So, you accidentally wore contacts in the shower. This has happened to the best of us. The immediate reaction is mixed. Mild panic? Disgust? Or, perhaps you’re like me, oblivious to the risks you just exposed yourself to.
Should you worry? The answer is nuanced and depends on several factors. Let’s get into it!
First Things First
As soon as you realize you’ve worn your contacts in the shower, you want to work on getting them out safely.
If you’ve already finished showering, wash and dry your hands thoroughly. Then, remove your lenses straight away. Don’t leave them in any longer than you need to. Exposure to moisture and contaminants from the water can create an environment attractive to bacteria.
After They’re Out
Once your contacts are out, give your eyes a moment to recover before putting new lenses in. If you feel any irritation, dryness, or a gritty feeling, switch to your glasses and avoid contacts for the rest of the day. You can also try using some eye drops to ease any of these symptoms.
Never use contact solution as eye drops. Contact solutions contain disinfectants and preservatives (like hydrogen peroxide) designed to clean lenses. If placed directly in the eye, you can end up with intense stinging, irritation, or even corneal damage.
You might now be wondering if it’s safe to reinsert the contacts you just took out. We’re going to explore if your lenses can be saved further down. However, we recommend you err on the side of caution and replace your lenses. This recommendation is echoed by pretty much every doctor, too.
What if I’m Still in the Shower?
If you ever notice you’re still wearing your contacts mid-shower, don’t just carry on. You’ll need to step out ASAP. The longer the lenses stay in, the more water they absorb and the longer your eyes stay exposed.
Rinse off any shampoo or soap around your eyes, get out, wash and dry your hands, then remove your lenses.
Don’t try to take them out with wet, soapy hands or while you’re still in the shower. That’ll only make things worse since you’ll put soap or contaminated water in your eyes or on the lenses during removal.
Potential Risks
There are several risks when showering with your contacts:
- Lens damage: Lenses can deform when they come in contact with water, which will affect how they sit on your eye. This can lead to microscopic scratches on the surface of your eye that act as entryways for bacteria.
- Microbial contamination: Faucet or shower water is not sterile. It can contain microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. Those organisms can transfer onto the lens surface and sit against your eye, resulting in irritation or infection.
- Infection: When microbes from shower water become trapped under a lens, they can cause infections. The most serious is Acanthamoeba keratitis. Although rare, it’s potentially sight-threatening. That’s why any water exposure while wearing lenses is discouraged.
- Chemical irritation: Certain products used in showers can also cause problems if they come into contact with your eyes. Shampoos, conditioners, and body washes contain chemicals that irritate the eyes. Trapped under your contacts, these chemicals can cause redness, discomfort, and inflammation. They can also leave residue behind or damage the surface of your contact lenses.
My Contacts Won’t Come Out!
After wearing your contacts in the shower, you might find you’re having more trouble than usual with removal. It’s easier said than done, but don’t panic. There are a few tricks you can try that ease removal before rushing to a doctor. Here’s what the problem(s) could be:
The Lens Has Tightened on Your Eye
Contact lenses absorb water very quickly, which can cause them to slightly swell and sit more tightly against your eye. It can create the feeling like the lens is “stuck” to your eye when it’s actually not.
Try slowly blinking a few times to help the lens move. Then, look up and gently slide it down to the white of your eye before removing, instead of pulling from the center. It can also help to use eye drops to loosen things up.
Your Eyes Are Too Dry
This might sound strange since you just stepped out of a shower. But heat and steam can disrupt your tear film and dry the eyes out. Dry eyes equal dry lenses, and dry lenses don’t move around as easily, making removal harder.
Blink a few times, add lubricating drops, and give it 30 to 60 seconds before trying again.
The Lens Has Shifted Out of Place
Water exposure can make a lens move off-center, making it harder to find and grip. It can even seem like the lens has somehow disappeared. But don’t worry, it’s impossible for lenses to get lost behind your eye (I promise!).
Using a mirror, keep your eye open and look in the opposite direction of where you think the lens has shifted. Then, use your finger to gently massage the eyelid closest to the lens (upper lid if it’s moved up, lower lid if it’s moved down) and guide it back to the center.
There’s Soap Residue in Your Eye
Soap or shampoo can get trapped behind the lens, resulting in stinging, watery eyes, and constant blinking. This is obviously going to make removal more difficult. But it’s important to get this trapped soap residue off as soon as possible.
If you’re struggling to remove the lens, rinse your eyes with sterile saline or artificial tears, then blink to flush out any residue. Wait until the irritation settles, then try again to remove the lens with clean, dry hands. Do not rub your eyes, as that can shift the lens and will only create more irritation.
You’ve Got Wet or Oily Fingers
Slightly damp or slippery fingers can make it hard to grip the lens properly. Make sure your hands are completely dry and free from any soap or oil. Use a gentle pinch with the pads of your fingers, not your nails.
