Please find below the advice from The British Contact Lens Association on swimming with contact lenses:

The BCLA advices not wear contact lenses for swimming – or in hot tubs or whilst showering or participating in water sports – unless wearing tight-fitting goggles over the top. After swimming – or if lenses are removed and stored whilst swimming – contact lenses should be cleaned and disinfected in fresh solution before putting them back on the eyes.

The BCLA suggests to regular swimmers talking to an eye care professional about being fitted with daily disposable contact lenses for use with goggles whilst swimming. Daily disposable contact lenses should always be discarded immediately after swimming.

BCLA President, Dr Catharine Chisholm, commented: “Thankfully it is extremely rare for someone to develop an eye infection as a result of their lenses coming into contact with water – and even less common for this to result in a loss of vision. However, infections of the cornea can be very serious and are most commonly associated with patients not following the instructions for lens care and wear given to them by their eye care practitioner (ECP).“

Contact us for more information and guidance on contact lens wear and care, or whether you could be fitted with Ortho K lenses. Ortho K contact lenses are worn overnight, leaving one with perfect vision during the day. They are great alternative for standard contact lenses, especially for activities where the standard lenses cause discomfort or the risk of infection, like swimming or diving.

from Daily Mail (22/05/2011)

The advances in vision correction are almost as quick as advances in computer technology. The latest way to see clearly doesn't even involve surgery or lasers. Does it sound too good to be true to say you may be able to correct your vision while you sleep? Well, it's true. This is the latest way to turn those fuzzy words into fine print. Those who wear contact lenses know you aren't supposed to sleep in them. Most lenses aren't designed to allow adequate oxygen to reach the eyeball when eyelids are closed for long periods. Anyone who has fallen asleep wearing contacts knows the unpleasant sensation of gritty, morning-after dryness.

But that may be a thing of the past. New research is underway which may eliminate the daily ritual of lens wearers having to "put their eyes in" each morning.

The Food and Drug Administration is completing trials of a special hard lens that corrects vision while you sleep. Researchers say gas permeable, orthokeratology lenses are safe and can promote clearer vision. Think of it as braces for your eyes. The contacts will mold a new shape of you cornea, allowing better vision. The contact is designed to flatten the curvature of the front surface of the eye, which changes the focal point. A series of contact lens is worn as the cornea incrementally changes shape. A final "retainer lens" is then worn indefinitely for a set time each day. Right now the lenses can treat nearsightedness and astigmatism. Research is underway to treat farsightedness.

Orthokeratology (or "Ortho-K") lens for daytime have been available for years. However the night lens is slightly different. Doctors also believe that pressure from the eye lid being closed will enhance the process. Priced between US$1,500 and $3,500,""Ortho-K" is for people with healthy eyes who need small to moderate vision correction.

Some eye care providers use special names to market Ortho-K, such as "precise corneal molding" (PCM) or "controlled kerato-reformation" (CKR). Patients involved in the trials of Ortho-K say the contacts are easy to use, with little risk of falling out. Results are seen after a period of weeks to months.

In a small study at Ohio State University, researchers saw improvement in the daytime eyesight of seven out of eight nearsighted subjects after just seven nights of wearing Ortho-K contact lenses.

"Most of the improvement occurred during the first seven nights of lens wear," said Joseph Barr, a co-author of the study and a professor of optometry. "Daytime vision continued to improve beyond the seventh night, and tended to level off around day 30. When the participants took the lenses out, their corneas were shaped like they had undergone refractive surgery."

The study appears in a recent issue of the journal "Optometry and Vision Science."

Contact lenses that control Myopia (short sightedness) and Presbyopia (long sightedness) progress could dramatically change the market over the next five years, according to leading authorities in the field.

Speaking at a roundtable discussion on the future of contact lenses at the British Contact Lens Association's Clinical Conference in May, Professor Noel Brennan told delegates: 'Myopia control is coming and it's coming fast. This will change the way we practise in years to come.'

Dr Philip Morgan said that a paradigm shift was needed in the presbyopic area, which could potentially double the market in the next five years. Understanding contact lens comfort and proactive prescribing could also have a significant impact.

Increasing contact lens penetration was a common theme at this year's conference, reflecting a recent change to the BCLA's mission statement to 'promote growth' in contact lenses.

from www.opticianonline.net

Natural Ophthalmics: Ortho K day and night time eye drops

These drops contain powerful ingredients to stimulate tear film production, counteract irritation, halt allergies and reduce foreign body sensation. Homeopathic Calendula is known to support corneal health and is indicated for corneal abrasions and erosions. The 'Night Time Gel' reduces mechanical irritation. The clarifying 'Day Time Drop' is preservative free and used often as needed to alleviate dry, red, itchy, irritated eyes and is also ok with soft contacts. Homeopathic drops are safe for children and nursing/pregnant women.

Ortho K lenses correct your vision while you sleep, so you don't need to wear contact lenses or glasses during the day.

This is made possible by specially designed Ortho K contact lens that reverses the power of the corea at the front of the eye during overnight wear.Once the full effect of the Ortho K process has taken place, the eye is effectively 'normal' and can see clearly during the day.

Image courtesy of Prozac1 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net