UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

When I Google "Can you wear contact lenses in the shower?", I find many sources which suggest we should avoid showering and swimming whilst wearing contact lenses, to reduce the risk of infection by "Acanthamoeba". This is the nasty little bug which lives in tap water, and is also a reason why we should only rinse contacts with sterile saline or solution (in fact the bug seems particularly prevalent in the UK according to this paper: http://www.iovs.org/content/45/1/165.full )

Whilst the best practice is, obviously, to avoid showering with contacts as much as possible, there are times when a quick shower is tempting... so I was wondering a few things:

1) Why do contacts increase the risk for infection? Does the bug somehow need the contact lens material to be happy?

2) Would there be a difference in the risk of infection for soft vs rigid lenses?

3) Can we sufficiently reduce the risk by keeping our eyes firmly closed during a shower? In the end, taking out and re-inserting lenses also comes with a risk of infection and irritation as well.

Looking forward to read your thoughts!

I have been wearing RGP's for 30 odd years and have always showered with my lenses in. I keep my eyes closed when washing my hair to keep the shampoo out (and stop me washing the lenses out). I have never had any issues with infection (touch wood). Maybe I have been lucky but the thought never crossed my mind to do other wise. That's not to say I am right.

Ian

Just looked at the Patient Information leaflet that came with my latest RGP. It states 'Never use tap water' and 'Never swim in your lenses'. There is nothing about showering.

I normally shower before I put my lenses in as I generally get better wear times if I don't put my lenses in as soon as I wake up. But if I take a shower during the day I don't remove my lenses and like Ian I have been wearing and showering in lenses for 30+ years.

As for swimming I have never swam with my RGPs in as, even with goggles, I have thought that the risk of losing them was too great. Hence for years I never did go swimming as my vision was so poor without lenses. Recently I have bought some disposable lenses and I wear these under goggles when swimming - I wish I'd done this years ago. I guess there is an element of risk but wearing disposable lenses minimises it.

Lia