Contacts and More From Our Houston Optometrist

At Eye Site, our Houston optometrist is proud to offer a wide range of eye and vision care services to meet your needs. Whether you're due for a comprehensive eye exam, need a new pair of glasses, or are experiencing symptoms of an eye condition, our experienced and skilled optometry team is here for you. This time of year, many of our patients ask us about swimming with their contacts in. Unfortunately, it is not something we recommend, as there are many risks that can come along with it. However, there are some alternatives and ways to protect your eyes while swimming—and we'd love to share these with you!

Why You Shouldn't Wear Contacts While Swimming

We never recommend that patients wear contacts while swimming or while coming into contact with water in a shower, tub, or other scenarios. Not only does swimming with contact lenses make it more likely that you will end up losing one or more of your contacts in the water, but wearing them in the water can be downright dangerous to your health. If you're swimming in a lake or other natural body of water, remember that there are all kinds of bacteria and organisms in the water that could easily become trapped between your contact lens and your eye. This could ultimately lead to a serious infection that may cause permanent vision loss, so it's not worth the risk.

Even if you're swimming in a chlorinated pool, you should still refrain from wearing contact lenses while in the water. Chlorine is known to be irritating to eyes, and this can be especially true if it becomes trapped behind your contact lens and directly on your eye.

How to Protect Your Eyes While Swimming

We understand that it can be frustrating to swim when you can't see clearly, and traditional eyeglasses are not practical to wear in the water. For this reason, some patients will wear swim goggles with their contact lenses in. If you choose to go this route, make sure you find a pair of quality swim goggles that will fit tightly to your face so that no water leaks in. We recommend testing them out for awhile (without your contacts in) until you're confident they won't leak. If your goggles do leak, the best course of action is to immediately get out of the water, remove your contacts, and clean them thoroughly. You may also want to flush your eyes with cool, fresh, clean water to reduce the risk of infection or irritation as well.

Another alternative to consider is that of ordering a pair of prescription swim goggles. These are created with lenses that match your corrective vision prescription so you can see clearly and safely while spending time in the water. These can be a great investment for people who need corrective lenses but who also like to spend a lot of time swimming, as they do not come with the risks that wearing contacts in the water does. Furthermore, swim goggles are much more functional than trying to wear traditional glasses in the water.

If you're interested in finding out more about how to protect your eyes without sacrificing your ability to see in the water, our team at Eye Site is happy to help!

Got Questions? Contact Our Katy Optometry Team To Schedule An Appointment!

If you're in need of an updated contact lens exam or have other questions about safely wearing your contact lenses, feel free to contact our Katy optometry team. You can reach Eye Site by calling either of our area locations in Katy or Memorial. 

What steps will you take to protect your eyes while swimming this summer?

SWIMMING WITH CONTACTS