Sauna, Swimming - Can I Use Contact Lenses?

Although contact lenses provide many different unique and beneficial features, there are some types of seasonal environments that are not favourable for contact lens wearers. The summer time months create the urge for swimming and many different outdoor activities.

For those of you who wear contact lenses on a regular basis, swimming can only be done safely if you are wearing air tight goggles. Even if you are not planning on diving under the water, there is always the potential to have water splashed into your eyes and this can force your contact lens to float around in your eyes or even absorb the chemicals of the pool. In general it is best to go swimming without your lenses or with disposable contacts you can throw out when you are done.

In the Sauna

A very common question in relation to environments and contact lenses is, “can I wear contact lenses in the sauna”?

You should preferably take off your contact lenses before going to sauna, but many people frequently use contacts there all the time.

Your lenses will always remain closer to body temperature than glasses. Therefore, they will not steam or fog up as much as a result of the humidity or extreme temperature fluctuations. However, they are unlikely to remain totally unaffected.

In the sauna your eyes usually dry more than usual. If you decide to go to sauna, remember to blink a lot. Your contact lenses might require some rest in their liquid before returning back to normal.

Contact lenses can be temperamental in certain situations like swimming, but for the most part, they are convenient for any activities you want to take part in. As a rule, for saunas, hot tubs or swimming, relying on disposable contact lenses for these events is always the safer route so you can enjoy your activities instead of worrying about your contact lenses. You can find disposable contacts anywhere contact lenses are sold.