Swimming with your contacts in is very risky because it can lead to an eye infection, which can then develop into something more serious, including vision loss. This is something you can easily prevent by removing your contacts before you go for a swim. Take them out before you jump into a pool or ocean, and you won’t have to worry because your sight will not be at risk.
Leaving your contacts into swim is a very bad idea because it’s not safe. Many people think it’s not a big deal, but this is wrong because it can be extremely dangerous to swim with contacts because they do not react well to water. Contact lenses and water are a terrible combination because the water will cause them to swell and to become distorted. Water will also cause your contacts to stick to your eyeballs, so simply put, it’s a bad idea to wear them while swimming.
There are two main types of contacts, including rigid gas permeable lenses, which can be knocked out from your eyes when you’re in the water and soft contact lenses, which are porous and can absorb whatever is lurking in the water. This means bacteria and other germs can easily settle in your eyes when you go swimming with your contacts on, so you have to remember to take them out. This is true regardless of the water, so don’t assume that chlorinated swimming pool water or salty seawater is clean because that’s not true, and all types of water can negatively affect your eyes. Swimming pool water, seawater and freshwater can all irritate your eyes because they can all contain bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms, so you have to be very careful.
You need to protect your lenses from exposure to any kind of water, and if your contact lenses ever get wet, you must take them out immediately. If they are reusable lenses, it is recommended that you disinfect them overnight, but it’s better to buy new lenses if you want to be on the safe side.
If you require vision correction while swimming, you can leave your contact lenses in, but you need to wear quality swimming goggles; however, with most goggles, water can still get in, so it’s recommended that you throw out your contacts as soon as they get wet and replace them with a fresh pair. If vision is important while swimming, we suggest that you invest in a pair of prescription swimming goggles. Lastly, laser eye surgery is another option you can look into, and this will eliminate the need to wear glasses or lenses, so you can jump in a pool freely without worrying about your eyes or vision.
Orangeville Optometric Centre can look after all of your eye care needs. Whether you need an eye test, eyeglass frames, laser eye surgery, contact lenses, or an eye exam, we do it all, so if you’re looking for a reputable optometrist in Orangeville, contact us today!
