How long can contacts stay out of there original package, just sitting in solution?

Question

I bring and extra pair or contacts 2 school for emergencies. How long can i keep them just sitting in solution before i have to get another emergency pair?

Answer 1

If they are soft contacts, change the solution every 2 or 3 days and they will last years. Make sure to keep the case clean, and have an extra bottle of solution with you and that emergency pair will last years. It's not the contacts that go bad, the solution does. Sealed in it's blister pack, they lenses have a 3-4 year shelf life (but it's sterilized), the solution will go bad after 3-4 years, so if you chane the solution, you are good for the whole year.

Answer 2

Solution should be changed every other day.

A better idea is keep an unopened pair, in original packaging, in your backpack as the emergency pair.

Answer 3

Are they soft, gas permiables, hard?  That is going to make a big difference.