Contact lenses and diving -Questions Welcome - by Idocsteve

[idocsteve]

Wearing monovision for diving and multifocal contacts on land will not hurt your eyes nor will it have any permanent affect on your vision.

There must be a reason why you are ripping so many Proclear lenses, and once you figure it out you oughta be able to solve that problem. Perhaps you're reaching into the case and trying to scoop them out rather than shaking the lens and pouring the lens out (one side at a time)?

Whenever a patient complains that they rip a particular type of lens I thoroughly discuss their care and handling habits and so far I have never failed to determine what the problem is and fix it.

 

[Spencermm]

Does diving effect retina issues at all? I had a retinal detachment 1.5 years ago(right after being scuba certifide). Had surgery. It has detached twice since then. (I suspect, but cannot know, that the inexperience of the surgeon MAY have had something to do with the re-detachments.) Then, I developed a cataract and had to have that fixed.
My doc says no- scuba is safe, but I'd like a 2nd opinion.
Thanks

 

[idocsteve]

Does diving effect retina issues at all? I had a retinal detachment 1.5 years ago(right after being scuba certifide). Had surgery. It has detached twice since then. (I suspect, but cannot know, that the inexperience of the surgeon MAY have had something to do with the re-detachments.) Then, I developed a cataract and had to have that fixed.
My doc says no- scuba is safe, but I'd like a 2nd opinion.
Thanks

I'm not a retinal surgeon nor have I read any conclusive studies about the effects of diving on a post retinal detachment but my first thought is that there is a risk there.

Like anything else, there's risk vs benefit. If you can't live without diving and you're willing to chance another RD, then that's what you do. Just be very aware of the symptoms of an RD and if you have any symptoms then see your retinal guy for a dilated exam ASAP. Remember the time between an RD and reattachment makes a huge difference on the outcome, retinal tissue doesn't last all that long without circulation.

 

[Aerosynth]

My question is probably silly... but I've seen your signature on various posts so I thought I'd give it a shot.

For years I resisted the temptation to get contacts. Finally, when I started scuba, I broke down and went to the doc to get them specifically for the times that I would go diving. Now... a couple hundred bucks later... I have two boxes of unused contacts. I absolutely cannot wear them. No trouble getting them in, but once they've been in for a few hours, they roll back into the very far corners of my eyes and I cannot get them out. The last time it happened, I finally got the right one out after an hour of trying but the left one stayed stuck for almost two days (guessing, but that's when the discomfort went away) before (I assume) it naturally fell out.

I did not want to go the whole prescription mask route... but it's looking more like I might have to do that. My questions are.... First, can they make mask prescriptions for any regular eye prescription... or are the lenses pre-manufactured in certain strengths, and they just get "as close as possible?" Second, do you have any thoughts on why my contacts keep getting stuck so far back in my eyes? Are some people simply unable to wear contacts, or am I doing something wrong? Also, just as an experienced diver... do you generally hear good/bad opinions from others about prescription masks?

I can see without corrective lenses... it's not really do-or-die for me. However, I would love to have the clarity underwater that I get when wearing my prescription.

Thanks, and thanks for this thread.

Tim

If it helps, my prescription is:
OD: +0.50 (Sphere) -1.25 (Cylinder) 015 (Axis)
OS: -0.50 (Sphere) -0.75 (Cylinder) 010 (Axis)

 

[idocsteve]

My questions are.... First, can they make mask prescriptions for any regular eye prescription... or are the lenses pre-manufactured in certain strengths, and they just get "as close as possible?"

If it helps, my prescription is:
OD: +0.50 (Sphere) -1.25 (Cylinder) 015 (Axis)
OS: -0.50 (Sphere) -0.75 (Cylinder) 010 (Axis)

If you read the first post on this thread, you'll see that I really cannot give you much information Rx dive masks, I don't work with them and I don't know that much about them, however there are others on this board who can help you out there, and some have posted on this thread.

You have a lot of astigmatism, as compared to the hyperopia in the right eye and the myopia in your left. If your eye doc fit you with spherical contacts that would explain the loose fit and why the contacts would roll off the center of your cornea.

Sometimes it's necessary to try several types of contacts before you find one that fits properly but if they are SO loose that they move off the center of your eyes you should never have left the office without the doc picking up on that.

It's also possible that as a new contact lens wearer you felt the lenses in your eyes so you might have rubbed your eyes, and that will cause the lenses to fold, decenter, and fall out.

It's too bad you had such a lousy experience with contact lenses and you've given up on them.

 

[Aerosynth]

Very helpful. Lots of things to think about and research. I'm certain I will find something that works out for me. Thanks a million!

 

[Lobzilla]

My question is probably silly... but I've seen your signature on various posts so I thought I'd give it a shot.

