Showering with contact lenses on

I know it's the Daily Fail, but after reading this article I'm quite concerned about the risks of contracting an eye infection from Acanthamoeba Keratitis.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2191190/I-swam-contact-lenses--Im-blind-eye.html

As a monthlies contact user who tries to take the best care of her contact lenses possible, I had no idea that showering was a risk too (swimming yes). I mean, I've always closed my eyes and everywhere when I shower because getting shampoo into your eyes would be just stupid, but do I really have to take my contact lenses off before I shower, and put them on gain after?

I mean, I shower twice a day ... which means that I would have to use my contact lenses solution three times a day (including overnight soaking). Do you all do this? Contact lens solution isn't cheap at all!

How rare is Acanthamoeba Keratitis anyway? Should we be worried about getting it?

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

didgeridoo12uk

my optician always tells me not to do it.

surely you shower before you put your contacts in for the day and after you take them out at night... would seem a simple solution.

also eye infections are horrendous. had corneal ulcers a couple of years ago, it's incredibly unpleasant and you can't wear contacts for weeks afterwards.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 2

08jennia

I wouldn't shower with contact lenses in on a regular basis, but i think a one-off is okay - I wear dailies so if I take them out I have to throw them away. Therefore, if I shower in the middle of the day, or something, I do just leave them in, and ensure that I don't get any water/ shampoo in my eyes.

Reply 3

Ham22

Better safe than sorry.

Reply 4

*Waldpoesie*

I make sure to have them off before showering, even before washing my face. You are right; it would be difficult to take them off and put them on multiple times a day so it might be a good idea to schedule your day accordingly like didgeridoo12uk said. I happened to forget to take them off a few times when I was very sleepy. It didn't cause a major problem but surely an uncomfortable feeling. I believe there might be more serious risks though.

Reply 5

paperclip

You shouldn't shower with contact lenses on. My optician always advised me against it anyway.

You probably shouldn't shower two times a day anyway, it will dry your skin out and is a massive waste of water.

Reply 6

asparkyn

Original post by paperclip

Where I live, not showering two times a day is not an option :sad:

I guess I could schedule it accordingly though. Taking night showers instead of afternoon ones.

Reply 7

Gummibaerchen

My eye sight is so rubbish I can't see anything in the shower if I don't wear contact lenses :frown:

so badly that I can't actually see anything to pick it up... and forget shaving that is impossible when you can see as far as the end of your eye lashes...
I've worn contact lenses since I was 10 and always showered with them, never get water in my eyes though.... My optician never mentioned it to me :eek:

I wear gas permeable lenses so they only get replaced when my prescription changes.. sometimes that's over 2 years.... now I think about it that sounds really gross haha

Reply 8

Cheese_Monster

I've showered in them once before, I'm on monthlies too and they knocked the lenses out of my eyes, haven't worn them in the shower since. I wouldn't recommend it as would most opticians.

Reply 9

jamboogy

I do it from time to time with my dailies cos I don't wanna open another set - saving money like a badman.

Reply 10

clarusblue

Seriously never even considered taking mine out, I've worn mine for 9 years now and never had any problems, I wear mine in the shower every day. No optician has ever mentioned not showering in them to me either.

Reply 11

ser00

I've showered with my monthlies in every day for the last 4 years and I've never got an infection. The worst that's happened is that they go behind my eyelid and are difficult to get out.

Reply 12

TheSownRose

I always tell contact lens patients to avoid showering in them or, if they absolutely have to (some people are short sighted enough to need to have correction whilst showering and they might get caught in a situation where they don't have glasses :dontknow:

), do it in dailies and immediately dispose of them after getting out.

The risk may not be high, but you seriously do not want acanthamoeba keratitis. It's one of the few things that we just phone the hospital about and the patient goes that day.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 13

elliemh

Original post by didgeridoo12uk

What if you can't see what your doing without glasses or contacts in the shower, glasses get steamed up, contacts work great, iv always showered in my contacts for the three years iv had them and never have i got an eye infection x

Reply 14

TheSownRose

Original post by elliemh

Get disposables and throw them away immediately after you get out, before you've started to dry yourself or anything. Or just wear the glasses, it's not like visibility in the shower is fantastic anyway.

Reply 15

didgeridoo12uk

Original post by elliemh

yep but it's not a thing like. if you wear contacts in the shower you WILL get an infection. it just raises the likelihood of an infection. same thing with wearing continuous wear contacts for two weeks at a time rather than taking them out every day.

personally having experienced eye infections and then having the hassle of not being able to wear contacts for a few weeks afterwards, waiting to put contacts in in the morning isn't that bad.

also how blind are you if you cant see well enough in the shower without contacts!!! i'm -5 and i can still tell shampoo/conditioner/soap apart

Reply 16

elliemh

Original post by didgeridoo12uk

they're all just blobs to me, i am quite blind lol once id pick one up id still have the impossible task of deciphering whether it says conditioner or shampoo on the bottle - i dont feel safe not being able to see

Reply 17

Ollieeeee

I do it every single day. It's fine, just close your eyes?

Reply 18

gumrepus

You are unlikely to get an infection compared to swimming but better to be safe, take them out.

Reply 19

LeBubbled

I'd do it if I was having a body shower and not washing my hair. But on the times I've done it when I've washed my hair (e.g. before going out for an evening or something) it made my eyes feel really gross. I had to screw them up so tight to make sure no water got in them and then when I'd open them the water on my face would go in my eyes and half the time it felt like they were going to fall out. :/

I have the monthlies that you put in peroxide type stuff for a minimum of six hours to clean them so now if I'm ever in that situation I just put the lenses in one of those lens holder things with saline while I shower so I can put them straight back in afterward.