A senior consultant ophthalmic surgeon has warned of the danger of wearing contact lenses while swimming in pools as they may be filled with water and absorb germs or chemicals such as chlorine.

Dr Mohammed Naeem Nasser said wearing contact lenses while swimming increases the risk of keratitis, stressing the need to wear swimming goggles when swimming with contact lenses.

Keratitis, also known as a corneal ulcer, is an inflammation or irritation of the cornea. Although treatable, this condition is the most common cause of corneal blindness through an infection in the US.

In a statement to our sister paper Akhbar Al Khaleej, he said that the use of colored contact lenses in exotic colours such as pink, violet and metallic gray in summer, which is a popular fashion for girls, especially teenagers, causes severe infections of the cornea due to its misuse in the summer.

He noted eyes are more prone to dehydration due to high air temperatures, so misuse of contact lenses exposes the eye to many problems , including dehydration, ulcers and severe allergies.