Can I clean my contact lenses in water?

You should never clean your lenses with water, as this can pose a serious risk to your eyes and can often result in infections.

Always use contact lens solution for cleaning and storing your contact lenses.

Why is it dangerous to clean my contact lenses with water?

Although bottled water and water from the tap is safe to drink, it’s actually very unhygienic for your eyes as it could contain a number of harmful bacteria.

These bacteria, if transferred to a contact lens and then onto the eye, can rapidly multiply, posing a serious threat to your eyes and vision.

One infection in particular, named acanthamoeba keratitis, has been linked to vision loss and often requires serious surgery such as a corneal transplant to correct. Acanthamoeba are naturally occurring parasites that are found in water and can multiply at a rapid rate if transferred onto the surface of a contact lens. That’s why you should never clean your lenses with water, and should only ever use an FDA-approved disinfecting or cleaning solution.

Can I store my contact lenses in water?

Storing your contact lenses in water is also very dangerous, not just for the threat that acanthamoeba keratitis can pose, but also because it could lead to your lenses becoming misshapen and highly uncomfortable to wear. This can even result in your contact lenses sticking to your eyes and becoming very difficult to remove.

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