I wouldn't suggest it, as the water will wash your contact out. BUT and I'm hoping someone will tell me if I'm thinking correctly here as I want to try this this summer when I go white water rafting....How about GOOD swim goggles? COuld they be worn and you not have to worry about the contacts?

Vickey

P.S. I didn't learn to swim until I was in my early 30's. Still not a strong swimmer, but I can dive (okay belly flop) off a diving board and not sink!!!. You can do it!

Vickey (again)

I would get some nice goggles. You don't have to look like a Martian - just get the little ones. That would be a lot easier and less expensive than losing a contact lens in a swimming pool.

I have worn my contact lenses in the swimming pool and at the lake and have never had a problem. As soon as I get out the water for the day, I do take my contacts out and rinse them then put them back in. I have always had good luck doing this.

Jen

I always wear mine too. I do not open my eyes under water!!
I sleep in mine too alot! I am bad, lazy, but I do....

I wear goggles when I'm doing 'serious' swimming (laps, diving for rings, etc), but just go without if I'm just cooling off and don't expect to put my head under. That said, I've forgotten a few times and opened my eyes under water, but I've never lost one.

I wear my contacts when swimming, but have heard that the chance of infection increases when you wear them in water. I've never had a problem though.

If you are nearsighted (which I assumer you are), you can get prescription goggles. They cost about $50 (or did when I bought them), and they work extremely well! I don't like wearing regular goggles with contact lens because if water gets in, it really irritates.

Lars

I also wear them in the water & don't take them out when I get out. I too hate glasses. Of course I don't open my eyes in the water the way I did pre-contatcs (but that was long time ago)

Michie

I wear my contacts with swim goggles or snorkel gear, but never open my eyes or let water run into the eye while a contact is in there. I've worn contacts for 17 years.

Last year in preparation for Cancun, I went and bought a pair of prescription RayBans. The place I went to (LensCrafters) let me pick out a really cool looking pair of RayBan shades, and they put my prescription in them! No one knew/knows they are prescript . They look 'normal'.

I then bought one of those huggy things for the stems of the shades, which wrapped around my head. Even with some nice waves and getting dunked, the RayBans stayed PUT and I could see.

I just wiped the water droplets off when I surfaced. I cannot swim without being able to see, I am that blind... I'd panic, even if it was in a pool I knew very well.

- darkeyedgirl

p.s. there is also Lasik surgery.. no more contacts OR glasses. Once my eyes quit changing I'm going to fork over the $$$ and get it done finally.

@Lucky: Salt water is hypertonic and could cause you to lose a lens but pool water is hypotonic and will cause your lens (soft, I assume) to stick better reducing chances of floating off. Give yourself 30 minutes after coming out of pool before you try to remove lenses to let fluid level in eyes stabilize.

It is preferable to use goggles with contact lenses or use prescription goggles.

HTH,
--
Manish

I always felt gypped as a very nearsighted person who loves to swim until I found inexpensive correction goggles on swim outlet....less than $25. Bought a minus -10 and a minus -9 pair, took them apart, put them back together to give me the -9/-10 set that I need. They look like normal goggles. I could drive in these things. Makes me wonder why my prescription glasses cost so much! I LOVE being able to see while I swim. I wear my glasses to the poolside, put my goggles on and put my glasses in the goggle hard-case.