Can You Swim With Contact Lenses While Wearing Goggles?

If you’re going to swim while wearing contact lenses, the best way to reduce your risk of eye irritation and infection is to wear waterproof swim goggles.

In addition to protecting your eyes from waterborne contaminants, swim goggles reduce the risk of your contacts dislodging from your eyes.

Prescription swimming goggles are another good option. Prescription goggles are custom-made to correct your refractive error, just like eyeglasses or contact lenses, enabling you to see clearly underwater without any of the risks associated with swimming with contacts.

Some brands of swim goggles come in ready-made prescription versions as well. While they may be an option for you or your children, they do have drawbacks. For example, they don’t correct astigmatism; they come in only the most common prescription powers; and both lenses have the same prescription, while many people’s eyes do not.

An added advantage of wearing swim goggles is that you can choose UV-protective goggles to avoid sun damage to your eyes.