Is it safe to workout wearing contact lenses? Of course it is. I wear them because I hate wearing my glasses, but my eyesight is so bad that not wearing corrective lenses gives me eye strain and headaches.
Contact lenses aren’t foolproof, though. With the climate controlled environment in the gym, the dryness of the air combined with sweat can irritate the eyes. This usually only happens during the summer months, though, coming into the gym from the outside humidity, and only lasts a few minutes.
Like anywhere else, you have to be diligent about how you care for your eyes. I have lost a lens at the gym and it’s no big deal because my glasses are always in the car. But what if you’re a contact lens wearer and you shower after your workouts, or swim in your lenses?
Why is this big deal, you ask? Because swimming or showering with your contacts in increases your chance of getting an eye infection.
Contact lenses aren’t foolproof, though. With the climate controlled environment in the gym, the dryness of the air combined with sweat can irritate the eyes. This usually only happens during the summer months, though, coming into the gym from the outside humidity, and only lasts a few minutes.
Like anywhere else, you have to be diligent about how you care for your eyes. I have lost a lens at the gym and it’s no big deal because my glasses are always in the car. But what if you’re a contact lens wearer and you shower after your workouts, or swim in your lenses?
Why is this big deal, you ask? Because swimming or showering with your contacts in increases your chance of getting an eye infection.
Many people use the showers or pools at the gym. How many of them are contact lens wearers? I’d say quite a few. Are they thinking about eye infections? Do they have safeguards to prevent this?
If you do wear your contacts to the gym here are a few things you can do to avoid showering in them;
1. Shower when you get home.
2. Take your case to the gym and take them out before showering (for AM pre-work gym rats).
3. ALWAYS have an extra pair of contacts or bring your glasses, just in case.
This is probably the only time where I’ll actually say ‘do this’ or ‘don’t do this’. I truly don’t want anyone to get an eye infection.
If you do wear your contacts to the gym here are a few things you can do to avoid showering in them;
1. Shower when you get home.
2. Take your case to the gym and take them out before showering (for AM pre-work gym rats).
3. ALWAYS have an extra pair of contacts or bring your glasses, just in case.
This is probably the only time where I’ll actually say ‘do this’ or ‘don’t do this’. I truly don’t want anyone to get an eye infection.