Have you ever wondered what the best option for eyewear at water parks is? There are a few options available and it really depends on if you’re planning a relaxing day by the pool or a high intensity day flying down steep water slides.
As someone who has worn glasses almost my entire life, going to a water park has been an evolution. When I was younger, I would leave my glasses at home and be fine. As I got older and my vision got worse, I’ve had to consider alternatives.
Personally, my vision is at a point where I can see just well enough to go without glasses, contacts or goggles. I just ask the people I’m travelling with to wear bright and unique bathing suits so I can spot them from a distance!
I’m lucky that my vision is just good enough to get by, but if you either can’t see well enough to get by without any assistance or if you’re not comfortable being in an unknown, often crowded place with poor vision.. I wrote this article to help you make the write decision for you.
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Wearing Sunglasses or Glasses at the Water Park
Glasses are my default in day to day life as I don’t wear contacts, but at the water park I find them to be too risky to wear. They will easily fall off on the slides and my glasses and sunglasses are too important to me and too expensive to lose. I usually wear my glasses to the park, but leave them in my locker while in the water park.
If you are going to be spending most of your time in the shallow end of the wave pool you should be able to keep your glasses or sunglasses on. But do keep in mind that the chlorine from the water can damage the coating on prescription sunglasses and glasses, so I would suggest you do whatever you can to avoid getting your glasses wet.
If you absolutely must wear glasses while at the water park, there are a few things I’d suggest:
- Wear a glasses strap to ensure you don’t lose your glasses while going down a slide or in the pools.
- Consider using anti-fog spray to reduce the fogging that can happen when going on all the rides.
- Do you have an old pair of glasses that you don’t use regularly? I always like to have a back up pair of glasses. If you have one of those, you may want to consider wearing those instead in case they get damaged or you lose them. It’s much better to lose that pair versus your current pair that you wear every day.
Depending on the types of water slides you’ll be going on, many of the body slides will be spraying water directly on your face as you go down. I often close my eyes on the way down, so you’re not really missing much if you can’t see! If you’re going on tube slides water spraying in your face is less of an issue.
The Bottom Line: Glasses are great if you plan on keeping your face dry, but if you’re going to be going down slides and are at risk of being splashed, I’d suggest you avoid wearing glasses or find an alternative.
Wearing Contacts at the Water Park
I don’t personally wear contacts, but from what I’ve read it’s risky to wear contacts while in a pool or at the water park. According the University of Utah, you put yourself at risk of things like eye infections, irritation or potentially even worse if you wear contacts while in the pool.
Wearing contacts at the water park is the most convenient option and most of the time you could be fine. While it’s really compelling to wear contacts, there are a few things to consider:
- The risk of infection associated with getting pool water on your contacts.
- Your contacts could easily be dislodged in the fury of an intense water slide.
- I would suggest bringing back up contacts or glasses in case they fall out or your eyes become irritated.
On the flipside, like I said above, for most body slides where water sprays up in your face, you will likely close your eyes and protect your contacts from getting wet.
If you do wear contacts to the water park, be sure to take them out when you’re done for the day and properly disinfect them.
The Bottom Line: Contacts are not recommended, but if you’re planning a relatively tame day where you won’t have too much water on your face, it’s probably fine. If you’re going on the more intense slide – especially body slides – you should probably leave the contacts in the locker or at home.
Wearing Prescription Goggles at the Water Park
This is the most practical option for a water park. Goggles will stay on your head for most of the slides and you’ll be able to see properly. The biggest risk with doing this is that they can often be very expensive and with the chaos of water parks, it’s easy for them to fall off or lose them in the water.
Most water parks will allow you to wear goggles, however there may be some slides where it isn’t allowed. In these cases, you can typically hold the goggles in your hand on the way down. In very rare scenarios you may not be allowed to wear or carry anything which would mean you’d have to put the goggles back in the locker or leave them with someone at the bottom of the slide.
The Bottom Line: If your vision is weak enough that you absolutely need some vision assistance while at the water park, this may be your best option. Just keep in mind that in rare scenarios, you may not be able to ride while wearing or holding them.
The Verdict – What Eyewear Should You Wear at the Water Park?
If you absolutely need to have vision assistance while at the water park and you plan on going on some intense water slides, prescription goggles are your best bet.
If you can get by without glasses, you’ll want to leave your glasses or contacts in the locker and spend the day with less than ideal vision.
If you wear contacts, only wear them when on tame slides or attractions where you’re unlikely to get water on your face.
Frequently Asked Questions About Eyewear at Water Parks
Is it okay to wear contacts to a water park?
Yes, if you are staying on tame slides and attractions, you should be fine. However, if you are going on body slides or expect to get water on your face you should try and avoid wearing contact lenses. There is a chance of infection and irritation from getting pool water in your eyes while wearing contacts.
Should you wear glasses or contacts to water park?
You can wear either glasses (or sunglasses) or contact lenses at a water park. For glasses, some more intense slides may not allow you to wear them so you’ll have to carry them in your hands or put them in the locker. For contacts, you shouldn’t be wearing them if you’re going to get water in your face.
Is it safe to wear glasses at a water park?
Yes, it is safe to wear glasses or sunglasses at the water park but keep in mind that they can come off easily on some of the more intense rides. A glasses strap is a good idea so you don’t lose your glasses. Keep in mind that the chlorine in the water can damage the coating on some glasses, so you should avoid getting water on them, if possible.
How do you go to a waterpark with glasses?
If you can see well enough without them, you should leave them in your locker for the day. If you need them for vision, be sure to wear a glasses strap if you are going on any rides where there is a chance that they will fall off. You can also consider bringing an old pair of glasses so you’re not as disappointed in the case you lose or damage them.
I hope you have a fantastic day at the water park! If you’re looking for some suggestions on which water parks are best, check out my listings here.