MALAYSIA'S heat is no joke, and with temperatures regularly nudging 35°C and above, contact lens wearers have been rattled by a viral claim that the scorching weather could literally melt their lenses inside their eyes.
A post on Threads describing someone whose contact lens allegedly dissolved in their eye due to the heat sent the internet into a mild panic.
Can hot weather really cause your contact lenses to dissolve in your eyes?
Verdict:
FALSE
Contact lenses cannot melt or dissolve in the eye due to hot weather, according to a fact-check by MyCheck.my, though heat can cause lenses to dry out and become uncomfortable.
The claim originated from a post on Threads by user @fatyn_shaa, which described an individual who allegedly experienced vision problems after their contact lens purportedly melted in their eye due to the heat, sparking concern and debate among netizens.
Many commenters were sceptical, noting that contact lenses do not melt but instead dry out with prolonged wear or exposure to heat, and some pointed out that lenses can tear or stick to the eye when they become too dry.
MyCheck.my contacted the Health Ministry, which referred the matter to the Malaysian Optical Council (MOC), whose response was unequivocal.
MOC explained that contact lenses are medical devices regulated under the Medical Devices Act 2012 and are manufactured from stable materials specifically designed to withstand body temperature and normal environmental conditions, including hot weather.
Crucially, during the manufacturing process, contact lenses are sterilised at temperatures between 121°C and 132°C to eliminate bacteria, which means the ambient temperatures experienced in Malaysia are nowhere near sufficient to cause them to melt in the eye.
The Medical Device Authority (MDA) confirmed that contact lenses are made from special polymer materials such as hydrogel or silicone hydrogel, which are stable at human physiological temperatures.
Before being sold in Malaysia, contact lenses must undergo strict safety and performance evaluations including material stability assessments under the Medical Devices Regulations 2012.
The MDA also confirmed that to date, no reports or complaints had been received regarding contact lenses melting in the eye.
Assistant Professor of Optometry at the International Islamic University Malaysia's Kuantan campus, Ts Dr Shah Farez Othman, who has 22 years of experience as an educator and researcher and 27 years as an optometry specialist, told MyCheck.my the claim was false.
"Contact lenses are made from heat-resistant polymer materials that do not easily melt at normal ambient temperatures, including in hot weather conditions," he said.
What hot weather can do, however, is reduce the water content in the lens, causing it to absorb moisture from the eye and making it dry and uncomfortable.
According to the MDA, in hot or dry conditions contact lenses may experience dehydration, causing the lens to feel less comfortable, temporary sticking to the eye surface due to reduced lubrication, irritation including stinging, redness or a gritty sensation, and temporary blurred vision due to changes in lens shape when dry.
These symptoms, the MDA noted, may be misinterpreted as the lens having melted, but are in fact caused by drying out rather than any physical breakdown of the lens material.
Optometry store manager Tee Bee Yuen, who has over 20 years of experience in the field, echoed this, saying that while contact lenses would not melt under normal circumstances, product quality played an important role.
"Normally, contact lenses will not melt, but the quality of the product plays an important role," he said, advising consumers to purchase contact lenses only from registered sellers and optical shops.
The MOC reminded the public that contact lenses may only be sold by optometrists and opticians registered with the council under Sections 29(2), 30 and 36 of the Opticians Act 1991, and that buying lenses without a comprehensive eye examination risked serious complications including blindness.
Contact lens wearers are advised to follow recommended wearing periods, use appropriate lens care solutions, keep their hands and lenses clean, use preservative-free artificial tear drops to maintain eye moisture, wear sunglasses for UV protection outdoors and seek professional advice if discomfort persists.
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