When to Stop Trying
If your eye starts feeling sore, take a break. Add lubricating drops, wait a few minutes, and calmly try again. If you still can’t remove the lens or you start to experience pain, then it’s time to seek urgent care. It could mean the lens is torn, folded in on itself, stuck under the eyelid, or your eye is too irritated to remove it safely without help.
Symptoms To Watch For
After you accidentally wear contacts in the shower, be vigilant. Watch out for any symptoms of irritation or infection:
- Redness: Look for redness in the white of your eye or the surrounding conjunctiva (the thin membrane lining your eyelids and eyeball).
- Itching: You could feel like something is stuck in your eye, experience some discomfort, or have persistent itchiness.
- Pain: Do you feel any pain in the eye? This can be sharp or dull.
- Discharge: Look out for pus-like discharge from the eye.
- Blurred Vision: Is your visual clarity noticeably decreased?
- Sensitivity to Light: Are you suddenly feeling increased discomfort in bright light (photophobia)?
When To Consult an Eye Doctor
If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned, especially:
- Pain
- Eye discharge
- Blurred vision
Don’t wait it out. Stop wearing your lenses and seek urgent care straight away. These symptoms can signal a serious problem like an infection that could get even worse if left untreated.
Can the Lenses Be Saved?
No matter which type of contacts you use, the safest and doctor-recommended course of action is to just throw them out. I get that this can be disappointing since nobody likes to waste a pair of lenses. But sometimes, you have to prioritize your eye health over cost and convenience.
However, if you’re dead-set on reusing your lenses, then here’s what you need to know.
Daily Disposable Contacts
After you take them out, throw them away.
Daily lenses are strictly single-use and made of a very thin, high-moisture material. Because they’re more delicate, they can’t handle cleaning.
They act like a sponge, so they’ll have soaked up whatever was in that water, including microorganisms and trace chemicals. If you try to clean them, they’ll just tear or warp.
Reusable Lenses (Weekly or Monthly)
Reusable weekly or monthly contacts have a sturdier design and are meant to be reused and cleaned for up to a month per lifecycle.
Even though reusable lenses are more durable than dailies, they can still warp. Water changes the lens shape, so they can feel “tight” or uncomfortable after a shower.
You can try to save these with contact solution and some “rub and rinse” cleaning action. But if they still feel weird, it’s time to accept defeat and throw them out.
If you go the cleaning route, do it properly:
- Wash your hands
- Remove the lenses
- Rub and rinse them with contact lens solution
- Place them in fresh solution
- Let them soak for the full recommended time
Even if you follow these steps, you’re never going to completely eliminate all risk by cleaning them. If the lenses are older or close to replacement anyway, it usually makes more sense to toss them.
Extended-Wear Lenses
These confuse a lot of people. While some specific products are designed to be safe to wear to bed, they’re not safe to wear in the shower.
In fact, extended-wear contacts are the riskiest to wear in the shower. Because they stay on your eyes for longer periods of time, any germ trapped behind the lens gets the perfect home to live and multiply in.
But if you do accidentally wear them in the shower, then you should treat them like reusable lenses. Either replace them or clean them properly as discussed above.
How To Avoid Doing It Again
Here are a few things you can do to prevent making this mistake again:
- Create a pre-shower routine, and stick to it: Make it a habit to remove your contacts before stepping into the shower. It might take some getting used to, but little routines like keeping your lens case nearby can help.
- Visual reminders: Something as simple as a Post-it note on the mirror can serve as a prompt to remove your contacts before showering. Even placing the case somewhere obvious can act as a reminder.
- Daily disposable lenses: If you shower in the mornings, daily lenses keep it simple. You can shower first, then put in a fresh pair. Unlike extended-wear contacts, you can’t sleep in dailies. So it’s easier to create a morning routine that helps you avoid accidentally wearing them into the shower.
- Use prescription goggles: If your vision is too poor to shower comfortably without correction, prescription goggles can be a lifesaver. This way, you won’t mix up the shampoo with the body wash, but you also won’t need to put your eye health at risk by wearing contacts in the shower.
TL;DR
If you accidentally wore contacts in the shower, don’t beat yourself up. Mistakes happen. But do take action!
- Remove your lenses immediately with clean, dry hands.
- Watch for redness, pain, discharge, or blurred vision.
- The best thing to do is throw out the lenses, especially disposables.
- For reusable lenses, cleaning helps, but can’t remove all risk.
- Switch to glasses if your eyes feel irritated.
- Keep monitoring your eyes over the next few days.
Important: We don’t recommend reusing contact lenses after wearing them in the shower. This aligns with guidance from eye care professionals, who advise avoiding water exposure altogether when wearing contacts.
If you notice any concerning symptoms after showering with your lenses in, such as pain, redness, discharge, or vision changes, seek care from an eye care professional as soon as possible.
