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High-Content Screening Discovers Microplastics Released by Contact Lenses under Sunlight
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Using a high-content screening method, researchers discovered that contact lenses release microplastic particles when exposed to sunlight. The study detected hundreds of particles shed from lenses after UV exposure, with quantity varying by lens brand and material. Since contact lenses sit directly on the eye, this finding raises questions about a previously unrecognized route of microplastic exposure.
The widespread use of plastic products leads to the ubiquity of microplastics in daily life, while the release of microplastics from long-used contact lenses has not been reported due to the limitations of conventional detection methods. Here, we established a new and rapid method to capture and count microplastics by using a high-content screening system. This method can simultaneously measure the diameter, area, and shape of each plastic particle, and the reliability and applicability of this method were verified with commercial microplastics. It is estimated that 90,698 particles of microplastics could be released from a pair of contact lenses during a year of wearing. The microplastics in the leachates were confirmed to be released from the contact lenses by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy fingerprint analysis. Our study reveals an undiscovered pathway of microplastic direct exposure to humans, highlighting the urgent need to assess the potential health risks caused by eye exposure to microplastics.
More Papers Like This
Contact lens microplastics: rapid Py-TOFMS quantification and ocular health risk assessment.
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Researchers developed a fast lab method to measure tiny plastic particles released from contact lenses under conditions like soaking, heating, and UV light exposure. All tested lenses released microplastics, with UV light causing the most release, raising questions about potential risks to eye health.
Assessing Particle Release from Intraocular Lenses with a Combination of OptoFluidic Force Induction, μ-Raman and μ-FTIR
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Seven types of intraocular lens implants were analyzed over 30 days using optical and spectroscopic methods, with all types releasing detectable polymer particles into surrounding fluid — raising concern about chronic microplastic exposure directly within the eye.
Microplastic contamination associated with contact lenses and related ophthalmic materials under real-world conditions
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If you wear contact lenses, tiny plastic particles may be getting into your eyes not just from the lenses themselves, but from the packaging, storage cases, and cleaning solutions you use every day — and the longer you wear a pair of lenses, the more of these particles show up. Researchers found microplastics in every type of sample they tested, suggesting most of these particles come from outside sources rather than the lens material breaking down. It's still unclear whether this buildup on the eye's surface actually harms your health, but it's a good reminder to keep lens cases clean and replace them regularly while scientists dig deeper.
The fate of flushed contact lenses
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This news piece summarizes research finding that many of the estimated 45 million contact lens wearers in the United States flush worn lenses down drains, where they degrade into microplastic pollutants. The study from Arizona State University traces contact lens materials through wastewater treatment and into environmental systems.
Nationwide Mass Inventory and Degradation Assessment of Plastic Contact Lenses in US Wastewater
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Researchers conducted a nationwide mass inventory of disposable contact lenses in US wastewater, finding that 21% of lens users flush used lenses down the drain, contributing an estimated 44,000 kg per year of lens dry mass to US wastewater systems. Biological treatment partially degraded the lenses but failed to fully prevent lens fragments from entering aquatic environments, identifying contact lenses as a previously underappreciated microplastic pollution source.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.