Rigid gas permeable lenses... swimming is out isn't it?

[dameofdilemma]

I have an eye condition which is only corrected by rigid gas permeable contact lenses (neither glasses nor soft lenses fix the short sightedness).

The lenses are specialist and cost hundreds of pounds. If I immerse my face in water they're likely to come out.

Are any goggles leakproof? Fed up of never being able to play with DD in the swimming pool or go swimming with her.

It's not just them coming out, it's the risk of eye infection from the water. Also, I did try wearing mine with goggles once but when I looked up the goggles pulled my eyelid skin and a lens popped out into them. Perhaps if you were super careful to keep them on from before you get into the water till after you get out.

I know you said glasses can't correct but you don't perhaps need total correction so maybe prescription goggles? I wear -10 goggles for -12 eyesight and its good enough to see other people etc.

I have prescription goggles -4.5 Each eye - they’re fab.

Easily - sadly prescription goggles will still give me very limited vision. (It's a problem with the cornea rather than the lens.)

Just feel bad that I couldn't join in the water fun on holiday.

I wear mine swimming. Never been told not to.
To be fair i only go with the kids these days and have told them not to splash me in the face! But never had any issues...

Take them out and clean them after you’ve been in the pool then put back in.

just to add, I dont wear goggles unless im swimming lengths which is pretty much never! I also dont like water slides so only do the baby ones but no issues with general pool swimming and messing with kids.

I used to swim kms every week with mine in. I wore normal goggles. I used to shower in them too. For about 20 years.
I know I am lucky I didn't get the eye infection but it's about risk management.

Iam/para/Dcad - I feel like my lenses are going to pop out if my face is in water....are you all wearing RGPs?

DH wears these type of lenses (and is pretty much blind without them in). He goes swimming with our DC's with them in, sometimes wearing goggles but mostly not. He just keeps his eyes tightly closed d when his face gets wet!

I’ve worn GP lenses for 25 years and always gone swimming in them. I don’t open my eyes under water in them though, I just wear normal goggles. Never had any infections.

Most people I know with keratoconus swim with their lenses with goggles over the top.
There is a slight risk of a corneal infection caused by a protazoan that occurs naturally in fresh water in the U.K. But as long as your eyes are not sore -and you remove your lenses and clean after getting out -the risk is very small.
Soft lens wearer have a much higher risk.
Washing lenses cases in tap water carries the same risk.

Underneath - thanks yes it’s kerataconus.
Tbh I’m more worried about losing £200 lenses than infection!

Will give goggles a go - any recs for well fitting adjustable ones?

It depends on your face shape. But a few pairs and then give them a try in the sink filled with water.

I like to keep last year’s pair of lenses as a spare for this sort of thing (+ beach trips, etc) so that it doesn’t matter if I lose or scratch one.

I swim with mine in but keep my head out of the water. Kids know not to splash my face.

@dameofdilemma

Iam/para/Dcad - I feel like my lenses are going to pop out if my face is in water....are you all wearing RGPs?

Yes RGPs but always with goggles otherwise they would fall out (or feel like they would)

I wear my RGPs under goggles and so far haven’t had an infection…I think if you can keep as dry as possible, you’re not at too great a risk.

(Been wearing mine for 20yrs - not the same pair, obv)

I know nothing about these lenses but can I suggest scuba type goggles rather than the ones with two eyepieces. They might stretch your skin less and avoid the the popping out scenario described by PP

I wear soft lenses. I swam for many years wearing them. I always wore Zoggs or Speedo goggles. Neither leaked. And I never had any problems at all with my lenses.

I used to swim in my lenses (swim 3-4 times a week; lenses were monthly soft ones) then one day I woke up with a raging pain in one eye.

Went to A&E, saw specialist who got very excited about my rare eye condition which would probably make me go blind 😦 luckily it was something else and healed fine, but I got massively told off for swimming in my lenses.

I switched to dailies to massively reduce future chance of infections and don't ever swim in them now.

So to sum up, Op, I wouldn't swim in your lenses. Especially not if they cost ££££. However I see a pp says that infections are more of a risk with soft lenses. So maybe it's ok. I don't plan to visit that eye specialist again any time soon tho!