You might not know that it’s a bad idea to swim with your contact lenses in. However, if you do go in the pool while wearing them, you could be opening yourself up to infections or even lasting eye damage. Here’s a guide to swimming when you wear contacts.

A Guide to Swimming & Contact Lenses

What Can Happen If You Swim with Contacts in?

Swimming in a pool, lake, hot tub, or the ocean with your contact lenses can be very dangerous. This is because the water you swim in has bacteria, even if it’s chlorinated. This water can cause eye infections, even if you don’t wear contacts. However, if you do, the lens can actually trap bacteria in your eye and lead to bigger problems.

If you swim with your lenses, you could experience dry eyes or irritation. Water takes away the moisture in your eyes, making your vision blurry or fuzzy. Usually, this will subside quickly, especially if you remove your lenses.

However, swimming with contacts can lead to bigger problems. You might develop pink eye from bacteria, especially if you swim in a pool. The most dangerous infection you might get is called Acanthamoeba keratitis. This happens when an amoeba enters your eye and takes up residence there. These infections are rare but can cause severe damage, including permanent vision loss.

How Can You Swim Safely If You Wear Contact Lenses?

If you can, take your contacts out before you go swimming. You can wear your glasses or just deal with some blurry vision in the pool. If this is not possible, consider using a pair of disposable daily contacts in the water, and dispose of your lenses and replace them when you’re done swimming. 

Never wear gas permeable contact lenses in the water, as they’re more likely to fall out as you swim. If you wore your permanent contacts in the water without knowing the dangers, call your eye doctor for advice. In the future, consider wearing waterproof goggles to protect your contacts while you swim.

Dr. Michael R. Schmit can help you with any issues you have with your contact lenses. He’s an experienced optometrist with over 30 years of experience who helps clients across White Oak, OH, and the surrounding area. He can help you get new contact lenses that you can wear full- or part-time to suit your busy lifestyle. Visit the website to learn more or call (513) 741-8811 to schedule an appointment.