We get regular queries from customers about base curve. What is it? Is it very important? Can I change mine? Base curve measures the radius of the sphere of the back of your lens. In everyday speech, it measures how tight or loose your contact lens is. Some wearers can tolerate a range of base curves, others can not. If the base curve is too small (or steep), you may encounter difficulty removing or inserting your lens. If the base curve is too big, your lens may feel loose or that it is ‘slipping’.

Think of base curve like a shoe size. You can most likely walk in a shoe not exactly your size but it may not be the most comfortable. The same goes for base curve. If you want to wear a lens that does not match your prescription exactly, talk to your optician first.

One of the more common queries we receive here at Vision Direct is whether you can shower in your contact lenses or not. The general answer is: it depends.

If you are considering showering with your lenses in, be aware of risks involved. Firstly, it is easy for lenses to get flushed out of the eyes during a shower and head straight down the drain. Obviously, this is not ideal. Secondly, lenses can easily become contaminated from soap, shampoo, or conditioner, which can lead to eye irritation and in worst case an infection. Last but not least, lens wearers should avoid tap water whenever possible as it contains an amoeba called acanthamoeba that can cause serious infections.

However, you may suffer from extremely poor vision and find that showering is very difficult without lenses. Some opticians suggest using daily disposable lenses as an alternative. Perhaps you can consider changing your routine to incorporate an evening shower when the lenses can be disposed of immediately after. Here at Vision Direct, we think the ideal solution would be to use prescription swimming goggles.

At the end of the day, as with all optical matters directly related to your lenses and eye care, always discuss alternatives with your optician. Every lens wearer is different and your optician knows to give instructions based on your individual needs.