Don't swim with contact lenses in

I know all about that - it sucks...I am really sorry you have to go through it. Did you need surgery? It's like the most painful thing ever. Man, I feel for you.

Anyway, you can contract acanthamoeba from regular tap water too. The reason contact lens wearers are more likely to get it is because contacts take away our eyes' first line of defense, kind of like an abrasion to the outer layer of the skin...at least that's what my doc told me. 

Water in public pools is not good for the eye, and especially contact lense wearers as you can pick up something from the pool and continually expose your eye to it by taking lenses in and out, but I'd imagine you're fine especially with wearing goggles. Things like that are so rare and it's just one of those minor risks you take every day in life.

(I am not a doc, just speaking from personal experiences.)

To the OP, I hope you get better soon !

I just wanted to add that wearing your contacts in water doesn't make you more susceptible to catching this than not wearing contacts. It's the fact that you're a contact lens wearer at all that increases your chances of contracting this. (I guess maybe having your lenses in could increase your chance of re-exposing your eye to the bacteria, but you get the point). Again, I am speaking as an eye patient and not a medical professional.

I don't know anything about this infection, but guess my $20 prescription goggles were a good choice!

http://www.speedousa.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.detail/categoryID/b02b3e57-67ad-4d46-b0db-14d2753c1a2c/productID/d189dc9f-e59f-4eed-ad53-3c1cc75a1c77/search/1/

Wow!

Thanks for the info.  I just got contacts for the first time this week.  They told me I shouldn't swim with them, but didn't elaborate.  I have a HIM next weekend, and now I'm not sure what to do.  I can get away without them, but I'd like to have sharper vision on the bike if I could.

I wouldn't worry too much as long as your goggles fit well and don't allow water in.  The only problem to really bother about is your contacts getting dried out.  Wear sunglasses even if it not bright.  I just got some new Oakley Flak Jackets and they seem to keep the wind out of my eyes a little better than the Half Jackets.  I pretty much ride and run with sunglasses on all the time.  Get some lighter tinted lenses for overcast days.

 
I always keep some drops in my transition bag and have used them a few times when really needed.  Don't worry about being wasteful here. Just squeeze the jeebus out of the bottle and some of it will eventually get into your eyes.

Thanks, I had never heard this either and its been 15 years! But, I've only been lap swimming in public pools for 5 or 6 months. I've already caught other infections, just not the eyes yet.

I have GPC from years of contacts and was already considering what to do if I had a flare up near a race. Just had one until 2 days ago and have a race this weekend. I would have to get prescription goggles and where them all the way to transition. I would also have to see if they have precription wrap around style sunglasses for the bike and run. This could get expensive. Going without is not an option, but the link someone put up for goggles says they make them strong enough for me. Its not even twice the price!

Do they just take your word for it or do you have to fax a prescription?

Acanthamoeba infections are exceedingly rare--even among contact lens wearers (where 85% of the infections come from), the infection rate is 1-2 per million contact lens wearers. I've been wearing and swimming in lenses for almost 20 years with no problems. I've had literally hundreds of hours of contact time in dozens of different bodies of water, and no infections despite the fact that I never clean them after I swim. But that's just one person's experience.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/acanthamoeba/

Thanks! I hope you feel better soon .

My comment, which was sort of misleading (I need to stop posting after 9 p.m. cuz I am too tired to make any sense), was meant to communicate that contact lens wearers are at greater risk even without their lenses in than are people who don't wear lenses at all. I had a serious eye infection (which was originally diagnosed as what you have, but then changed) and that was at a time in which I was hardly ever in a pool and never wore contacts in a shower or pool...the docs said that as I contact lens wearer I am more susceptible, even without them in, cuz contacts take away your eyes' first line of defense. Just sayin that by removing your lenses, you're still at a greater risk than those who don't ever wear lenses. (At least according to my doc.) I guess having the lenses in presents an even greater risk...even though in the big scheme of things it's still very minimal.

Sorry you have to go thru that, because I know how much it sucks....being on percs for eye pain and not able to leave a dark room for days is the worst. Hang in there! 

I wear them in the pool all the time.  I just make sure that I clean them very well after every time that I swim.  My father-in-law is an optometrist and said it would be fine as long as the contacts were clean.  He also recommended keeping one pair just for swimming and another for regular wear. 

It's really important to wash your hands before handling lenses and make sure to clean and disinfect your contacts every day.  It is a pain and I don't always do it, but it really reduces the chance of getting eye infections.