Our surf instructors are often asked the tricky question, “Can I wear contact lenses surfing?”
While optometrists will always advise against wearing any kind of contact lenses surfing we understand that it can be frustrating to not be able to see clearly while surfing. Keeping the optometrist’s recommendation in mind, let’s discuss your options.
We recommend wearing disposable contact lenses when surfing. You can wear an old pair and make sure you hold your eyes closed tightly when you go underwater.
You may also want to wear a pair of goggles to protect your eyes and your contact lenses.
We need to let you know that surfing with glasses does have a low risk of losing your vision.
This is why optometrists will always advise against surfing with any kind of contact lens in your eyes.
However, if having clear vision is important to you, the best option is to wear disposables and take them out as soon as you get out of the ocean. Follow this by rinsing your eyes out with sterile saline solution. Make sure you don’t rub your eyes when you are in the water, this will increase your risk of getting an infection.
Another tip is to make sure you wear sunscreen that won’t run into your eyes when you jump into the water.
