Innocent mistake on long flight could have devastating consequences for travelers

An everyday habit during a long-haul flight could have painful consequences for certain travelers — with a recent case highlighting some serious dangers.

The dry air inside an airplane cabin, combined with hours spent wearing contact lenses during a long travel day, can leave the lenses with less moisture and eyes feeling increasingly uncomfortable , experts say.

In some cases, irritation or damage to the surface of the eye can lead to more serious problems.

FLIGHT ATTENDANTS BEG TRAVELERS TO STOP DOING THE ONE THING THAT ANNOYS CREWS MOST One traveler recently described temporarily losing vision in one eye after returning home from an international trip, according to the New York Post .

The woman said she wore her contact lenses throughout an 11-hour flight home from Greece and for roughly 24 hours of travel — while also wearing them while swimming and showering, according to the outlet.

Within days of returning home, the traveler developed pain and sensitivity to light before her vision significantly worsened.

Doctors eventually diagnosed her with a corneal ulcer .

She underwent weeks of treatment with eye drops and was left with a small scar that continues to blur part of her vision, the outlet reported.

Valerie Kattouf, an Illinois-based optometrist, told Fox News Digital that wearing contacts during extended flights can increase dry-eye symptoms and lead to irritation, a "sandy, gritty feeling" and intermittent blurred vision.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER "The cabin air has significantly reduced humidity that can actually remove moisture from the contact lens and create more dryness," Kattouf said.

Falling asleep during a long or overnight flight can add another concern for travelers wearing contacts.

"People often sleep on long flights , which contributes to more risk with contact [lens] wear," Kattouf said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES As a contact lens loses moisture, it may move less freely on the eye, Kattouf said.

Removing a particularly dry lens could potentially disturb the epithelium, the outer layer of the cornea, causing significant irritation and potentially affecting vision.