The Hidden Risks: Can You Put Contact Lens in Water Safely?

Can you put contact lens in water when you run out of solution or need a quick rinse? The short answer is no, and what it all means can be severe. Approximately 85% of Acanthamoeba keratitis cases occur in contact lens wearers. Water exposure is one of the most dangerous habits to protect your eye health. More than 34 million people in the U.S. wear contact lenses, yet many remain unaware of these risks.

This piece addresses questions about contact lenses and water exposure. You'll learn why contacts in water create health hazards and whether you can shower with contacts or swim with contact lenses. You'll also discover safe alternatives when you're out of solution and what to do if you've kept your contacts in water overnight. Understanding these risks is necessary to prevent eye infection from contacts and protect your vision.

The Hidden Dangers of Contacts in Water

Understanding Acanthamoeba and Where It Lives

Acanthamoeba is a microscopic, free-living amoeba that exists in almost every water source you encounter. This single-celled organism runs on tap water, swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, rivers, seawater and even bottled water. Studies show contamination rates reaching 42 out of 93 water samples tested. Environmental water showed higher contamination than drinking water.

The organism survives through two forms: an active trophozoite that causes infection and a dormant cyst stage. These cysts withstand extreme conditions and resist temperatures up to 65°C, antibiotics, chlorination and biocides. They can survive dehydration for more than 20 years. Standard water treatment cannot eliminate them.

How Contact Lenses and Water Create Risk

Soft contact lenses absorb moisture like sponges when exposed to water. They swell and change shape. This physical transformation creates tiny tears on the lens surface where microorganisms hide and multiply. The altered shape also causes lenses to stick to your eye and potentially scratch the cornea. This creates entry points for infection.

Acanthamoeba trophozoites adhere to contact lenses in as little as 10 seconds. The organism attaches to all lens types, including hydrogels and gas permeable lenses. Besides Acanthamoeba, water harbors Pseudomonas bacteria that colonizes lens surfaces faster and causes corneal ulcers and severe vision damage.

Why Even Clean Water Isn't Safe

Treated tap water, while safe for drinking, is not sterile. Chlorine levels in pools and municipal water systems cannot eliminate all Acanthamoeba cysts. The organism runs on plumbing biofilms where it feeds on bacteria and survives standard disinfection processes.

Studies showed contamination even in processed drinking water. Public drinking water displayed higher rates than residential sources. Distilled and bottled water also fail sterility standards required to care for contact lenses.

Statistics on Contact Lens-Related Eye Infections

Contact lens wear represents the largest single risk factor for microbial keratitis. Almost one million U.S. healthcare visits occur each year at a cost of $175 million. Approximately 99% of contact lens wearers reported at least one hygiene-related risk behavior. The incidence of Acanthamoeba keratitis ranges from one to 33 cases per million contact lens wearers in developed countries, with an estimated 1,500 U.S. cases each year.

Specific Water Scenarios: Showering, Swimming, and Storage

Can You Shower with Contacts?

The FDA and American Optometric Association recommend removing contact lenses before any water exposure, including showers. Soft contact lenses pose higher risk than rigid lenses because their porous structure creates breeding grounds for bacteria. Water causes soft lenses to change shape and swell. They stick to your eye, which scratches the cornea and makes it easier for germs to enter.

You don't eliminate risk by closing your eyes during showering. Water can still seep in and become trapped under your lens. Remove them right away if you accidentally shower with contacts. Either discard daily disposables or disinfect reusable lenses overnight in fresh solution. Extended-wear contacts should be removed before showering despite their design for continuous use.

Can You Swim with Contact Lenses?

You expose yourself to severe infections and corneal ulcers when swimming with contact lenses. Chlorine in pools kills many bacteria but not all. The chemical itself absorbs into contact lenses and causes irritation while making removal difficult. Lakes and oceans carry higher contamination risks than pools due to natural bacteria and viruses.

If you must swim with contacts, wear daily disposables with watertight goggles and discard lenses right afterward. Prescription swim goggles eliminate contact lens need entirely.

Can I Keep My Contacts in Water Overnight?

