Yes, you can technically swim while wearing colored contacts — but we strongly recommend taking them out before you get in the water. Pool, lake, ocean, and even shower water is one of the worst environments for any contact lens. It can trap bacteria against your eye, make the lens swell, and turn a fun afternoon into an eye infection. Here is what you need to know before you jump in.
In this guide:
- Why water is so risky for contact lenses
- What actually happens to your lenses in the water
- How to handle it if you absolutely must swim
The Short Answer
Can you swim with colored contacts? Yes, it is possible — the lens will not dissolve or wash off your eye in the water. But we do not recommend it. Pools, hot tubs, lakes, and oceans all contain microbes, and contact lenses act like tiny sponges for water. The safest habit is simple: take your colored contacts out before swimming, store them in fresh solution, and put them back in after with clean hands.
Why Water Is a Problem for Contact Lenses
Contact lenses are made of water-absorbing materials, which is what keeps them soft and comfortable on your eye. That same quality makes them dangerous in the water. When you swim, the lens soaks up whatever is around it — chlorine, salt, bacteria, and microscopic organisms — and holds that mixture directly against your cornea for the rest of the swim.
Tap water and swimming pools are not sterile, and freshwater lakes can contain Acanthamoeba, a microorganism linked to serious eye infections. Chlorine kills many germs, but not all of them, and it takes time to work. Even a single swim with contacts raises your risk of irritation, redness, and infection compared with swimming without them.
What Happens to Contacts in the Pool
If you keep your colored contacts in while swimming, a few things usually happen:
- The lens absorbs water and swells. It can shift fit, feel tight, or become loose enough to slide around your eye.
- Chemicals irritate your eye. Chlorine, salt, and dirt collect on the lens surface, causing stinging, redness, and blurry vision.
- The lens can dry and stick. After you leave the water, the surface dries out and the lens can feel glued to your eye.
- You can lose a lens. Rubbing watery eyes, goggles, or a wave can dislodge a lens before you realize it is gone.
Colored Contacts Are Not Safer in Water
Colored contact lenses carry exactly the same water risks as clear lenses. The color layer is sealed safely inside the lens, but the outer material still absorbs pool water, and the bacteria still get trapped against your eye. Because colored lenses are usually plano (0.00) and decorative, there is no vision benefit to wearing them in the water — which makes the risk even harder to justify.
If You Must Swim With Contacts
We get it — sometimes you forget your case, or a friend pulls you into the pool. If you decide to swim with contacts anyway, take these precautions:
- Wear airtight goggles. Keep as much water away from your eyes as possible, and do not open your eyes underwater.
- Use daily disposable lenses if you can. Throw them away right after the swim instead of cleaning and reusing them.
- Remove and clean as soon as you are out. Wash your hands, take the lenses out, and place them in fresh contact lens solution — never tap water.
- Carry a backup pair. If the lenses feel gritty, swap in a clean pair rather than pushing through.
If your eyes feel sore, red, or light-sensitive after swimming with contacts, remove the lenses and contact your eye care professional.
Showers and Hot Tubs Count Too
Water risk is not limited to swimming. Showering or soaking in a hot tub with contacts in your eyes can cause the same problems — and hot tubs are especially known for harboring microbes. A quick rinse under the shower is usually fine, but try to keep your face out of the direct spray, and never use tap water to clean or store your lenses.
The Bottom Line
Take your colored contacts out before you swim. If you do wear them in the water, remove them as soon as you are done, clean them properly, and watch your eyes for any redness or discomfort. Every pair we sell meets strict safety standards, and U.S. regulations require a valid prescription for all contact lenses, including zero-power cosmetic lenses — but safe habits on land and in the water matter just as much as the product itself.
FAQ
Related Guides
- The Complete Colored Contacts Safety Guide — how to wear, clean, and care for your lenses.
- How to Put in Contact Lenses — a clean, step-by-step insertion routine.
- How to Remove Contact Lenses — safe removal without damaging your eyes or lenses.
Shop Colored Lenses
Ready to find your shade for dry-land plans? These blue and aqua styles bring the water vibe without the risk:
- Mystic Ocean Aqua Colored Contacts — deep aqua blue with an ocean-inspired gradient.
- Arctic Frost Grey-Blue Contacts — cool icy blue-grey for a fresh everyday look.
- Red Rim Ice Blue Colored Contacts — vivid ice blue with a subtle red rim.
- All Blue Colored Contacts — every blue style we carry in one place.
