Swimming with contact lenses

GlasweJen

Oh come on, every contact lens optician will tell you no overnight wear, no water. It's something I say so often I say it to people who wear ADAN lenses.

No water = no swimming in pools, no going in the sea, no baths and no showers.

This is your vision you're talking about, a nasty infection that can leave you blind, I've seen 3 and if I so much as think someone is using their contacts with water I stop prescribing - I'm not having that conversation for a 4th time (one of the patients went from healthy 12 year old to registered sight impaired - it was heart breaking and all mum could say was "I didn't think it would be this bad, it only happened once!").

If you absolutely must swim in your contacts wear dailies, remove them the second you're out of the pool and wear water right goggles over the top. If you can't follow that advice than you shouldn't be wearing contact lenses.

terra_ferma

GlasweJen wrote: »

Oh come on, every contact lens optician will tell you no overnight wear, no water. It's something I say so often I say it to people who wear ADAN lenses.

No water = no swimming in pools, no going in the sea, no baths and no showers.

This is your vision you're talking about, a nasty infection that can leave you blind, I've seen 3 and if I so much as think someone is using their contacts with water I stop prescribing - I'm not having that conversation for a 4th time (one of the patients went from healthy 12 year old to registered sight impaired - it was heart breaking and all mum could say was "I didn't think it would be this bad, it only happened once!").

If you absolutely must swim in your contacts wear dailies, remove them the second you're out of the pool and wear water right goggles over the top. If you can't follow that advice than you shouldn't be wearing contact lenses.

What infections did they actually get? Perhaps you could post links to some research papers on this topic, in particular the epidemiology of water-borne eye infections in people wearing contact lenses. I'd like to look into this further before she makes her decision.

The fact is that she's been wearing lenses for several years, and has seen at least 4 different opticians and nobody has ever mentioned swimming to her, only not to use tap water, so it will take more than just someone saying that on a forum to convince her, but she will have to take notice if I show her the evidence . I could google it, but I'm sure you can point me to proper scientific papers and authoritative UK based sources

PS this is the official advice from the BCLA:

Can I wear my contact lenses for swimming?
The BCLA advice for contact lens wearers is to not wear contact lenses for swimming – or in hot tubs or whilst showering or participating in water sports – unless wearing tight-fitting goggles over the top. After swimming – or if lenses are removed and stored whilst swimming – contact lenses should be cleaned and disinfected in fresh solution before putting them back on the eyes. The BCLA recommendation is that regular swimmers talk to their eyecare practitioner about being fitted with daily disposable lenses for use with goggles whilst swimming. Wearers of daily disposable contact lenses should always discard them immediately after swimming.

nedmundo

Prescription goggles will be cheaper and safer than contacts anyway.

terra_ferma

nedmundo wrote: »

Prescription goggles will be cheaper and safer than contacts anyway.

how much cheaper, assuming regular swimming?

nedmundo

Well - about the same as one months supply of contacts cheaper?

terra_ferma

nedmundo wrote: »

Well - about the same as one months supply of contacts cheaper?

Sounded too good to be true.. Looks like you've not read the thread properly, in her case more than two months... more expensive. (unless you know where to find suitable prescription goggles that are even cheaper then the link posted above)

nedmundo

Goggles would still pay for themselves after 2 months. Why the reluctance to accept the expert advise? Surely safety should override minor financial concerns anyway?

theoretica

Does she have any old glasses?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-prescription-swimming-goggles/

terra_ferma

nedmundo wrote: »

Goggles would still pay for themselves after 2 months. Why the reluctance to accept the expert advise? Surely safety should override minor financial concerns anyway?

I've welcomed all the advice I've received from people who don't just make a short, inaccurate statement, but make an effort to share information, personal experience, links etc. (practically everybody who has replied actually, I've had a lot of useful tips here, which I'm grateful for).
I wouldn't call one-sentence, inaccurate posts 'expert advice' though, your second post sounded quite rude and arrogant actually, starting with 'well' and ending with a question mark, hence my response.
And I never said that I don't want to buy prescription goggles (well it's not my decision anyway), just that what you said was wrong.

terra_ferma

theoretica wrote: »

Does she have any old glasses?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-prescription-swimming-goggles/

people are resourceful...