA’s everyday safety advice for contact lens wearers includes a short list of things not to do. Smoking is on it: the agency notes that studies show smokers who wear contact lenses have a higher rate of problems (adverse reactions) than nonsmokers.[1]

    What studies show about infection

    Among the most serious contact lens complications are corneal ulcers and eye infections, which in rare cases can cause blindness.[6] Several studies have found smoking among its risk factors:

    • A 12-month national study in Australia identified 285 cases of contact lens-related corneal infection and compared them with 1,798 lens wearers without infection. Smoking was one of the independent risk factors, along with overnight wear and poor case hygiene.[2]
    • A related Australian study of daily wear lens users looked at 90 moderate and severe infections. Smokers had about 3.7 times the risk of a moderate or severe infection.[3]
    • A 2024 US study of soft lens wearers found that among people who had a bacterial corneal infection, current smokers were more likely to have severe disease.[4]

    An honest caveat: these studies were mostly in soft lens wearers, and none was specific to scleral lenses. We didn’t find research on smoking in scleral lens wearers. But scleral lenses carry the same basic infection risks as other contact lenses, so the FDA’s advice applies.

    Smoking and the tear film

    Smoking may also affect comfort. In a study comparing 104 long-term smokers with 44 nonsmokers, heavier smoking was linked to more loss of the meibomian glands (the oil glands in the eyelids) and a less stable tear film.[5] That was a single cross-sectional study, so it shows an association, not cause and effect. A less stable tear film can affect how well the front of a scleral lens stays wet and clear. If you have severe dry eye, this may matter more.

    What you can do

    • If you’re thinking about quitting, this is one more reason. Ask your doctor about support.
    • Wash your hands thoroughly with plain soap and dry them before handling lenses. Anything on your fingers can end up on the lens.
    • Keep smoke away from your face while handling lenses and cases.
    • Never sleep in your lenses, and follow the rest of the routine closely. Other risk factors, like overnight wear and poor case hygiene, add to the risk.[2] See can you sleep in scleral lenses.
    • Tell your fitter you smoke, and keep your follow-up visits.

    For a fuller look at infection risk and how to lower it, see are scleral lenses safe?

    Common questions

    Does vaping count?

    We didn't find studies on vaping and contact lens infections specifically, so we can't give you numbers. The safest assumption is to keep any smoke or vapor away from your eyes and lenses and to wash your hands before handling them. Ask your eye doctor about your own situation.

    Is secondhand smoke a problem for my lenses?

    Smoky rooms can make eyes feel irritated, with or without lenses. The studies above looked at people who smoke themselves. If smoke bothers your eyes while you're wearing lenses, step away, and use preservative-free artificial tears your fitter approves.

    Should I tell my fitter I smoke?

    Yes. It's part of your risk picture, alongside things like your eye condition and how you care for your lenses, and it can affect the advice they give you.

    Keep reading

    Can you sleep in scleral lenses?

    No. Take your scleral lenses out before any sleep, including a short nap. Across contact lens wearers, sleeping in lenses raises the risk of eye infection six- to eightfold, and closing your eyes over a scleral lens cuts the oxygen reaching your cornea further. The only exception is supervised medical treatment that a doctor prescribes for a specific eye condition.

    Can you wear scleral lenses every day?

    Yes. Scleral lenses are daily wear lenses: you put them in each morning and take them out every night, and many people wear them most days of the week for years. Studies of daytime wear find only small, mostly reversible changes in the cornea. What keeps daily wear safe is the routine: clean and disinfect every night, never sleep in them, follow your fitter's hours, and keep your follow-up visits.

    How often should you see your scleral lens fitter?

    As often as your fitter recommends: there's no one schedule for everyone. Expect several visits during the fitting itself, then regular check-ups once your lenses are settled. Keep them even when your lenses feel fine, because some problems, like corneal swelling, can develop without symptoms. Book sooner if your vision, comfort, or the look of your eye changes, and call the same day for pain, worsening redness, light sensitivity, or vision that doesn't clear.

    Sources

    1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Everyday Eye Care (contact lenses). Content current as of December 4, 2023. fda.gov
    2. Stapleton F, Keay L, Edwards K, et al. The incidence of contact lens-related microbial keratitis in Australia. Ophthalmology. 2008;115(10):1655-1662. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2008.04.002 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
    3. Stapleton F, Edwards K, Keay L, et al. Risk factors for moderate and severe microbial keratitis in daily wear contact lens users. Ophthalmology. 2012;119(8):1516-1521. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2012.01.052 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
    4. Szczotka-Flynn LB, Raghupathy S, Shah S, Suri K, Briggs F, Iyengar SK. Risk factors for bacterial keratitis and severe disease in hydrogel contact lens users: a multicenter case-control study and case-only analysis. Eye Contact Lens. 2024;50(11):461-466. doi:10.1097/ICL.0000000000001125 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
    5. Chen T, Wang R, Liang S, Feng J. Impact of smoking exposure on meibomian gland morphology and tear film stability: a cross-sectional study. Front Med (Lausanne). 2025;12:1711567. doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1711567 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
    6. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Contact Lens Risks. Content current as of September 4, 2018. fda.gov

    Last updated October 2, 2026. Found an error or a newer study? Let us know and we'll correct the page.