Splashing Safely: Why Swimming in Contact Lenses is a Major Risk for Eye Infections

When the mid-summer heat hits Southwest Edmonton in July, there is nothing quite like cooling off in the water. Whether your family is planning a weekend trip to a nearby Alberta lake, relaxing in a backyard pool, or spending a hot afternoon at the local community spray parks, water activities are a staple of the summer season.

If you are one of the millions of Canadians who rely on contact lenses for daily vision correction, packing your swim gear often comes with a common dilemma. You want to see clearly while swimming, splashing, and keeping an eye on your children, so it feels natural to leave your lenses in before diving into the water. However, eye care professionals at Ambleside Family Optometry widely agree that wearing contact lenses in any body of water is one of the most dangerous habits for your long-term vision. Mixing contacts with water introduces a high risk of severe, sight-threatening infections. Understanding the biological reasons behind this risk can help you make safer choices for your eyes during your summer adventures.

The Microscopic Threat Hidden in Everyday Water

To understand why water is so hazardous for a contact lens wearer, it is important to dispel a common myth. Many people assume that if a swimming pool smells like chlorine, or if tap water is safe to drink, it must be completely sterile. In reality, all water sources contain microscopic organisms, bacteria, and fungi.

While your body’s digestive system can easily handle these organisms in drinking water, your eyes are a completely different environment. One of the most dangerous microorganisms found in lakes, rivers, swimming pools, and even hot tubs is a tiny amoeba called Acanthamoeba. Under normal circumstances, your eye has natural defense mechanisms, like blinking and tearing, to wash away foreign particles. However, a contact lens changes the entire dynamic of your eye surface, acting like a physical sponge that traps these microscopic pathogens directly against your cornea.

How Contact Lenses Trap Danger Against Your Cornea

Contact lenses are designed to be highly biocompatible, meaning they absorb fluids to stay soft, flexible, and comfortable throughout the day. Unfortunately, this absorption capability means they also absorb whatever is in the water around them.

The Sponge Effect

When you submerge your head or get splashed while wearing contacts, the water penetrates the lens material. The lens holds that contaminated water in place, creating a dark, moist, and warm sealed pocket directly over your cornea. This environment gives bacteria and amoebas the perfect sanctuary to thrive, multiply, and seek a way into your eye tissue.

Microscopic Scratches

Even the most comfortable contact lenses cause minor, imperceptible friction on the surface of the eye over the course of a day. Swimming can cause a contact lens to tighten and shrink slightly, which creates microscopic scratches on the cornea. These tiny cellular tears act as an open doorway for pathogens like Acanthamoeba. Once inside the corneal tissue, these organisms can cause an aggressive infection known as Acanthamoeba keratitis. This condition is notoriously difficult to treat, causes intense physical pain, and can lead to permanent corneal scarring or irreversible vision loss if not caught immediately by an optometrist.

Safe Alternatives for Clear Vision This Summer

Protecting your eyes from summer infections does not mean you are doomed to spend your July vacations stumbling around with blurry vision. There are several highly effective, safe alternatives that allow you to enjoy the water with absolute clarity.

• Prescription Swim Goggles: For avid swimmers, athletes, or parents who need to maintain sharp vision in the pool, prescription swim goggles are an incredible investment. These specialized goggles are custom-crafted with your exact corrective prescription, allowing you to see perfectly under and above the water while creating a complete, watertight seal that protects your eyes from contaminants.
• Daily Disposable Lenses with Goggles: If you must wear contact lenses while lounging near the water, pair tight-fitting, non-prescription swimming goggles with daily disposable lenses. The moment you are done swimming, immediately wash your hands thoroughly, remove the lenses, discard them in the trash, and insert a fresh, sterile pair. Never sleep in a lens that has touched water.
• Investing in Prescription Sunglasses: For general beach and lakeside relaxation where you do not plan on submerging your head, wearing high-quality prescription sunglasses over a bare eye keeps you safe from waterborne bacteria while offering vital protection from harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Spotting the Warning Signs of an Eye Emergency

If you accidentally wear your contact lenses while swimming this summer, it is crucial to monitor your eyes closely over the following forty-eight hours. Infections can develop rapidly, and early intervention is the single most important factor in saving your sight.

If you experience sudden eye redness, persistent pain, sensitivity to light, excessive tearing, blurred vision, or the sensation that something is permanently stuck in your eye, remove your lenses immediately. Do not wait for the symptoms to clear up on their own. These are classic signs of a developing corneal ulcer or infection that requires urgent, professional medical evaluation from an eye doctor at Ambleside Family Optometry.

Enjoying the best of an Alberta summer means prioritizing your physical safety from head to toe. By keeping your contact lenses far away from the water, you can safeguard your vision from aggressive infections and ensure your eyes stay healthy for summers to come. If you need to explore custom prescription goggles or wish to update your daily disposable prescription before your next vacation, contact the dedicated team at Ambleside Family Optometry in Southwest Edmonton today to book your summer eye examination.

FAQ

Can I wear my contact lenses if I only plan on wading or keeping my head above water?

While keeping your head above water reduces the risk, it does not eliminate it entirely. Splashing from children, waves, or even wiping your wet hands across your face can easily introduce contaminated water into your eyes. It is always safest to remove your contact lenses before participating in any water-based activity.

Is it safe to swim in contact lenses if I use a hot tub instead of a pool?

Hot tubs actually pose a significantly higher risk for contact lens wearers than standard swimming pools. The warm water temperatures create an ideal breeding ground for dangerous bacteria and amoebas, and the steam can carry mist into your eyes, making hot tubs one of the most common sources of severe water-related eye infections.

What should I do if I accidentally open my eyes underwater while wearing contacts?

If your lenses come into contact with water, get out of the pool or lake immediately. With clean, dry hands, remove the contact lenses as quickly as possible. If you wear daily disposables, throw them away immediately. If you wear monthly or bi-weekly lenses, place them in a sterile disinfecting solution for a thorough cleaning cycle, and flush your eyes with sterile saline solution.