Can You Shower in Contact Lenses or Rinse Them With Tap Water?

Short answer: Take contact lenses out before showering, swimming or bathing. Do not rinse or store them in tap water. Drinking-quality water is not sterile lens-care fluid, and bottled or distilled water is not a substitute for an appropriate disinfecting product.

Does this include daily disposables?

Yes. Single-use lenses still sit on the eye during water exposure; their replacement schedule does not make showering in them a safe practice. Reusable soft and rigid lenses need compatible care systems. This article concerns routine corrective and cosmetic lenses, not a clinician-managed bandage lens after surgery. Ask the treating eye service before removing or changing care for a therapeutic lens.

Why a quick shower is not a safe exception

CDC describes both a mechanical problem—soft lenses can change shape and adhere to the eye—and exposure to organisms in water. Acanthamoeba keratitis is an uncommon but potentially sight-threatening example. One splash does not establish an infection. Equally, the guidance does not supply a safe number of shower minutes. Removing lenses beforehand is a practical preventive step, not a prediction that every exposure causes harm.

If water has already reached the lenses

Wash and fully dry your hands, remove the lenses as soon as possible and switch to glasses. For exposure without symptoms, CDC and NIH describe discarding the lenses or disinfecting reusable lenses overnight before reuse. Do not clean and reuse daily disposables. Check compatibility and the full labeled process for your actual lens and care system; ask the eye care service if uncertain. A quick rinse is not completed disinfection. If removal is painful or difficult, do not force the lens off; contact the service.

Saline is not disinfection

Sterile saline may have a rinsing role in a specified care system, but it does not kill organisms on lenses. Homemade salt water and saliva are not substitutes. Use fresh solution rather than adding it to used liquid. Follow the case-care instructions; for a multipurpose system, CDC advises rubbing and rinsing the case with fresh solution, emptying and drying it, without water. Hydrogen-peroxide systems require the supplied case and complete neutralization. Never put unneutralized peroxide directly into the eye.

Pain, redness, light sensitivity or blurred vision changes the plan

Remove the lenses, do not reinsert them, and contact an eye care professional immediately. Report unusual tearing, discharge, swelling or a gritty sensation too. Sudden loss of vision or severe pain warrants urgent emergency eye assessment. Do not wait to see whether another wear or disinfection cycle solves symptoms.

For symptomatic wearers, FDA advises keeping the removed lenses in their case and bringing them for assessment, because they may help establish the cause. This differs from discarding a lens after a symptom-free exposure. Do not delay medical care to retrieve equipment.

Korean guidance and international advice

Korea’s MFDS also warns about infection risks from pool, tap and sea water and advises avoiding lens wear during water activities. CDC and NIH explicitly include showering. Goggles do not establish zero risk with lenses; prescription swimming goggles are an alternative to discuss. US approvals or reporting systems do not establish Korean authorization. Use products appropriate to your country and follow the actual label and your eye care professional’s instructions.

Prepare a useful record

Note the time and type of water exposure, lens type and replacement schedule, care product, and onset of discomfort or vision changes. Removal and timely care come before completing a record.

Which cleaning and disinfection process is compatible with these lenses?
Should these lenses be replaced, and when may I resume wear?
Do these symptoms need a corneal examination, and which changes need immediate reassessment?

Sources and review date

Reviewed October 19, 2026. General health information based on public official sources; not a personal eye examination, diagnosis or treatment plan. This article does not claim clinician review.