SWIMMING WITH CONTACT LENSES

 Can you wear contact lenses when you swim with Lifeguard Classes near me? Here's what you need to know about your risks and your options.

Many people do not have a perfect vision. If you are astigmatic you may feel a bit useless in a restaurant when you can't read the menu. In the pool, however, being nearsighted is usually a bigger problem. Some people arrive at the pool with blurry vision as long as they can follow the black lines and avoid other swimmers, but others really do (or should) wear contact lenses.

Should you swim with contact lenses? Your ophthalmologist will tell you that you should not, and that you should not shower with contact lenses either. The water is full of microbes that the defense mechanisms of your eyes, tears and blinking usually clean up. With contact lenses in your eyes, however, these micro-organisms can get trapped behind the lenses. Rivers and lakes are environments where bacteria are likely to be present, but swimming pools and even tap water can also harbor microbes, including the organism Acanthamoeba, which causes Acanthamoeba keratitis, a painful infection of the cornea that it is difficult to treat and it can cause vision loss.

Chemicals in swimming pools

Chemicals in swimming pools can also cause further irritation to your eyes if you wear contact lenses, particularly soft ones, which are porous and absorb chemicals. Additionally, water can cleanse the eye's natural tear film, causing your eyes to become drier. And of course, there's always the risk of losing a contact lens in the pool, especially if you're wearing rigid gas permeable lenses with American Lifeguard Association Miami.

If you need contact lenses to see while swimming, you should definitely wear a good pair of glasses to protect your eyes from potential infections and to make sure your contact lenses don't dislodge. Goggles need to fit snugly to keep water out, so be sure to try several types to find the pair that best fits the bridge of your nose, seal, and straps that fully fit your face.

Even with goggles, it's best to take day-old disposable lenses into the pool and then throw them away as soon as you're done swimming. If you can't bring disposables, remove your lenses, clean and disinfect them as soon as you get out of the pool.

Contact your ophthalmologist if you experience any persistent pain, irritation, or sensitivity to light after swimming while wearing contact lenses.

You could also look into orthokeratology, which uses specially fitted contact lenses (usually worn at night) to temporarily reshape the cornea, or laser eye surgery for a permanent solution. Talk to your ophthalmologist to find out if you are a good candidate for any of these options.