Can You Wear Glasses in the Shower?

If you rely heavily on your prescription glasses, taking them off before a shower can leave the bathroom looking rather blurry.

It may therefore be tempting to keep them on. However, the shower isn't an ideal environment for your glasses, and removing them beforehand is generally the better option.

Why shouldn't you wear glasses in the shower?

A shower exposes your glasses to warm water, steam and products such as shampoo, conditioner and shower gel.

While an occasional splash of clean water isn't necessarily a problem, repeatedly exposing your frames and lenses to a hot, steamy environment is unnecessary.

Your glasses are also likely to fog, making them much less useful for seeing clearly.

Can shower products get on the lenses?

Yes.

Shampoo, conditioner, soap and other bathroom products can easily splash onto your glasses.

These may leave residue or smears across the lenses and around the frame.

Keeping your glasses outside the shower avoids the problem altogether.

What about hot water?

Very hot water and excessive heat aren't ideal for prescription glasses.

Repeated exposure to high temperatures may potentially affect some frame materials and lens coatings.

There's no need to expose your glasses to these conditions if they can simply be stored somewhere safe while you shower.

Where should you put your glasses?

A protective hard case is the safest choice.

Place your glasses inside the case and keep it on a dry, stable surface where it won't be splashed or accidentally knocked onto the floor.

Try to keep the case away from areas where steam and moisture collect heavily.

What if you need your glasses to see around the bathroom?

If you have a stronger prescription, removing your glasses can make navigating the bathroom more difficult.

Make sure anything you need is positioned somewhere easy to find before removing your glasses.

Take particular care around wet floors and other potential hazards.

What if your glasses accidentally get wet?

If clean water splashes onto your glasses, there's usually no reason to panic.

Rinse away any residue if necessary and dry them carefully using a clean microfibre cloth.

Make sure moisture isn't left sitting around the hinges or other parts of the frame.

Give your glasses a few minutes away from the steam

Your prescription glasses are designed to accompany you through most of the day, but they don't need to follow you into the shower.

Keeping them safely inside their case for a few minutes protects them from unnecessary heat, moisture and bathroom products while ensuring they're clean and ready to put back on afterwards.