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Should I (or My Kids) Be Swimming with Contact Lenses?
Spring and summer are coming, which means more of us will be enjoying time with our friends and family around the pool! While always a fun time, it’s important to consider water safety, especially for your eyes.
For those of us who wear contacts or glasses, spending time in the pool comes with a little frustration. For example, wearing glasses in the pool can be annoying. You’ll likely deal with water spots and glares and will need to be careful not to damage your frames. However, not wearing contacts or glasses isn’t an ideal situation either—depending on the severity of your prescription.
So, wearing contacts might seem like a safe compromise for some fun in the sun. But, can you safely wear your contacts in the pool?
Can my contact lenses be worn in the pool?
The short answer is no. The FDA, CDC, AOA
and pretty much all health-affiliated organizations or agencies recommend not mixing contacts and water. The main reason is because contact lenses are made with soft, porous material, and swimming with contact lenses creates an opportunity for your eyes to become contaminated and infected because of bacteria. If not treated, this could lead to illness or even eventual blindness. Most commonly, contacts and water contamination results in eye infections or irritations.
Now, this isn’t meant to sound alarmist; many people (especially teenagers and young adults) admit to ignoring this recommendation. However, vision care is critical and important to consider. Water of all kinds—tap, distilled, chlorinated, ocean, salt, fresh, etc—contain contaminants, which includes bacteria, viruses, and microbes that can harm your eyes.
But, what if I do wear my contacts in water?
If you wear your contacts in the pool, don’t get your face wet, touch your eyes, or try to open your eyes underwater (This is a very easy way for bacteria to pass through and become trapped behind your contact lenses).
If you wear your contacts in or around any body of water—whether that be a pool, lake, or ocean—clean your contact lenses thoroughly with cleaning solution immediately after exposure to the water. Soak your lenses in clean solution for at least 12 hours. In the meantime, flush your eyes out with warm water or eye drops and wear glasses. This will help ensure that your contacts are clean and that your eyes have time to flush out any bacteria.
Better yet, throw the contacts you wore in the water away. It’s important to switch out your lenses frequently to keep your eyes healthy. Daily disposable lenses are the safest because they are not meant to be worn more than once. However, it should again be stated that wearing contacts in water should not be a frequent occurrence due to the risk for infection.
So, how can I protect my eyes and see around water?
Swim goggles are one option to help protect your eyes, while also wearing contacts around the pool. Goggles are waterproof so they keep water away from your eyes and allow you to see. Some goggles also come with UV protection, so you can amp up pool safety by keeping the sun’s rays at bay!
For frequent or competitive swimmers, prescription swim goggles are a great option.
To find out how you can best protect your eyes in the pool, talk to your eye doctor. He or she can help determine which option is best for you and make sure you (or your children) don’t have to miss out on fun in the sun!
Dr. Steven C. Mather 1401 Union Street Lafayette, Indiana 47904 765.742.1955 Dear Esteemed Patients, After 43 years of dedicated service, it is with mixed emotions that I announce my retirement from my medical practice as of March 9th. It has been an incredible journey, one that I have cherished every moment of, and I am looking forward to spending more time on my new title of Grandpa. Our practice has rich history that dates back to 1946 with Dr. Peterson and in 1959 my uncle, Dr. Robert Mather, succeeded him. I was overjoyed to continue his legacy when I took over the practice in 1989. Over the years, we have built strong relations with our patients, and for that, we are profoundly grateful. Your loyalty and trust have been the driving force behind our success, and we cannot thank you enough for allowing us to be part of your lives for the past 78 years. I am thrilled to inform you that I have chosen to entrust the future of our practice to our friends at Norman and Miller Eyecare. They bring with them a wealth of knowledge, skill, and compassion, ensuring that you will continue to receive the highest quality of care. As I embark on this new chapter of my life, I do so with deep sense of gratitude and appreciation for each and every one of you. While I will miss seeing your familiar faces in the office, I am confident that you will be in excellent hands with Norman and Miller Eyecare. Please join me in welcoming them to our practice and continuing to entrust them with your healthcare needs. They share our commitment to providing personalized, compassionate care, and I am confident that they will uphold the legacy that we have worked so hard to build. They will continue to serve you at our 1401 Union Street location, however, if there is a location more convenient to you, your records will be available at all Norman and Miller Eyecare locations. Thank you once again for your trust and support over the years. It has been an honor and privilege to serve you, and I look forward to watching our practice flourish under the new leadership. With Warm Regards,
Check out our eye safety tips for the pool to make sure that you and your family have a safe and fun spring break and are prepared for summer!
Getting kids to wear glasses can be difficult, but our quick tips make it easier. From making sure their glasses fit to finding cool frames, we can help!