Is it safe to wear contact lenses when swimming if I wear swimming goggles?

[Falkland]

Is it safe to wear contacts when swimming, what's the risk of doing so? Or if wearing swimming goggles would be recommended?

[Falkner]

Swimming with swimming goggles are highly recommnede. Swimming with your contact lenses on, is possible but very risky. The health risk associated is merely dependent upon the body of water you are in. When swimming on lakes and rivers, there is a huge possibility for a microorganism called acanthamoeba to adhere to your lens, causing infection and inflammation of your cornea (acanthamoeba keratitis). Swimming around pools and ocean waters on the other hand, decreases your susceptibility to microbial infection, but other problems may evolve. In the pool--eye irritation is possible when chlorine sticks on the surface of your lens; in the ocean--your contact lenses can be dislodge when you encounter large waves. You can still wear your lenses, but do so but with proper precautions.