Are Microplastics from Contact Lenses a Health Concern?
August 11, 2025
In over 26 years of clinical practice, I have never had anyone express concern about microplastics from contact lenses harming their health. Until now. In the past month, three of my patients have asked about this. Keep in mind, the first soft hydrogel contact lenses were introduced in 1971. Contact lenses have a longstanding safe and effective track history.
The newfound interest in microplastics from contact lenses reflects our information ecosystem where social media relays perceived threats, “farther, faster, deeper, and more broadly than the truth.”
Viral Concern but Science is Slow and Methodical
The heightened concern over contact lenses and microplastics outstrips the scientific evidence to support the alarming perceived threats. While artificial intelligence now guides the algorithmic presentation of online media to capture attention with anxiety-provoking threats and outrage, the same technology can now synthesize high-level evidence to inform us.
Guidance on Contacts and Microplastics
Is concern even justified? According to a query using Open Evidence, the so-called “ChatGPT for Doctors”, the issue of contact lenses and microplastics is well-summarized as follows:
Microplastics resulting from contact lens wear are a potential health concern, but current evidence is insufficient to definitively establish their clinical impact on human health. Recent studies have demonstrated that contact lenses can release significant quantities of microplastics during wear and disposal, providing a direct route of exposure to the ocular surface and potentially to the internal eye environment. Microplastics have been detected in human vitreous humor, and higher levels have been associated with ocular health parameters such as intraocular pressure and aqueous humor opacities, suggesting possible implications for ocular health, particularly in individuals with pre-existing retinal disease.[1-4]
Experimental models indicate that microplastics can induce oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular apoptosis in ocular surface tissues, and may contribute to dry eye-like symptoms and conjunctival inflammation in animal models.[5-6] However, direct evidence of clinically significant harm in humans from microplastics specifically originating from contact lens wear is lacking, and the dose-response relationship, long-term effects, and individual susceptibility remain poorly characterized.[7-11]
Overall, while the presence and potential toxicity of microplastics from contact lenses are increasingly recognized, further research is needed to clarify the magnitude of risk and to inform clinical recommendations.[1][5]
Although large language models sometimes hallucinate, i.e. provide seemingly accurate information that is actually wrong, the Open Evidence summary above appears solid.
Absorption Through Ocular Tissue Unlikely
The healthy cornea is an effective protective barrier with an average pore size of the anterior basement membrane of 92 nanometers. This means that even the smallest microplastic of 1 micron is 92,000 times larger than the average pore size of the cornea’s protective anterior basement membrane. While the conjunctival tissue of the eye has a larger surface area and is more porous than the cornea, it is similarly unlikely for small microplastics to get systemically absorbed through the conjunctival tissue. The average pore size of the conjunctiva is approximately 3.0 nanometers, which means the smallest microplastic of 1 micron is still 3,000 times larger and unlikely to get systemically absorbed.
The TLDR on Contact Lens Microplastics
Microplastics from contact lens wear might pose a health risk although this appears a remote concern. Even so, there is not enough data to guide doctors and contact lens wearers to do things differently. The healthy tissue of the eye is a formidable barrier to even the smallest microplastic.
Some 45 million Americans wear contact lenses, and the efficacy and safety of soft contact lenses extends beyond five decades. The visual freedom of contact lenses brings an undeniable improvement to the quality of life. This includes improved performance at work, school, or at play. It also means greater safety when driving a vehicle. At the moment, the benefits of contact lenses outweigh the unproven and unlikely concern spread by social media. By comparison, there is greater health concern about consumption of microplastics from water stored in plastic bottles.
ReVision Optometry is a referral-based practice in San Diego providing contact lens services for patients with keratoconus. To schedule an appointment, request your appointment online, or call our office at 619.299.6064
References
1. High-Content Screening Discovers Microplastics Released by Contact Lenses Under Sunlight.
Liu Y, Ling X, Jiang R, et al. Environmental Science & Technology. 2023;57(23):8506-8513. doi:10.1021/acs.est.3c01601. Leading Journal
2. Nationwide Mass Inventory and Degradation Assessment of Plastic Contact Lenses in US Wastewater.
Rolsky C, Kelkar VP, Halden RU. Environmental Science & Technology. 2020;54(19):12102-12108. doi:10.1021/acs.est.0c03121. Leading Journal
3. Complementary Analysis for Undetectable Microplastics From Contact Lenses to Aquatic Environments via Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Lee J, Lee Y, Lee J, Kang M, Jeong S.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). 2023;28(9):3713. doi:10.3390/molecules28093713.
4. Revealing New Insights: Two-Center Evidence of Microplastics in Human Vitreous Humor and Their Implications for Ocular Health. Zhong Y, Yang Y, Zhang L, et al. The Science of the Total Environment. 2024;:171109. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171109. Leading Journal
5. Impact of Microplastics on the Ocular Surface. Wu D, Lim BXH, Seah I, et al. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023;24(4):3928. doi:10.3390/ijms24043928.
6. Polystyrene Microplastic Particles: In Vivo and in Vitro Ocular Surface Toxicity Assessment.
Zhou X, Wang G, An X, et al. Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987). 2022;303:119126. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119126. Leading Journal
7. Potential Human Health Risks Due to Environmental Exposure to Nano- And Microplastics and Knowledge Gaps: A Scoping Review. Rahman A, Sarkar A, Yadav OP, Achari G, Slobodnik J.
The Science of the Total Environment. 2021;757:143872. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143872. Leading Journal
8. Environmental Exposure to Microplastics: An Overview on Possible Human Health Effects.
Prata JC, da Costa JP, Lopes I, Duarte AC, Rocha-Santos T. The Science of the Total Environment. 2020;702:134455. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134455. Leading Journal
9. Evidence From in Vitro and in Vivo Studies on the Potential Health Repercussions of Micro- And Nanoplastics. González-Acedo A, García-Recio E, Illescas-Montes R, et al. Chemosphere. 2021;280:130826. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130826. Leading Journal
10. The Possible Impacts of Nano and Microplastics on Human Health: Lessons From Experimental Models Across Multiple Organs. Fontes BLM, de Souza E Souza LC, da Silva de Oliveira APS, et al.
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part B, Critical Reviews. 2024;27(4):153-187. doi:10.1080/10937404.2024.2330962. Leading Journal
11. The Potential Impact of Nano- And Microplastics on Human Health: Understanding Human Health Risks. Winiarska E, Jutel M, Zemelka-Wiacek M. Environmental Research. 2024;251(Pt 2):118535. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2024.118535. Leading Journal