Soft lenses or contact lenses can help you see clearly. Wearing contact lenses instead of glasses is considered more practical for everyday activities. However, for those of you who enjoy swimming, wearing contact lenses raises a number of concerns. Is it safe to swim with contact lenses?

Is it safe to swim with contact lenses on?

Wearing contact lenses while swimming can cause several eye problems. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends removing soft lenses when you want to swim, either in the pool or at the beach.

The risk of bacterial and amoebic infections

According to Healthline, swimming while wearing contact lenses can cause long-term vision impairments. Contact lenses worn while swimming can absorb water, creating a breeding ground for bacteria that are harmful to the eyes, particularly when swimming in the sea. This is because the bacteria found on beaches is more diverse and dangerous than those found in swimming pools.

Furthermore, swimming in pools can be dangerous when wearing contact lenses. Chlorine, which is commonly used to treat pool water, does not eliminate all bacteria. If you swim with contact lenses, these bacteria may still enter your eyes through them.

Swimming or bathing with contact lenses also poses a risk of eye infections caused by amoeba. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), several amoebas live in tap water commonly used during bathing. A type of amoeba called Acanthamoeba keratitis can cause a difficult-to-treat eye infection and may lead to blindness.

Some other risks associated with wearing contact lenses while swimming include red eyes, dry eyes, eye infections, corneal damage, and inflamed red eyes.

Tips for swimming with contact lenses

If you're forced to swim with contact lenses, for example, because you forgot to bring your lens case or for other reasons, there are several tips for swimming with contact lenses that you can follow, such as:

Wear swimming goggles

To prevent infection from contact lenses exposed to pool bacteria, always wear goggles when swimming. Avoid removing and reattaching swimming goggles to prevent them from becoming a gateway for bacteria.

Keep your eyes dry

If you don't have swimming goggles, choose a backstroke style that minimizes contact between your eyes and the pool water. Also, keep your eyes dry by closing them when you enter and exit the pool, as well as while rinsing.

Change contact lenses as soon as possible

To avoid bacterial infection, change your contact lenses immediately after swimming. If you are using contact lenses that can be worn repeatedly, clean them immediately with a special liquid in accordance with the usage guidelines.

Swimming is a fun sport, but if you wear contact lenses, make sure they have minimal contact with the water. If you experience itchy, red, or swollen eyes after swimming while wearing contact lenses, see your doctor right away.

If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.