I used to swim several days/week for 40-60mins - usually in the evening and always wore my yearly contact lenses - but I did wear goggles, as I was sometimes submerged. Swimming pools, if clean and properly maintained, have high concentrations of chlorine or bromine compounds to control bacteria.

Hot tubs, or jacuzzis are we prefer to call them on this side of the pond, are not healthy, as the higher temperatures encourage the breeding of bacteria.

I don't like swimming in fresh water due to the risk of pollution and much prefer the open sea, provided it is clean.

I am aware of this dangerous and unpleasant bacteria acanthamoeba, but I had believed the risk was mainly from cleaning contact lenses in tap water and can lead to blindness within 24 hours. I never use tap water and always sterilise the lenses and lens case for several hours in hydrogen peroxide each night.

It is true that opticians usually recommend not swimming with contact lenses, but I was always told this was because of the risk of loosing the lenses in the water, rather than the bacteria. I used to scuba dive with contact lenses and also water skied (though I did loose a lens one day when I hit the water particularly hard!)

To minimise the risk of bacterial contamination, I would agree that Daily Contact lenses with goggles reduce the risks, or if you can see well enough without (not to have an accident at the poolside) and are prepared to go through the hassle of taking the lenses out, etc. swim without the contacts to be safer.

Unfortunately the acanthamoeba bacteria isn't the only dangerous bacteria in polluted waters and I have read in SCUBA magazines of a diver suffering death after bacteria entered his body via his nasal passage.

knotlob