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Original poster

Question for long time contact lens wearers

117 replies

TellerTuesday · 22/08/2024 07:42

I've been pondering this for a few weeks but really interested on hearing from others.

I have worn contact lenses for around 20 years. Started with monthly ones and have had daily disposables for the last 10 years plus.

DD has just started using them. When she was having the 'training sessions' etc she was told how important it is not to swim in them, to take them out before washing her face etc, I have honestly never been told this.

When I first started wearing them, I am convinced that they were marketed as more convenient than glasses because you could swim in them and so on, even seem to remember an advert on the tv for lenses with a swimmer.

I've had yearly contact lens checks at the opticians and nobody has ever told me that I shouldn't be getting my face wet with them in. The lady in specsavers looked aghast when I said this. I put mine in on a morning and keep them in until late evening, swim with them in (although I don't actually go underwater) but now I'm worried I need to stop and it would take some major adjusting to.

Just wondered if any other long time wearers had totally missed this, did the guidance change at some point and I just wasn't aware? A quick google strongly advises against getting the face wet when wearing them but it's something I'd never thought about as I'd been doing it for years.

OP posts:
StaySpicy · 22/08/2024 07:45

I've been told plenty not to swim in them. I have, though. I don't ever remember being told not to get my face wet at all.

Chasingsquirrels · 22/08/2024 07:45

I've been wearing contact lenses for nearly 40 years since my early teens.
I can't remember being advised on this initially, but it is something I've know for at least the last 20 years.

RobinHumphries · 22/08/2024 07:46

No I’ve been wearing them as long as you and I’ve always been told to not swim with them in or get them wet with water

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General health
whoknowswhattodonow · 22/08/2024 07:48

I've had lenses for about 30 years and I was told this. There's micro organisms in the water that can cause quite bad infections. I still do it, otherwise I'd be blind in the pool, but I'm very conscious about it.

Beezknees · 22/08/2024 07:49

I've had them for 20 years and always been told not to swim in them. I do if I'm completely honest but I don't put my head underwater.

Godesstobe · 22/08/2024 07:49

I am 70 and have been wearing contact lenses for 46 years. I have never been told not to shower or swim in them and have always done so.

MouseofCommons · 22/08/2024 07:50

Same. Heard nothing about it until the last couple of years. One optometrist wasn't too stressed about me swimming in the sea in dailies (and goggles when splashy) and taking them out as soon as I was out. Another one, more recently, freaked out. So now I can't see as well in the sea. I'm not getting prescription goggles to bob around doing breaststroke.

howlsmovingbouncycastle · 22/08/2024 07:50

I’m sure I was told not to swim in them -
I do, I just don’t put my face under water that much.

I do wash my face and shower with them in though.

LegalAlienated · 22/08/2024 07:51

I’ve been wearing them for 30+ years, initially in my home country and never been told this. It was a bbc article about a woman losing her eyesight due to bacteria in the water getting onto her contacts that gave me the absolute shock. Since then I have been a lot mote careful about having fully dry hands before putting lenses in/out.

Alwayshockey · 22/08/2024 07:51

I've been wearing them since 1986 and I've always been told not to wear them in the shower etc.

Bohemond23 · 22/08/2024 07:52

My optician is also an eye surgeon. He was very clear at my last check up not to go in any water (including a shower) with lenses in. He said he had seen some very nasty cases of infection/eye ulcers due to water getting between the eye and the lens. I had not been told this before.

evilharpy · 22/08/2024 07:52

I have always swam with lenses in. I've always worn goggles though, presumably that's ok?

Nothingoriginalhere · 22/08/2024 07:52

I’ve worn contacts since 1988 and I do remember all the info re organisms in the water - however I have swam in them many times and showered and have never had any eye infections.

LoneHydrangea · 22/08/2024 07:53

I’ve worn lenses for decades. If I took them out for swimming, I’d not be able to see very much. If I’m ‘proper’ swimming, I wear goggles anyway. I also shower with them in. And quite often snooze with them in too.

