Gym Handles, Sunscreen and Swimming Pools: The Three Enemies of Anyone Who Exercises in Contact Lenses
Anyone who has run in glasses knows.
They slide down the nose, fog up, and sweat beads inside the lenses.
Take an elbow in basketball and the frame bends.
That is why so many people switch to contact lenses for sport.
Wide field of view, no wobble, nothing to break.
Lenses are the best vision tool for sport.
But the field has three enemies of the lens wearer.
Sweat. Water. Hands.
Enemy One: Sweat Running Down the Forehead, and the Sunscreen in It
Sweat is water with salt and whatever is on your skin.
It stings in the eye.
With lenses in, it stings longer.
Sweat stays on the lens surface.
Then comes the reflex.
Rubbing the eye.
Two things happen at once.
The lens shifts, and whatever was on your hand goes into your eye.
Blink, do not rub.
There is something worse than sweat.
The sunscreen you applied before an outdoor session.
It runs down with the sweat, reaches the eye, and bonds to the lens.
Blinking does not clear it.
The eye stings and the world goes cloudy.
The fix is simple.
Apply sunscreen only down to the brow. A stick is easiest.
A headband or cap stops forehead sweat before it reaches the eye.
Enemy Two: Gym Equipment Handles
Dumbbells. Barbells. Treadmill rails.
Dozens of people touch them every day.
Then you wipe sweat from the corner of your eye or adjust a lens with that hand.
Whatever was on the handle is now on the lens.
If you must touch a lens, wash your hands first.
Keep a separate towel for your face.
Wiping your face with the towel you used on the bench makes hand-washing pointless.
Enemy Three: Water
Pool water, sea water, river water, and shower water.
All of it is the most dangerous thing for a lens.
Water contains microorganisms.
One of them, Acanthamoeba, causes an infection that is extremely hard to treat once it settles between lens and cornea.
Pool chlorine does not eliminate it.
Both the CDC and the FDA advise never getting into water with lenses in.
We explained why in [Why Can You Get Caught in the Rain but Not Shower in Contact Lenses?](/blogs/news/why-you-should-not-shower-or-swim-in-contact-lenses).
If You Still Need to See While Swimming
Two routes.
Prescription goggles. See underwater with no lenses. The safest option.
Sealed goggles plus dailies. Wear goggles that do not leak, and discard the lenses immediately after the swim. Never reinsert the same pair.
If you swam in monthly lenses, discard those too.
There is no guarantee that solution removes what was in the water.
Ball Games: Worried the Lens Will Fall Out?
Soft lenses hug the eye and do not fall out from running or jumping.
They come out in two situations.
Hard rubbing, or a direct blow to the eye.
In sports where a ball or an elbow can reach the eye, wear protective eyewear over the lenses.
The lens does not absorb impact.
A spare pair and a small mirror in the bag let you cope mid-game.
Never reinsert a lens that hit the floor. A court floor is worse than a gym handle.
The Fan in Front of the Spin Bike
Fans and air conditioning in indoor facilities dry the eyes fast.
A dry lens goes cloudy and gritty.
Pick a spot where the air is not aimed at your face, or use a drop of eye drops before you start.
Preservative-free, single-use.
After the Workout: Order Matters
Removing lenses with sweaty hands puts sweat in your eyes.
- Wash hands with soap and dry
- Wipe sweat from the face with a clean towel
- Remove lenses
- Discard dailies; rub, rinse and case reusable lenses
- Then shower
Lenses out before the shower. That is the key.
People Who Wear Dailies Only on Workout Days
Exercise is when a lens gets dirtiest.
Sweat, dust, sunscreen, hands.
A monthly lens carries all that into the case and back onto the eye tomorrow.
A daily is thrown away when the session ends.
That is why many people wear monthlies normally and dailies only on workout days.
Care mistakes never get a chance to accumulate.
Signs to Stop and Take the Lens Out
- One eye keeps hurting
- Light feels unusually bright
- Vision blurs suddenly and blinking does not fix it
- Discharge from the eye
Lenses out, glasses on.
If it lasts more than a few hours, see a doctor.
"I'll check after training" is how infections grow.
What to Keep in the Gym Bag
- A spare pair of dailies
- Preservative-free single-use eye drops
- A small mirror
- A face-only towel
- Glasses
- Protective eyewear for ball or contact sports
Three Rules and You Are Done
Do not rub your eyes with your hands.
Do not go into water.
When the session ends, wash your hands and take the lenses out first.
Lenses are not the problem in sport. They are the solution.
There are only three enemies, and all three can be avoided.
References
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Water and Contact Lenses
- US Food and Drug Administration, Contact Lens Risks
- American Academy of Ophthalmology, Sports Eye Safety
- American Optometric Association, Contact Lenses
This article provides general information. Do not enter water with contact lenses in. If you experience pain, redness or reduced vision during exercise, stop wearing the lenses and consult a professional.