Do Not Wear Contact Lenses While Showering or Swimming
Contact lens technology has improved dramatically since all you had to do was apply hard plastic chips to your eyeball. But even with all the optical enhancements, doctors still recommend avoiding certain activities while wearing contact lenses – and you might be surprised to know that showering and swimming are on this list.
As a former contact lens wearer (and now a regular eyeglass aficionado), I remember how luxurious it was to wear contact lenses in the shower and actually see my legs trying to shave them. It’s the same with swimming (without shaving your legs). But as it turns out, I really shouldn’t have done the same with contacts, and you probably shouldn’t either. Lifehacker spoke with two ophthalmologists about these safety concerns. Here’s what you need to know.
Water and contacts do not mix
The American Academy of Ophthalmology guidelines for showering or swimming with contact lenses are pretty simple: they don’t recommend doing it. The main reason for this, Howard R. Krauss , M.D., a surgical neuro-ophthalmologist at Providence St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, told Lifehacker, is that contact lenses are like sponges and trap amoeba, bacteria, viruses and toxic chemicals. which will increase the risk of eye damage.
According to Benjamin Burt , MD, an ophthalmologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, pool and hot tub water is known to harbor the acanthamoeba parasite, which can cause serious and sometimes blinding corneal infections. But as Krauss points out, acanthamoeba can also be present in municipal tap water as well as freshwater ponds, lakes and rivers. “Water in the eyes can cause the acanthamoeba to enter the contact lens, which gives it a significant amount of time to migrate and eventually enter the cornea to cause infection,” explains Burt.
According to Burt, 80 percent of cases of acanthamoeba-related keratitis occur in contact lens wearers, so the risk is definitely higher than in the general population. And if you do get sick with the disease, starting treatment right away is vital. He explains that symptoms often include severe pain, blurred vision, and photosensitivity. The bad news is that the infection can progress and cause severe damage to the cornea, leading to scarring or even perforation, requiring urgent corneal transplantation.
The good news is that infections with acanthameba are quite rare. “As long as there is good contact lens hygiene and there are no sources that might contain acanthameba, the risks are pretty low,” says Burt.
What to do if water gets into your eyes while wearing contact lenses
If you accidentally put on your contact lenses in the shower or while swimming, Krauss says it’s safest to remove your contact lenses and replace them with new ones. Of course, this will be most practical for daily lens wearers. If your contact lenses aren’t disposable, Burt says, be sure to clean your lens thoroughly before inserting it into your eye.
Other things to keep in mind
Of course, as Krauss notes, life is a minefield and there is never a completely safe option in any solution. In most cases, it is best to never wear contact lenses for eye health, he said. But an estimated 45 million Americans who wear contact lenses are probably not going to switch to glasses or choose LASIK for fear of contracting a parasitic infection. If you fall into this category, Krauss stresses the importance of removing contacts before bed. This is because when the cornea becomes relatively deprived of oxygen when your eyes are closed, the risk of infection is fourteen times that of daily wearing contact lenses.
On the other hand, a person with very poor eyesight who chooses not to wear contact lenses for fear of acanthamoeba may be more likely to slip and break their neck, Krauss says. In fact, he notes that showering, rafting, or swimming are activities that regularly lead to a higher risk of injury or death than the incidence of acanthamoebic keratitis. So really everything has its risks – just do your best. But try pulling those pins out before you shower or swim.