For years I resisted the temptation to get contacts. Finally, when I started scuba, I broke down and went to the doc to get them specifically for the times that I would go diving. Now... a couple hundred bucks later... I have two boxes of unused contacts. I absolutely cannot wear them. No trouble getting them in, but once they've been in for a few hours, they roll back into the very far corners of my eyes and I cannot get them out. The last time it happened, I finally got the right one out after an hour of trying but the left one stayed stuck for almost two days (guessing, but that's when the discomfort went away) before (I assume) it naturally fell out.

I did not want to go the whole prescription mask route... but it's looking more like I might have to do that. My questions are.... First, can they make mask prescriptions for any regular eye prescription... or are the lenses pre-manufactured in certain strengths, and they just get "as close as possible?" Second, do you have any thoughts on why my contacts keep getting stuck so far back in my eyes? Are some people simply unable to wear contacts, or am I doing something wrong?

Like Idocsteve said: Return to your doctor (or pick a new one) and insist on trying different brands. As a now happy contacts user I can tell you that there is a vast difference in fit and comfort between brands even if diameter and base curve are identical. Concerning Rx masks, I heard good things about Seavision (Prescription Scuba Diving Masks - Snorkeling Masks - SeaVisionUSA) but have not tried them.

 

[abhiroopb]

Hi idocsteve

Thanks for putting up this forum.

I have problem seeing at a distance, my power is about -1.00 and -2.00. I generally wear contact lenses (30 day disposable) for almost everything I do.

I usually dive underwater without a prescription mask because I could not afford one.

I can afford one now but I am wondering if there are any risks of wearing contact lenses underwater. I was also thinking of getting a few daily disposable lenses just for when I go diving.

Basically, I need to know if it's better to get the lenses just for diving or invest in a prescription mask.

Thank you.

 

[DeusVerto]

The first time I ever went diving with contact lenses, I was wearing the rigid-non-gas-permeable kind (going through orthokeratology at the time) and BOTH lenses popped out suddenly at about 8 feet of depth. For optical historians, yes, that puts this experience in the summer of 1975.

My eyes were never able to be corrected to 20/20 using the aforementioned method, but it was close enough. I resolved that being nearsighted and diving wasn't so bad, so I dove uncorrected for quite a few years.

Personally, having two or more focal corrections in my overall field of view drives me nuts, so even though I am 51 and my optometrist laughs at me, I have separate unifocal glasses for near and distance vision. If I really need to see up close in a hurry, I just take my glasses off. This, of course, is impossible to do underwater.

My eyes have aged and dried up to the point where, after nearly 30 years of contact lens use, I had do give them up for regular wearing. I also have an astigmatism level which is questionable for laser surgery (or so I'm told). What's the point of lasik if I still have to wear corrective lenses afterwards? This also meant not being able to wear rigid "retainer" lenses any longer, and my vision slowly deteriorated from moderately nearsighted to blind as the proverbial winged mammal without correction.

However, for diving, I've found that the Acuvue Advance for Astigmatism works great in the regularly moist environment of a scuba mask, and they are soft so they tend to stay put, even exposed to the open water. The one caveat there is I squint slightly just to help insure that they stay my eye, and I don't do this any longer than necessary.

For actually being able to read my gauges, I bought an off-the shelf XS-scuba Fusion2 GR mask with the reading lenses built-in for about $70. The reading lenses are very low in the mask and angled downward to be very unobtrusive when looking straight ahead. I assume other companies also make such...ahem..."reading" masks for not a lot of money.

The solution of mono-focal soft lenses and a "bifocal mask" seems to work well for me.

 

[idocsteve]

I have problem seeing at a distance, my power is about -1.00 and -2.00. I generally wear contact lenses (30 day disposable) for almost everything I do.

You talk about lack of affordability of Rx masks yet you wear the most expensive modality of contact lenses. You're paying about $300 more per year (give or take) than a 2 week replacement lens schedule would cost you. I'm not judging or advising here, just observing.

I can afford one now but I am wondering if there are any risks of wearing contact lenses underwater.

There's risks in walking across the street. The risk to contact lens wears while diving is low and can be almost eliminated by taking proper precautions, including not sleeping with the contacts if they've been in contact with sea water. Daily disposables pretty much eliminate any risk.

I was also thinking of getting a few daily disposable lenses just for when I go diving.

You're already wearing daily disposables so I don't understand why you would need to "get a few" more for diving. Unless your mask floods, use the same pair for the entire day, nothing wrong with the lenses. Even if the mask floods and the lenses absorb seawater, the risk of infection is quite low. Especially since you'll be tossing the lenses that same day.

Basically, I need to know if it's better to get the lenses just for diving or invest in a prescription mask.

There's no better or worse. It's a matter of personal preference. If my Rx was such that I needed something for diving, it would be contacts for me. Better peripheral vision, no "minification" that you get with "minus" lenses for nearsightedness, and no distortion.