In order to keep your contact lenses sterile – you must prevent them from coming in contact with water.
Unfortunately, it’s often too easy to let convenience take the upper hand over safety.
For example: you’re running late for a night out with friends, and you need to take a quick shower before heading out. But, time is running out. You decide to keep your contact lenses in while showering, instead of taking them out.
Convenient? For sure.
However, contact lenses and water are a potentially hazardous combination. Here’s why.
Contact Lenses & Swimming
While lounging poolside, you may consider wearing contact lenses for a dip.
Opting for contact lenses during swimming sessions may sound like a great idea, but unfortunately it’s not.
Water in swimming pools can contain countless, dangerous microbes and viruses. If you choose to wear your contacts in the pool, you’ll be putting your eyes at risk of irritations, infections, and even serious conditions such as corneal ulcers.
But don’t let the above put you off having fun in the water.
Here are three quick tips to help you swim safely while still being able to see clearly:
- If you’re a regular swimmer (or sportsperson), consider correcting your vision with laser eye surgery
- Use swim goggles, so you can keep wearing your contact lenses.
- Get yourself a pair of custom-made prescription swimming goggles (No need to wear contact lenses with these)
Bath Time & Showering While Wearing Contacts
This question can be answered with just two words… Absolutely not!
Soft contact lenses are porous and can easily absorb bacteria and chemicals. When water comes into contact with your lenses, there is a risk of eye irritation and infection.
When you slip into a hot tub, or take a quick shower – it’s inevitable that tap water will get into your eyes. It’s not just water either. Soaps and shampoos are prone to coming into contact with our eyes too. And again, soft contact lenses will likely absorb these products.
So, please don’t be tempted to keep your contact lenses in when bathing or showering.
Using Tap Water to Clean Contact Lenses
Years ago, a friend told me about his contact lenses cleaning routine…
He kept his hard lenses in a jar by the side of his bed filled with cold water. When it came to cleaning them (which he didn’t do very often), he simply used tap water to rinse his lenses.
I was shocked then – and I’m still shocked now thinking about it.
Luckily, my friend did not cause any damage to his eyes. However, he certainly put his eyes at risk of severe infections.
It can’t be stated enough. Tap water is riddled with germs and microbes that can quickly lead to your contact lenses being an eye health nightmare.
Fortunately, you don’t need to clean your lenses in water, as there are lots of cheap and effective contact lens cleaners on the market.
Hopefully, it’s clear from the above information that contact lenses and water should be kept well away from each other.
For the sake of your eye health, it’s critically important that you don’t clean your lenses with water, or allow water to come into contact with your lenses through activities such as bathing, showering and swimming.
Contact lens wearing should not prevent you from enjoying water activities – just be sure to follow the simple rules above.
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