ACUVUE^® Blog

Can you shower with contact lenses on?

By Dr. Giovanna Olivares, OD, FAAO; Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Director & Staff Writer

That's an easy one: The answer is NO

We can’t say this emphatically enough, contact lenses should never be worn in the shower. When taking a shower, there’s a risk that you’ll get water in your eyes, and that can cause a serious, vision-threatening eye infection.

Why you should never shower with contacts

If we need water to survive, shower in it, and wash our hands in it, why is it such a no-no for contacts to come into contact with it? Well, here are a few key reasons.

Most water isn't germ-free

The water that comes out of your tap is typically safe to drink, because it’s treated and regulated and tested often, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe for your eyes. A microbe called Acanthamoeba is quite common in many sources of water such as drinking water, swimming pools, lakes, rivers, saunas, hot tubs, and more. And it can be particularly dangerous for your eyes. It can cause an eye infection called Acanthamoeba keratitis, which can be very painful and may even lead to blindness.

Water can warp your lenses

Of course, there are other kinds of water that don’t have bacteria or any additives in it, like distilled water or laboratory-grade sterile water. But your lenses shouldn’t touch that either. Contact lenses are made to feel comfortable in your eyes, and the tears that coat your eyes are made of much more than just water. When water gets on contact lenses, they can swell, potentially creating discomfort or distorted vision.

Wait, tears aren't water?

Tears have water in them, but they’re not water. They’re not even like saline. They have enzymes, lipids and electrolytes—things that function to keep your eyes healthy. Your tears actually have three distinct layers.

A mucin layer

This is the innermost layer. It helps to protect the front surface of the eye (cornea) and provides lubrication so the lid can glide over the cornea.

An aqueous (watery) layer

This is the middle layer, helping with nourishment, hydration and protecting the cornea.

A lipid (oily) layer

This outer layer helps lubricate your eye and helps prevent your tears from evaporating.

What if you accidently shower with your contacts in?

It doesn’t matter if you’re using disposable lenses or reusable lenses, throw them away and put on a brand new lens. If the water made your contact lenses difficult to remove, use lubricating eye drops to help loosen the lens on the eye, then remove with clean, dry hands.

Stay dry out there

Contact lenses are great for a lot of things—active lifestyles, unobstructed vision, versatility—but contact with water is another story. Don’t fret though, it’s like anything else. Once you get used to the fact that you have to take them out before you get wet, it becomes second nature.

About the author

Giovanna E. Olivares, OD, FAAO is the Global Director, Specialty Platforms Research & Development, at Johnson & Johnson Vision Care (JJVC). In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the strategy, design, and development of new products to support the company’s global Astigmatism and Presbyopia platforms. In 2017 under her leadership, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, launched ACUVUE^® Oasys 1-Day with Hydroluxe^® for Astigmatism and ACUVUE^® Vita^® for Astigmatism to meet our patients’ needs. In 2021, her team launched ACUVUE^® OASYS MULTIFOCAL with PUPIL OPTIMIZED design. Recently in September, 2022, she launched ACUVUE^® OASYS MAX MULTIFOCAL for presbyopia patients. Dr. Olivares joined Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. in 2004 as Sr. Manager of the R&D Design Clinical Research Group. In this role, she led a multidisciplinary group including Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, Vision Scientists, and Biostatisticians responsible for the development of new innovative contact lens products and clinical methodology. Under her leadership, the group launched several brands including ACUVUE^® ADVANCE for ASTIGMATISM, ACUVUE^® OASYS for ASTIGMATISM, and 1-DAY ACUVUE^® MOIST for ASTIGMATISM. Under her leadership, the first validated patient questionnaire for JJVC was developed, CLUE (Contact Lens User Experience). In 2010, she was appointed to the position of Director of Professional Education, responsible for developing innovative educational programs across the spectrum of students, eye care professionals, Professional Affairs Consultants, and the company’s Sales & Marketing organizations. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson Vision, Dr. Olivares served as the Director of Clinical and Professional Development for Unilens Corp. USA, where she developed contact lens designs for presbyopia. Additionally, she has practiced in an ophthalmology practice, private optometric practice, retail optometry, and as a technical medical consultant at TLC, a center for LASIK surgery. Dr. Olivares received her BS degree from the University of Rochester and her OD degree from the State University of New York (SUNY). She subsequently completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Ocular Disease management at the SUNY College of Optometry. After her fellowship, she joined the SUNY faculty as an Assistant Professor with clinical and didactic teaching responsibilities in the areas of contact lenses, ocular disease, pediatric/binocular vision, and primary care. Dr. Olivares is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, has authored numerous scientific articles and has lectured internationally on contact lens technology and fitting for success.

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Footnotes

Consult your eye care professional for more information. Johnson & Johnson does not provide medical advice; this information is for educational purposes only.

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Important information for contact lens wearers: ACUVUE Contact Lenses are available by prescription only for vision correction. An eye care professional will determine whether contact lenses are right for you. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing contact lenses. To help avoid these problems, follow the wear and replacement schedule and the lens care instructions provided by your eye doctor. Do not wear contact lenses if you have an eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. If one of these conditions occurs, remove the lens and contact your eye doctor immediately. For more information on proper wear, care and safety, talk to your eye care professional and ask for a Patient Instruction Guide, call 1-800-843-2020, or download the Patient Instruction Guides.

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