Can I wear my contact lenses when I'm sunbathing, or will the heat cause problems?

I.M. London

You shouldn't find that the heat causes problems. However, sometimes as the body gets hotter the cornea can swell slightly causing mild redness and irritation. Counteract this by using eye drops before sunbathing and wearing good quality, UV blocking sunglasses. This simple practice can also help in the prevention of future conditions including macular degeneration and cataracts.

Can I wear my soft contact lenses for swimming or will they be affected by chlorine in the water?

K.C. Dagenham

Though you can swim in your soft contact lenses provided they are daily disposables it is advisable to also wear swimming goggles. The chlorine won't adversely affect dailies, but you should be aware of other potential hazards. Hot tubs, Jacuzzis and communal pools all attract a wide variety of nasty water borne bacteria. One in particular, acanthamoeba can be incredibly nasty and painful and in the worst case scenario can cause lasting eye damage. Water pressure may also present a possible threat as it can distort the lens and alter the fit. This can distort the cornea, again leading to future eye problems. If you really can't see without contact lenses you may consider buying prescription goggles for swimming. Otherwise, take the safe option and remove your contact lenses before taking the plunge.

Water pressure may also present a possible threat as it can distort the lens and alter the fit. This can distort the cornea, again leading to future eye problems.

If you really can't see without contact lenses you may consider buying prescription goggles for swimming. Otherwise, take the safe option and remove your contact lenses before taking the plunge.

I've worn my daily contacts in the past for scuba diving and it's been fine. Is it all right to keep doing this?

B.D. Portsmouth

Yes. You might also like to try putting in some eye drops before your dive and again when you finish. Occasionally, lenses may feel a little tighter due to different pressures, but on the whole contact lenses are perfect for scuba diving.

I have a prescription for -5.75 in the right eye and -5.50 in the left. I would like to know what brand of soft contact lenses will give me the best protection from UVA and UVB rays. Which can you suggest?

S-J K Chester

I'd recommend the Acuvue brand of contact lenses; they offer some of the best protection and all of their lenses have UV filters as standard. Try Acuvue Oasys or 1-Day Acuvue Trueye for the highest UV protection currently available. There are several other brands that use the same technology in good quality lenses, but to find the perfect lens for you it's always best to make an appointment for a fitting with your optometrist.

I am 20 and have now been wearing my soft contact lenses for six years. My vision seems to be worsening. Furthermore, I've just discovered that blood vessels are growing towards my corneas as a result of wearing my lenses too much. My doctor gave me some eye drops and they made my eyes dry. Even when wearing glasses my sight seems worse than before and my eyes now look quite bloodshot. Can you tell me what could be causing this? P.S. I hate my glasses and once I have this problem fixed is there any possibility that I could have LASIK treatment? I really don't want to be stuck wearing glasses forever.

V.L. Swindon

From the details you've given me, it does appear that your eye problems may stem from over-wearing your contacts. Wearing contact lenses for extended periods can sometimes cause a lack of oxygen to the cornea. In turn, this can lead to corneal micro-trauma and can result in blood vessel growth on the cornea. If you haven't already contacted your optician, you should aim to see him as soon as possible.

You may still be able to have LASIK treatment, even though you've experienced problems with your contact lenses. Much will depend on your eye health and how you care for your eyes, and you should discuss this with your optometrist. They can assess whether you will be suitable for LASIK treatment, and can give you information regarding potential risks and an overview of both positive and negative aspects of the procedure.

I'm a 22 year old woman who has been wearing glasses for 10 years. I sometimes wear contact lenses and though my sight has been pretty stable for a long time, one eye has changed recently. Can I stop any further change and perhaps improve my vision?

S.P. Rochester

This might just be a natural change. Sometimes contact lenses, gas permeable or soft, can alter the curvature of the cornea by a tiny amount which in turn will mean a change of prescription. Your optician will be able to recommend a course of action, if in fact any is required. Your eyesight might be stabilised over the next few years by updating your prescription.

My optician recommends that I try Acuvue Oasys contact lenses. How will I know that they are fitted in the right place? Will they move if I blink?

G.P. Thornton Heath

All soft contact lenses have been specially designed to fit very well once you've put them in. Just insert them gently into your eye as instructed, blink once or twice and they should be perfect. Lenses should cover the iris, the coloured area of your eye, though in fact they sit on top of the cornea, which covers the iris.

The most vital part of getting contact lenses is to have your eyes tested by a fully qualified optometrist. They will check that your eyes are healthy and that you're not likely to have problems, and ensure that your contact lenses fit correctly.

Because blood vessels are growing on to my cornea, my practitioner has advised me to change to hard contact lenses. Are there any alternatives to hard lenses that would allow more oxygen to my eyes?

J.W. Manchester

You've been given the right advice by your contact lens practitioner. Soft lenses would only encourage increased growth of blood vessels into the cornea, but gas permeable contact lenses will halt this.

You could ask about the newer silicone hydrogel soft contact lenses which increase delivery of oxygen to the cornea if you're intent on soft lenses.

Contact lens Q&A with our optician