Contacts when diving

[drydiver]

I dive with disposable contacts and have not had a problem yet. I just let my buddy know in the event my mask is completely knocked off or something, that I will need assistance because I will likely shut my eyes to save the contacts or be blind in the water anyway.

 

[Kenny918]

I dive contacts all the time, fresh water, salt water. I flood my mask, open my eyes underwater without a mask, never lost one. I swim in the pool with them, open my eyes underwater, no problems. As long as the contacts that you are wearing are " gas permiable " and I think most all soft contacts are, you should have no problems.
Safe diving , Kenny

 

[violakat03]

I only got contacts for the first time ever a month ago, so I know next to nothing about what I can and can't do with them. :sorry19z:

 

[BTravlin]

I wear mine all the time and have never had a problem. I carry a spare set but have never had to use them. I also carry a small bottle of solution for rinsing if needed. Just don't open your eyes underwater without a mask on and you're good to go.

 

[JonKranhouse]

A few folks have posted that they wear extended wear lenses after diving without removal to disinfect the lenses. That creates a risk of an eye infection. DO NOT sleep in contacts after diving, regardless of the type of lenses you have. (Other tips on our website).

The risk of infection from extended wear contacts is infinitesimal if you’re not sick AND also don’t have very red eyes. Our corneas are remarkably robust, heal quickly and are highly resistant to infection – there’s bacteria getting flushed out of our eyes every day with day-to-day above-water activities. But don’t push it when diving – it’s just BAD PRACTICE, like sucking your tank dry each dive (i.e. sooner or later you’ll wish you had reserve air!).

Nobody’s impervious to eye infections, even WITHOUT contacts: recently 11 medical pros (all divers) fell victim to a conjunctivitis outbreak while attending a conference at a Fijian dive resort. Notably, NO contacts lenses were involved. You would think these medical pros would know better! (what happens when we “assume” ; - )

I’ve had extended discussions with the eye doctor hired by CibaVision who led their effort at getting FDA certification for extended wear contact lens material. These new “transmissive” polymers, licensed to other contact lens companies, are great for allowing more oxygen to reach your corneas. But your natural tears are then impeded from flushing contaminants trapped under the contacts and out of your eyes.

BTW, for those contemplating LASIK, know that low-contrast acuity (i.e. gray on gray, like what we experience when diving), even with the latest techniques, is inferior to correction possible with contact lenses.

RE contacts not falling out: The US Navy allows their older EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) divers to wear contacts on combat missions. Some of these old pros need reading glasses, so monovision contacts are a big help while defusing mines.

SPUMS (South Pacific Underwater Medical Society) reported a research project to determine likelihood of contacts falling out underwater. Surgical sutures were glued to the front of contact lenses, and a spring-force gauge measured the “dislodge” force from the eyes of volunteers. This was done in both fresh and salt water, with hard and soft lenses.

Conclusion from SPUMS:
Don’t use hard lenses for diving (they also trap air bubbles)
Fresh water, soft lenses need significant side-to-side current to fall out;
Salt water, just squint to prevent losing a lens.​

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

A few folks have posted that they wear extended wear lenses after diving without removal to disinfect the lenses. That creates a risk of an eye infection. DO NOT sleep in contacts after diving, regardless of the type of lenses you have.

JonKranhouse

I think you may be just a little bit bias, since you manufacture vision correcting masks?

My wife and I have both worn extended wear contacts for years and have never had an eye infection. She can sometimes go 2 months with a pair (she doesn't dive). The extended wear contacts have about 200 times the breathability of daily wear contacts. We get our eyes checked out by our optician on a regular basis to make sure there is nothing wrong. I have no problem recommending (and do) extended wear contacts to anyone for diving.

 

[Enraptured of the Deep]

I just came across the following very straightforward medical article on contacts in diving: http://drmarkbrown.com/pdf/corneal topography.pdf

Of special interest to me (and others who wear gas permeable lenses), it provides reassurance that gas permeable lenses are fine for diving

"Lens Type Recommendations: Adapted RGP lens wearers,
regardless of lens type, should not be encouraged to change
lens types."

It also seconds the recommendation to rinse (or dispose of) the contacts after diving, a recommendation I had not seen before:

"However, the absorption of water (particularly fresh water)
by soft lenses clearly increases the possibility of serious
infection. Lenses,RGP or soft, should be thoroughly purged
in a rinse solution containing disinfectant after surfacing,even
after small exposures to water during the very limited divetimes
incurred by the recreational diver. We suggest the use of
disposable lenses (such as the Vistakon Acuvue Daily Wear),
since removing and disposing of a lens immediately after a dive,
and rinsing out the eye with artificial tears containing disinfecting
preservative before inserting a new lens, will greatly reduce
the risk of corneal or conjunctival infection.

"One often overlooked problem is that defogging chemicals
are often applied to the inside of masks;divers wearing soft
lenses should minimize the use of such agents, since the lenses
may absorb them and be a source of irritation."

And for those 40-somethings who wonder why their arm is shorter underwater -- i.e., can't focus on the gauge even at arm's length -- the article also spends some time on that topic.

Jonathan

 

[scorpenesub]

My wife and buddy dives with contacts. There just just one occasion which posed a problem for my wife. We were at 22 metres in one dive when she felt that her left eye lens shifted causing her some discomfort. She finished the dive nevertheless.

 

[ciret]

I always wear my contacts when diving, over 60 logged dives, no problems, no lost lenses, no infection ore irritation. I do bring a bottle of reweting solution and usually use a few drops after surfacing. I'm using Bausch & Lomb multifocal daily wear.

 

[BuoyantC]

Just to add one more comment... 13yrs. diving with contacts...no problems, no lost lenses. I've opened my eyes underwater many times although I do squint just to make sure my eyes aren't open too wide. I always swim with them.

Also I have dived with a single lens, and it's not as bothersome underwater as above..even with a minus 4.75 prescription.

Just practice reasonable hygiene and carry spares.

Dennis