Never store contact lenses in water overnight. Tap water swells lenses because it lacks the salt composition of tears. Water contains microorganisms that contaminate lenses. Storing contacts in water overnight creates conditions comparable to "putting them in a petri dish". Acanthamoeba keratitis from water storage can take up to a year to resolve and may result in blindness or corneal transplant.

Using Contact Lenses in Hot Tubs

Hot tubs present similar risks to pools and showers. Remove lenses before entering. If water splashes your eyes while wearing contacts, use lubricating drops to loosen the lens. Then remove and disinfect it really well. Never sleep with lenses exposed to hot tub water.

Safe Alternatives When You Don't Have Contact Solution

Emergency Steps If You're Out of Solution

You have one safe option if you run out of contact solution: discard your lenses and use a fresh pair. Anything else puts you at risk for significant eye damage, including blindness.

You must store lenses for a short time? Follow this emergency protocol: wash hands with antibacterial soap, find a clean airtight container, and keep lenses dry inside without any liquid. Do not reuse the lenses unless you can disinfect them with fresh solution within a few hours. Discard them after 12 hours.

Never use water, saliva, expired solution, or "topped off" old solution as contact solution substitutes.

What Contact Lens Solution Does

Contact lens solution contains multiple components that work together. Preservatives break down pathogens and protein buildup while extending shelf life. Surfactants remove debris without damaging the lens surface. Disinfectants kill infection-causing germs, especially those that lead to keratitis. Wetting agents keep lenses moisturized and comfortable.

This complex formula cleans, disinfects, rinses, and stores lenses in one bottle. Solutions also maintain proper pH balance and condition lenses to stay moist on your eye surface.

Evaluating Store-Bought Saline vs Proper Solution

Saline solution and contact lens solution serve different purposes. Saline consists of pH-balanced saltwater for rinsing lenses after cleaning and disinfecting. It contains no cleaning agents or disinfectants.

You store contact lenses overnight in saline solution? This increases infection risk by a lot because saline does not maintain sterility. Up to 90% of contact lens-related eye infections result from improper storage or cleaning habits. Saline should only rinse lenses when your eye care provider recommends it.

Why DIY Solutions Put Your Eyes at Risk

Homemade solutions lack sterility. Tap water, table salt, and home conditions introduce dangerous microorganisms and bacteria. You cannot achieve correct salt concentration at home, and incorrect concentration causes irritation. Non-sterile solutions carry high risk of severe eye infections that lead to pain, vision impairment, or permanent blindness.

Best Practices to Prevent Eye Infection from Contacts

Daily Contact Lens Hygiene Routine

Before you handle lenses, wash your hands with antibacterial soap and dry them with a lint-free towel. Rub each lens for 2 to 20 seconds with fresh multipurpose solution, then rinse it really well. This "rub and rinse" method removes deposits and microorganisms better than no-rub solutions alone.

Fresh solution should be used every time. Never "top off" old solution. This reduces how well disinfection works. Store lenses in clean cases filled with fresh solution, then clean the case with solution and air-dry it upside down with caps off.

Recognizing Signs of Eye Infection

You should remove contacts right away if you experience redness, eye pain, light sensitivity, blurred vision, excessive tearing, or discharge. Microbial keratitis symptoms include irritated red eyes and worsening pain even after removal. Your eyes may also become unusually watery.

When to Remove and Discard Your Lenses

Your prescribed replacement schedule should be followed. Lenses that show tears, scratches, or damage must be discarded right away. Don't sleep in lenses unless your doctor has prescribed them for overnight wear.

Proper Contact Lens Case Maintenance

Your case needs replacement every three months. Clean it daily by rinsing with fresh solution and emptying it completely. Store it upside down.

Using Daily Disposables for Water Activities

Daily disposables minimize infection risk for swimming when you wear them with watertight goggles. Discard them after water exposure.

What to Do If Water Touches Your Contacts

Lenses should be removed. Daily disposables must be discarded. Reusables need to be cleaned and disinfected overnight before you wear them again.

Conclusion

Water and contact lenses create a dangerous combination that threatens your vision. Clean tap water and pools harbor microorganisms that cause infections. The solution is straightforward: keep your contacts away from all water sources and follow proper hygiene practices. Discard lenses when solution isn't available. These precautions protect you from painful infections and the risk of vision loss. Your eyesight is worth the extra effort.