Contact Lens Mistakes: Sleeping, Swimming and Tap Water
The biggest contact lens mistakes all have one thing in common: they let water, or too many hours of wear, get between the lens and your cornea. Sleeping in lenses, swimming or showering in them, rinsing the case under the tap and topping up old solution are the common ones, and each one has a plain fix.
The short version
- Never in water: remove lenses before swimming, showering or a hot tub, and never rinse or store them in tap water.
- Never sleep in them unless your eye doctor has specifically said your lens type is meant for it.
- Never top up: empty the case, rub it, rinse it with fresh solution and let it air dry upside down.
- Red or painful eye: lens out, glasses on, call an eye doctor the same day.
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Why is water such a problem for contact lenses?
A soft lens sits directly on the clear front surface of your eye, the cornea. It holds water like a sponge, and it holds whatever is in that water too. Tap water, pool water, sea water and shower spray are not sterile. The FDA says to never use non-sterile water, including tap water or homemade saline, with lenses, and links tap and distilled water to Acanthamoeba keratitis, a corneal infection that is hard to treat.
Think of the lens as a tiny bandage that is pressed against a wet, warm surface for hours. Anything living in the water gets held against the eye, and your tears cannot wash it away easily. That is why the rule sounds strict but is simple: lenses and water should not meet.
Mistake 1: Is it safe to sleep with contact lenses?
Usually not. The CDC advises against sleeping in your lenses unless your eye care provider directs you to. Overnight the eye gets less oxygen and tears flow less, so germs have an easier time. Even a “quick nap” on the sofa or a long bus ride counts.
Some lens types are designed for extended wear, but that is a decision for your optician or eye doctor for your eyes, not something you assume from the box. If you fall asleep in lenses by accident, take them out when you wake up, blink with fresh rewetting drops if the lens feels stuck, and wear glasses for the rest of that day.
Mistake 2: Can you swim or shower with contact lenses?
No. The FDA says to remove lenses before swimming, because bacteria in pool, hot tub, lake and ocean water can cause infections. The CDC gives the same advice for showering. Splash, steam and spray are enough to get water behind a lens.
If you must swim with a clear view, tight swimming goggles over your eyes with no lenses is one option, and prescription swimming goggles are another to ask an optician about. Even with goggles on, many eye doctors still prefer lenses out.
Mistake 3: Why can’t I rinse my lens case or lens with tap water?
Because the case is where germs like to live. A film of germs can build up inside it, and tap water adds more. Rinse a lens only with fresh multipurpose solution. Rinse the case with solution too, rub the wells with a clean finger, then leave it upside down with the caps off to air dry.
Replace the case at least once every three months, as the CDC advises. A cracked or cloudy case goes in the bin sooner.
Two-minute case habit
After you put your lenses in each morning, tip out the old solution, rub both wells with fresh solution, shake off the excess and set the case upside down on a clean tissue with the caps beside it. Put the date you started the case on the lid with a marker so you know when three months are up.
Mistake 4: Is it fine to top up old solution in the case?
No. Topping up means mixing fresh solution with used solution. The disinfectant in the old liquid has already been used up, so the mix is weaker than it looks. Always pour out the old solution, never reuse it, and fill the case fresh each time.
Mistake 5: Wearing lenses past the schedule or for too many hours
Daily, two-weekly and monthly lenses are named for when they should go in the bin. Stretching them gives deposits more time to build up and makes the lens less comfortable and less safe. The same goes for wearing the lenses all day and all evening because glasses feel like a nuisance. Your optician can tell you the right wear time for your brand; the care routine is covered in our daily lens care guide.
Mistake 6: Ignoring a red or painful eye
This is the one that matters most. The FDA lists discomfort, excess tearing or discharge, light sensitivity, itching, burning, unusual redness, blurred vision, swelling and pain as signs to remove your lenses immediately and not put them back. Then call your eye care professional right away. Keep the lenses and the case; the doctor may want to see them.
- Wash your hands and take the lens out.
- Put on your glasses. Do not put the lens back “to see if it settles”.
- Keep the lens in its case with fresh solution so it can be examined.
- Call an eye doctor the same day if there is pain, light hurting your eyes, or vision change. Do not wait for it to go away overnight.
your eye is painful, your vision is blurred and does not clear with blinking, light hurts, there is a lot of discharge, or the redness is getting worse. A painful red eye in a lens wearer can be an infection that damages the cornea, and speed matters. If a lens is stuck or you cannot get it out, do not dig at it; add rewetting solution, blink gently, and if it will not move, see an eye doctor. For a painful red eye with headache, see the guide on painful red eye and headache. This article is general information, not a diagnosis.
What about wearing lenses when you are unwell?
If your eyes are red, itchy or sticky, as with pink eye, keep the lenses out and wear glasses until a doctor says otherwise. Avoid touching your eyes and keep hygiene strict, as in this household hygiene guide for red eyes. A cold or fever alone does not always mean you must stop, but if your eyes feel dry, tired or irritated, glasses are the gentler choice.
The spare glasses trick
Keep a spare pair of glasses with a current number in your bag. Most lens mistakes happen because the lenses are the only option: a long day, a late night, an airport. If you have glasses, you are never tempted to keep lenses in. Replace the case every few months even if it looks clean, and ask your optician for the exact interval for your brand. When you use drops with lenses in, see how to put eye drops correctly and check the pack for whether lenses should be out first.
An eye check once a year is a good habit for lens wearers; see the eye test schedule by age. More on lenses, glasses and eye health sits in Eye Care.
Questions people ask about contact lens mistakes
Can I sleep with contact lenses in?
No, not unless your eye doctor has told you your specific lens is made for it. Sleeping in lenses cuts oxygen to the cornea and raises infection risk. If it happens by accident, remove them on waking and use glasses that day.
Is swimming with contact lenses safe?
No. Pool, sea and lake water can carry germs that get trapped under the lens. Take lenses out before swimming and put in a fresh pair or wear glasses afterwards.
Can I shower with contact lenses?
It is best not to. Spray and steam can carry water behind the lens. Take them out first, or at least keep your eyes shut and your face out of the stream, and ask your optician what they advise.
Can I use tap water for contact lenses?
No. Tap water is not sterile and should never be used to rinse, store or top up lenses or the case. Use fresh lens solution only.
What do I do if a contact lens is stuck in my eye?
Wash your hands, add rewetting drops or fresh solution, close your eye and blink slowly. Do not scratch at it. If it still will not move, or it hurts, see an eye doctor.
How long can you wear contact lenses in a day?
Your optician sets this for your lens type and eyes. If your eyes feel dry or tired by evening, you are probably wearing them too long. Give your eyes a rest in glasses.
When should a red eye with contact lenses make me remove them?
Straight away. Redness with pain, tearing, light sensitivity or blurry vision means lens out and a same day eye check. Do not put the lens back in.
Can I wear contacts when I am sick?
If your eyes are red, sticky or irritated, no. For a common cold with comfortable eyes, many people manage, but glasses are gentler. Throw away lenses worn during an eye infection and replace the case.
How often should I replace my lens case?
At least every three months, as the CDC advises, and sooner if it is cracked or cloudy. Your lens brand may suggest a shorter interval.
Can I reuse the solution in the case the next day?
No. Throw out the old solution each time and refill with fresh. Topping up leaves a weak mix that does not disinfect properly.