Whentwobecomesthree · 22/08/2024 07:53

Arrrggh never swim, shower, get water in your eyes with contact lenses in! So risky. Acanthamoeba keratitis is what they are trying to avoid with this advice and while rare I know 3 people who have had it.

kitchendiscotime · 22/08/2024 07:55

I swim in mine but when I get out of the pool I take them out and wear my glasses or put in a new pair of daily disposables.

MouseofCommons · 22/08/2024 07:55

evil Apparently not. I was severely told off for wearing goggles in the pool and taking out dailies afterwards.

ienjoyeatingcake · 22/08/2024 07:56

I'm the same as you OP, worn contact lenses since I was 16, and 42 now. Always worn contact lenses when swimming, even in the sea as I wear contacts on the beach so I can wear sunglasses! I had a very similar conversation with my optician recently (one I'd never met before). She said don't wear them swimming or in the shower, I said I'd never been told this before and I hadn't. I thought it was interesting that she brought it up, made a point of telling me, almost as if it's a rising issue or something and they're starting to make contact lenses wearers more aware of this. Maybe? Anyway I thought to myself, well I've never had an issue with it, and then funny enough a few days later I randomly saw an Instagram post with a woman with an infected-looking eye, who had written about wearing contact lenses in the pool and had gone blind through the most horrific infection! So no more contacts in the pool for me!!

Andwegoroundagain · 22/08/2024 07:57

I picked up on this on my last check-up. I wear contact lens only for sport and basically was told that swimming, kayaking etc I can't use them. Pointless!

KatRee · 22/08/2024 07:58

I've only had them around 5 years but was told not to shower or swim in them. At first was very careful with this, but as time went on, I often forget to take them out for a shower and do swim in them or I wouldn't be able to see, although I keep my head above water

However, I recently came across a post on Instagram by a woman who had got a very very nasty parasite from wearing them in the shower. Apparently this parasite lives in water and whilst it's not normally an issue, the pressure of the lens can push it into the eye. She also said she'd never been told not to wear them in water and wanted to spread awareness. I guess you'd have to be very unlucky to have this happen, but it's very horrible if it does

KnittedCardi · 22/08/2024 07:59

It's advice that has been around for a while, but most people don't follow it. I have pretty bad eyesight, so I couldn't swim or shower without them in. I wear goggles to swim though. I put them in, in the morning, and them out before bed, that's it.

I'm careful with hand washing, but also not great with cleaning the lenses either tbh. I just swish them around in the solution. Honestly, I wonder whether if you are constantly taking them in and out, whether that is a greater risk.

The only person I know who went blind in one eye, for a similar reason, was due to old mascara.

ienjoyeatingcake · 22/08/2024 08:00

KatRee · 22/08/2024 07:58

I've only had them around 5 years but was told not to shower or swim in them. At first was very careful with this, but as time went on, I often forget to take them out for a shower and do swim in them or I wouldn't be able to see, although I keep my head above water

However, I recently came across a post on Instagram by a woman who had got a very very nasty parasite from wearing them in the shower. Apparently this parasite lives in water and whilst it's not normally an issue, the pressure of the lens can push it into the eye. She also said she'd never been told not to wear them in water and wanted to spread awareness. I guess you'd have to be very unlucky to have this happen, but it's very horrible if it does

Probably the post I saw too! Shock

Love51 · 22/08/2024 08:02

I've been swimming (mainly front crawl so head in water) an average of twice a week for a decade. I wear the monthly lenses that you sleep in. I have some old prescription goggles but they are rubbish so I mainly wear contact lenses with goggles on top. I use the prescription goggles if I swim in a resovoir or similar I don't trust the wild water in my eyes!

Stickthatupyourdojo · 22/08/2024 08:03

I started wearing daily contacts in 2006 and have always been told/reminded not to wear them in water.

Cinemanachosyum · 22/08/2024 08:04

Please, please google Acanthamoeba keratitis.
I'm late 40s, been wearing contacts since 16 years old. Generally, very good with caring for my eyes and listening to what not to do.
This year January contracted Acanthamoeba keratitis- honestly one of the most painful things I have been through. I'm lucky not to have lost my sight in one eye. 8 months later, my eye is 'ok', not how it was before. The drops I had to use for treatment were harrowing, I may as well have been putting Bleach in my eyes!