Bacterial colonization of the ocular surface and contact lens (CL) and recruitment of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) during overnight CL wear was examined in 11 asymptomatic wearers. The ocular surface was more frequently colonized than the CL, with commensal bacteria (P < 0.05). Following sleep, more bacteria were recovered from the CL compared with daily use (P < 0.05), and fewer PMN were recruited compared to sleep without CL wear (P < 0.05). Overnight CL wear may inhibit physiological PMN recruitment to the cornea by preventing their access, by modifying the chemotactic signal or by altering the activation state of the recruited cells.