More BrandsWater may be the stuff of life but it is definitely not a friend to your contact lenses. And since summer is the season of beaches and swimming pools, here are some important guidelines for contact lens-wearing swimmers who want to avoid unnecessary complications.
The safest option is to resist the temptation to swim when you have your contacts on, according to a list of tips compiled by AllAboutVision.com. Any water is bad for contact lenses, including the kind that flows from the tap. The risk of eye infection is even greater if your lenses come in contact with the water you are swimming in, be it in the pool, the sea, the ocean, a river or a lake. If any swimming is to be undertaken wearing lenses, it should be done with goggles on. If you get water in your eyes, remove your contact lenses as soon as possible and clean and disinfect them to minimise the risk of eye infection.
Aside from taking precautions when you go swimming with contact lenses, you should also keep in mind that the type of lenses you are wearing is also important. You should never swim with your contacts on if they are of the rigid gas permeable kind since they are more likely to fall out. This is less of a danger with soft contact lenses but they have a more porous surface, meaning that chemicals and bacteria from the water will find it easier to reach the eye. The safest bet for swimmers is daily disposable lenses. They are designed for single use so you do not need to concern yourself with cleaning and disinfecting.
