Diving while wearing contact lenses

[hydroknot]

My wife starts a dive cert class in a few weeks. She wears contact lenses. I know many people dive while wearing contact lenses. I'm wondering if she will encounter any problems during training because of the lenses. The mask clearing drill comes to mind.

Thanks.

 

[Dive Junky]

You will always run the risk of loosing your contact lenses when you dive with them. They also can get very irritated with the salt water on your dives. I would seriously consider a prescription mask if her vision is really bad.

 

[Scubadoo72]

I wear contacts and have encountered no real issues to speak of. When clearing her mask, she will just have to close her eyes.

The only issues I have are when I show up to a dive site and have forgotten to put my contacts in..lol..there I am with my glasses and mask. It takes a lot of extra clearing, but the dive can be done with wearing glasses (with my mask anyway)..at 40' and deeper I found my mask actually will seal.

 

[shoturtle]

That is a big issue in training, there is a very good chance that she may lose a contact during the remove, donning and clearing drill. I had it happen to me, never did find the contact. So I just went for a pair of diveoptic inserts when diving. If she have a strong prescription go with a prescription lenses for her mask. During regular diving you do not take of your mask underwater unless you are practicing the drill, which is seldom or if you actually have the mask get caught in strong current. During regular diving it not as much of an issue as during training.

But if she has daily lenses and on during training, it will only impair her vision for a day.

 

[Dive Junky]

She can keep her eyes closed for the drills but what happens in real life when her mask is knocked off on a real dive and she has to open her eyes to look for her mask. A prescription mask is really the wisest and safest way to go.

 

[hydroknot]

What's the best way to obtain a prescription mask? Buy one that fits and send it to the optical shop or buy from the optical shop? My gut tells me that my wife should buy a mask with the proper fit and send it to the shop.

 

[Dive Junky]

The most important thing is comfort and fit. If you can find a prescription mask such as a Seavision that fits well just go with it. If not pick a mask that fits and send it to a shop that will put her prescription in it.

 

[amajamar]

It shouldn't be a problem. Most instructors will just simply tap you on the arm when your mask is clear. In the event of an actual dislodged mask, there is a chance that you could lose a lens while searching for your mask, but if you squint slightly it really reduces the chance that your lens will be washed off your eye.

 

[jeepguy]

what happens in real life when her mask is knocked off on a real dive and she has to open her eyes to look for her mask.

In a real life situation, just forget the lenses. There are more important things to worry about. Even when losing a prescription mask, you are left without eye correction. I did the drills with my eyes closed with no problem and don't expect to have any problems if real life situation occurs. With occasional mask seepage I am used to getting a little salt or fresh water in my eyes with no bad effects. On situations where I do flood a mask or get water in my eyes. I remove and rinse my lenses during SI and put them back in. Knock on wood but, 93 dives without losing or damaging a lens. Tell her good luck with training.:14:
Tom Sutton

 

[Dive Junky]

What's the best way to obtain a prescription mask? Buy one that fits and send it to the optical shop or buy from the optical shop? My gut tells me that my wife should buy a mask with the proper fit and send it to the shop.

This shop is pretty good from what I have heard