During vacations, many fashion-conscious women with nearsightedness choose to wear contact lenses because they believe it makes them look more attractive compared to wearing glasses. But can contact lenses be worn while soaking in a hot spring?
Can You Wear Contact Lenses in a Hot Spring?
It is not recommended to wear contact lenses while soaking in a hot spring.
During a hot spring soak, a large amount of steam is produced, and the air humidity is high. This can easily cause bacteria to adhere to the contact lenses, leading to corneal inflammation. Additionally, contact lenses contain moisture, and under high temperatures, the lenses can easily dehydrate and stick to the eyes, making it difficult to remove them. Therefore, it is best not to wear contact lenses while soaking in a hot spring.
What Happens If You Wear Contact Lenses in a Hot Spring?
Corneal Infection
Hot spring pools are usually slippery, increasing the likelihood of falls. These pools also contain a large amount of bacteria. If the contact lenses come into contact with the water during a fall, the bacteria in the water can adhere to the lens surface, potentially causing a corneal infection.
Difficulty in Removal
The temperature of hot spring water is relatively high, and contact lenses contain a certain amount of moisture. Under high temperatures, the lenses can easily dehydrate and stick to the eyes, making it difficult to remove them.
What to Do If You Wear Contact Lenses in a Hot Spring?
If you accidentally wear contact lenses while soaking in a hot spring, you should immediately remove them and use a backup pair of glasses. If you don't have a backup pair, it is best to keep your eyes closed and enjoy the beauty of the hot spring without vision correction.
What Type of Eyewear Is Best for Hot Springs?
Due to the high temperature of hot springs, contact lenses can easily lose moisture and become contaminated with bacteria. Therefore, it is best to wear glasses instead of contact lenses while soaking in a hot spring. However, it is recommended to remove the glasses during the hot spring session as the high temperature can cause fogging. It is advisable to keep the glasses in a waterproof bag.
Who Should Not Wear Contact Lenses?
1. It is not recommended for women to wear contact lenses during menstruation. During this time, women may experience increased eye pressure and eye redness, and wearing contact lenses may further affect the eyes.
2. People with colds should avoid wearing contact lenses. Cold symptoms are often accompanied by mild retinal inflammation, and wearing contact lenses can worsen the inflammation.
3. People with corneal or conjunctival inflammation should not wear contact lenses as it can worsen their condition.
4. Pregnant women should not wear contact lenses. During pregnancy, the corneal tissue may experience mild edema, which increases corneal thickness. Contact lenses hinder the contact between the cornea and air, exacerbating the corneal hypoxia caused by wearing contact lenses.
Contraindications for Soaking in Hot Springs
1. People with skin allergies, pregnant women, and those who have just had surgery should avoid soaking in hot springs.
2. People with heart disease, hypertension, or other medical conditions should not soak in hot springs unless permitted by a doctor.
3. Diabetic patients should not soak in hot springs for a long time. High water temperatures can accelerate the absorption of insulin injections and prolonged exposure to high temperatures can increase energy consumption and cardiac burden, leading to accidents. Diabetic patients should also limit their bathing time to less than 20 minutes and keep the water temperature below 40°C to avoid accidents.
4. People prone to insomnia should avoid prolonged soaking in hot springs to prevent increased heart rate and disruption of sleep.
