Are you considering wearing your contact lenses to go swimming? Then read this article before you do. Find out why it is never safe to wear lenses in lakes and rivers, and what you need to do if wearing them in the ocean or in chlorinated pools.

What You Need to Know About Wearing Contact Lenses in the Water

Wearing contact lenses in lakes and rivers

You should never wear contact lenses in any lakes or rivers because such water may be home to various viruses and bacteria. Contact lenses unfortunately provide a suitable environment for these microbes to colonize.

One particularly dangerous organism that may be found in lakes and rivers is known as the Acanthamoeba. According to All About Vision, the Acanthamoeba may infect the cornea and could ultimately lead to vision loss.

Wearing contact lenses in the ocean

The ocean is less likely to contain dangerous microbes, but swimming in it with contact lenses does still call for precautions. You should not go under water while wearing contacts, and if you do, you should either keep your eyes closed or be wearing goggles.

Another issue with wearing contacts in the ocean is that the salty water may actually cause your lens to remove itself from your eye and float away. So don’t wear your contacts in the ocean if you are afraid of losing them!

Wearing contact lenses in a chlorinated pool

Properly chlorinated pools pose a much lower risk of contamination, so some people do choose to wear their contact lenses while swimming in them. However, the chlorine in a pool will likely cause your contact to dry out and irritate your eyes. They may also be difficult to remove afterwards.

You can soothe your eyes and make your contacts easier to remove by using artificial tears and waiting for about half an hour. You should also strive to use goggles at all times while underwater in a chlorinated pool.

What to do if you get water on your contact lenses

Once again, you should not wear contact lenses in lakes and rivers under any circumstances. But if you do choose to wear them in the ocean or in a pool and if they are were exposed to water, then according to Contact Lens Safety, your lenses must be removed and properly cleaned and disinfected before being worn again.

You can save yourself this hassle by using daily disposable contacts instead. This way, if they do come into contact with water, you can simply toss them out and put in a new pair. If you know your prescription, then you can buy lenses for a good price online at places such as the Lenstore website, where you will be able to take your pick of daily disposable lenses.

It’s up to you to take care of your eyes. It is not recommended to wear contacts in any sort of water, but if you absolutely must because it would be uncomfortable or even dangerous for you not to be able to see, then protect your lenses with goggles and protect your eyes by using daily disposables.