Is It Safe To Swim With Contact Lenses?

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Today’s article will examine whether it is safe to swim with contact lenses, what to do if water gets in your eyes, and safety tips to keep in mind when swimming with contact lenses.

Why Avoid Wearing Contacts While Swimming?

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Swimming with contact lenses is usually not a good idea and is highly unrecommended in most cases.

In addition to possibly losing your contacts, swimming with contact lenses in all types of water, even in chemical-treated pools, causes bacteria and viruses to enter your eyes and get trapped inside the lenses. As a result, you might develop an eye infection and other eye-related issues.

Overall, swimming with contacts can irritate and even damage your eyes. Moreover, you might contract amoeba and suffer from a rare eye condition named Acanthamoeba keratitis, which can lead to permanent vision loss in some cases.

Swimming with contacts may increase your risk of the following eye issues:

  • Corneal ulcers
  • Corneal abrasion
  • Eye irritation or inflammation
  • Eye infections
  • Dry eyes

What To Do After Swimming With Contact Lenses?

You should remove your contacts as soon as possible when water gets in your eyes to minimize the risk of eye infection and irritation.

After disinfecting your contact lenses, it’s crucial to look out for any symptoms of eye infection, as this extra measure will prevent possible eye infections from worsening.

Signs of eye infection might include:

  • Red eyes
  • Itchy eyes
  • Watery eyes
  • Eye pain
  • Swelling
  • Feeling like something is stuck inside your eyes

Safety Tips For Contact Lens Wearers

girl smiling wearing swimming goggle in the pool Is It Safe To Swim With Contact Lenses

Swimming with contact lenses should always be discouraged, but if you need to wear contacts while swimming:

  • Use daily disposable contact lenses.
  • Use swimming goggles to protect your eyes.
  • Rinse your eyes immediately after swimming.
  • Soak your contacts in contact lens solution for 24 hours.

A better solution is:

  • Consider getting Ortho-K lenses or LASIK surgery to improve your vision.

If you suffer from an eye disorder, get an exam today to find the best treatment for your eyes.

Every patient deserves top-quality eye care from us. European Eye Center focuses on providing Western-standard services and determining appropriate treatment plans to help patients restore their vision in a feel-like-home atmosphere.

We are happy to help if you have questions about swimming with contact lenses or other conditions and our primary services. Don’t hesitate to connect with us at appointment@europeaneyecenter.com 

Contact us today to schedule an eye care service!

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Ann De Fraye

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