Can You Swim in Contact Lenses?

Contact lenses are a great alternative to prescription glasses, especially for people who lead active lifestyles. They're an efficient way to correct refractive errors that could blur vision. There's no risk of them falling off, making them more comfortable to wear when doing physical activities and sports like swimming.

Can you wear contacts in the ocean, though? How about wearing contacts in the pool? This blog answers these questions and more about wearing contacts in the water.

Is Swimming With Contacts Safe?

The short answer is no. Swimming with your contacts puts you at risk of several eye issues, which may lead to severe infection or permanent eye damage. If you can't help swimming in the pool with contact lenses, remove them immediately after. Soak your contacts in a sterile solution for 24 hours or replace them with daily or monthly lenses. Rest your eyes for a bit, and wear eyeglasses instead.

Can You Open Your Eyes Underwater With Contacts In?

Contacts aren't meant to be in contact with any type of water other than a contact lens solution. Wearing them when swimming and opening your eyes underwater is highly discouraged. Doing so exposes your eyes to acanthamoeba, a type of amoeba found in water. If you really must open your eyes underwater, wearing goggles is recommended.

The Risks of Wearing Contacts When Swimming

Swimming with your contact lenses exposes you to multiple risks that can cause significant damage to your eyes, including:

• Irritation: Saltwater and chlorine can irritate your eyes and cause discomfort or blurry vision. It can make your eyes red and extremely sensitive to light.
• Corneal abrasions: Swimming in saltwater can draw water out of your eyes, making your contacts tight and difficult to remove. Trying to remove tight lenses increases the chance of corneal damage.
• Eye infection: Acanthamoeba keratitis is a severe and painful eye infection caused by contaminated contact lenses. It's difficult to treat and can lead to blindness if not treated properly.
• Loss of lenses: Swimming in freshwater can cause your contacts to absorb water and become loose. You may lose your lenses while swimming, especially if you open your eyes underwater.

Symptoms to Look for After Swimming With Contacts In

If you wear contacts to the beach or swimming pool, watch for these symptoms of possible eye infection:

• Irritated, sore eyes
• Red eyes
• Itchy eyes
• Watery or teary eyes
• Eye discharge
• Blurred vision

Sometimes, you can't avoid swimming or getting in the water while wearing your contact lenses. Remove your contacts as soon as you get out of the water to protect your eyes from irritation or possible infection.

Shop Affordable Brand-Name Contact Lenses

Lenses for Less offers a wide selection of high-quality contact lenses at affordable prices. We have lenses from leading brands, including Acuvue, Air Optix and Biofinity, and lenses for daily, monthly or yearly use. Shop our lenses today or take an online vision test for a prescription.