Do contact lenses expire?

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.

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.

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.