Contact lenses and diving -Questions Welcome - by Idocsteve

[Kevrumbo]

As a contact lens wearer, I would have thought that the action of blinking would clear any condensation.
If not, might it suggest that whatever is condensing is more than just water vapour?
John

I would have thought blinking would have cleared it also. it did not.

that leads me to believe that the condensation or bubbles was on the inside of the lens. between the lens and eyeball.

Yes! I have severe Keratoconus OU and my hard contacts fog-up now and then especially post-dive in cooler ambient surface temperatures (i.e. there is a significant air gap between my corneas and the lenses because of the Keratoconus).

Hello,

I am very comfortable with lenses. Normal days I'd be wearing monthly type and when I travel (and now dive) I go for daily lenses.

My only concern is, what if my mask get ripped off by strong current and buddy is hanging on for his/her dear life, is it okay to open my eyes (just to be more independent!)? Some reading online said its fine because the water pressure prevents the lenses from coming off but I thought it would be better to hear it from a professional.

if you've got a prescription mask and it gets ripped off by the current, you've lost vision correction there as well.


I swam for YEARS in soft contacts (in freshwater). the water seemed to "dry" my soft contacts to my eyeballs. trying to take them off without first putting in drops of saline was like ripping your cornea's off.


with hard contacts, a drop of water seems to want to knock them off center, which they then don't conform to the curvature of your eye anymore and want to pop out. my experience.


never hear the "pressure will hold them in" theory before.

"Squint" your eyes open --essentially holding the lenses in place with your eyelids-- if you must open your eyes underwater without a mask. However, there still a good chance the lenses will wash out and be lost (which is why I carry a back-up mask as well).

I use a mask with a nose purge in case a hard lens inadvertently pops out, so I can still clear my mask and retain the expensive RGP lens in the mask and recover it upon surfacing.

 

[johnatabc]

I use a mask with a nose purge in case a hard lens inadvertently pops out, so I can still clear my mask and retain the expensive RGP lens in the mask and recover it upon surfacing.

I always use a previous prescription of contact lenses when diving. Not 20/20 vision, but good enough and no worries about losing them if my mask was to come off.
John

 

[mike_s]

Yes! I have severe Keratoconus OU and my hard contacts fog-up now and then especially post-dive in cooler ambient surface temperatures (i.e. there is a significant air gap between my corneas and the lenses because of the Keratoconus).



.

yes. I have a Keratoconus condition with my eyes also. which is why I'm in hard contacts now.


I did think it was possible that I needed to get the fit checked in my contacts due to that.

 

[Knight_of_Avalon]

. . .
"Squint" your eyes open --essentially holding the lenses in place with your eyelids-- if you must open your eyes underwater without a mask. However, there still a good chance the lenses will wash out and be lost (which is why I carry a back-up mask as well).

I use a mask with a nose purge in case a hard lens inadvertently pops out, so I can still clear my mask and retain the expensive RGP lens in the mask and recover it upon surfacing.

I always use a previous prescription of contact lenses when diving. Not 20/20 vision, but good enough and no worries about losing them if my mask was to come off.
John

Normally, I wear monthly replacement lenses, but when I'm scuba diving (or otherwise "adventuring"), I switch over to a daily lens. Since they're cheap, it doesn't matter if I lose one. And since you dispose of them after a single day, it doesn't matter if they get exposed to anything nasty.

Of course, that doesn't help you see if you lose one - but I've used them for "full flood" mask clearing exercises and maskless swimming (and whitewater rafting and . . .), and I've yet to lose even a single lens.

 

[Tigerman]

Personally theres only been one type of sport where I'm prone to losing my contacts and thats the kind where I get hit in the face

 

[cattidudette]

I used daily lenses as well when I dive (cost effective), and monthly on normal days, all soft. But what I'd like to know is, if anyone had experience(s) opening their eyes (without mask) while wearing the lenses?

During training I was told to remove my mask but my instructor was nearby so I could close my eyes. But in the situation of say, a strong current and alone, without mask, will the lenses be washed out when the eyes are opened?

 

[aprxh]

I was due to change to a new set of lens on the 15, so while diving on the 14 I took my mask off and open my eyes. The lens stayed in my eyes. I hate not having my eyes open.


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- Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Knight_of_Avalon]

I used daily lenses as well when I dive (cost effective), and monthly on normal days, all soft. But what I'd like to know is, if anyone had experience(s) opening their eyes (without mask) while wearing the lenses?

During training I was told to remove my mask but my instructor was nearby so I could close my eyes. But in the situation of say, a strong current and alone, without mask, will the lenses be washed out when the eyes are opened?

Probably not. While whitewater rafting, I've had to "swim" rapids in my dailies, and I've yet to lose a single lens that way. And if a strong current, flowing from multiple directions, can't knock them out, I doubt whether a unidirectional current will - unless there's some sort of complication

That being said, contacts don't help much without a mask or goggles underwater. Even in a relatively still water, you won't have much in focus.


P.S. For those who've never gone whitewater rafting - "swim" is a euphemism for being knocked out of the boat and having to go through the rapids without it.

 

[j2s]

I'm a diver who went thru several pair of Diveoptx stick on's and 4 masks w/permanent Rx's before it was right....My distance vision was only mildly poor..My reading was +2.5 [both eyes the same]..Tried bifocals and readers only, but nothing was quite right.....Finally settled on readers covering the whole lens [in both] in a 2 lens dive mask...Assumed I'd just give up the distance vision because it was for 'close to the bottom' fossil hunting anyway...Unexpected surprise was that my distance vision was perfect even though I was looking thru the reading Rx and close up vision was as good as w/glasses on the suface.....About 4 years ago when the bifocal contacts first came out I gave the Acuvues a try..But it was just a trade-off between distance and close-up so I went back to glasses, didn't even try them w/a mask...But after reading your thread I'm wondering if I should give them another try for both normal and diving use.....Or just go ahead w/my plans to have synthetic lenses and be done w/it.....

 

[samtihen]

I have no problem opening my eyes underwater when wearing contacts. I'm always surprised when people have an issue with this...