Contacts

[Djpac]

well my comtacts contain 47% H2O, So should i put in some eye drops in after the class r should i take toss them? And will my eyes be safe when they are in contact with water for like an hour or so. I want my eyes to be safe, they are bad already. I dont want them to get worse

 

[AndyNZ]

Generally, wearing contacts isn't a problem - but do keep your eyes closed.

I know a lot of people who have prescription lens put into their masks. Masks like the Marex X-Vision have seperate lenses for each eye so it's easy to get different dipotre lenses fitted to match your prescription.

 

[baitedstorm]

take out your contacts or wear daily disposible lenes for diving. If they don't get wet, they are fine, but should you need to squint (yes, most of the time they will indeed stay put) then you do really need to toss them when you get out. I keep a back up set of acuvues in my save-a-dive kit for my husband just in case. If you've already left them in, it's not like your eye will fall out this very second (lets hope not anyways), it's just not a safe practice.

 

[Gac]

I've been wearing contacts for a few years of snorkeling and recently for diving. I have 1-month soft day and night lenses. After talking with my contact lenses specialist, she recommended that I give my lenses a thorough cleansing after diving, whether or not I know they got pool/lake/ocean water on them.
She said that I should also pay attention to how my eyes feel once I wear the lenses again after diving: any itching, redness, senstivity to light, or other problems should be taken very seriously. If any symptoms develop, then take the contacts out and rinse the eyes with a nuetral buffer. I have Opti-Free Express solution for my lenses, and I just put that straight in my eyes for a quick rinse everytime I dive. I keep the solution and some extra lenses (just in case) in my gear bag.
No problems, and I try to get wet a couple times a month, SCUBA or otherwise.

But you don't have to take my word for it! [reading rainbow]

 

[redrover]

well my comtacts contain 47% H2O, So should i put in some eye drops in after the class r should i take toss them? And will my eyes be safe when they are in contact with water for like an hour or so. I want my eyes to be safe, they are bad already. I dont want them to get worse

No eye infections in 6 years of continuous ocean activities. I can see what I’m doing with or without a mask and a whole lot better to see what I was there to see when snorkeling and diving. Contacts have been a godsend for me in 30 years of sports where fogging occurs, ability to see distance and now computer is integral.

Outrigger canoe paddle competition so lots of water in eyes from splash - never break stroke for something as insignificant as saltwater, sweat or sunscreen in eyes.

When huli, a very rude violent flipped dump into open ocean looking for the Ama (with a slight lapse of concentration my boss was knocked unconscious and broke her nose last year) immediately swim to canoe with paddle, assist turning over and re-enter ASAP – it’s a race.

In change canoe things also happen very quickly in team unison – it’s a race. Abrupt change in paddle stroke to come to a perfectly timed positioning halt. With no mask, fins etc quickly yet smoothly hop out of a perfectly good canoe with paddle in unison, swim ASAP along side the rest of the change crew over to another canoe in rough open ocean water, swim under either canoe or Ama aiming for designated seat, swiftly rise up in one smooth motion over the side and gently drop into seat (no can touch the hull of a Koa Canoe) right into begin paddle position.

Snorkeled, now diving and plenty water in eyes from years of poorly fit masks and a lot of clearing etc. Had to think about what I do, it is not a big deal apparently. In a remove mask I close my eyes (as suggested in BOW) and keep them closed until I guess I’ve got most of the water out, open eyes and check then usually one more clear with eyes open.

Most times clear eyes open and head tilt back to clear. Its how it was first suggested to me to as a contact lens wearer. Water exiting down away from eyes made sense to me, it works so haven’t spent a lot of time trying other ways. As far as using a mask, once I start messing with my mask it doesn’t stop so I put it on before entering the water and leave it on until clear of the water.

Have lost a lens twice, both same eye. Once in particularly violent canoe huli and thrown a long way. And one diving, while at surface getting nailed by a wave while messing with new mask strap tension (never turn your back on a wave.

)

In save-a-dive box have a spare pair (in dispensed packaging), a supply of single use vials of Alcon Tears Naturale Free lubricant eye drops (occasional use from salt+wind) and a travel size (unopened) multipurpose solution for flushing. (As an EMT its just habit to have some sterile eye flush in any First Aid Kit.)

Baush & Lomb Soft Lens (one is toric) monthly, use only for water sports or occasional vanity so last more like 3 – 4 months here in Hawaii where nothing dies in the water and things like staph are a problem. Have a better correction with glasses so use them primarily.

What I do (with approval/recommendation from Ophthalmologist many years practice with ocean issues): wash hands and scrub nails if indicated, rinse lens with Kirkland (CostCo brand) multipurpose solution 20 sec minimum while gently rubbing, insert lens, dump out case solution, rinse case under tap water, let air dry while play, wash hands and scrub nails if indicated, put new solution into case with one drop of Alcon Supra clens until next use.

Never touch the top of any bottle to anything ever, or toss it. Turn cap onto top when set down, take care to not touch open rim and replace immediately. When I have any hint of irritation I toss the lens and if it seems untimely toss the open solutions. Do not play in ocean where affluent is directly discharged in the ocean like I’ve seen on another island.

I’ve always resented having poor eyesight and sure would don’t want it to get worse. This works for me, YMMV. If you have any hesitation or concerns, present them to your Ophthalmologist and follow their recommendations.

 

[stiwi]

I just signed up for my Open Water classes today, but i am worried. I have contacts. They are the disposible,2 week, soft contacts. Is wearing them going to be a problem when i dive and will they fall out when my mask comes off? And also should they be changed before i go out for a dive in a pool or ocean?

I have recently had the same problem. But I finished my OWD and everything is great, taking your mask off just close your eyes as well as during the dive. It is not so easy to lost your contacts underwater even when you open your eyes but such cases happen so better have them closed You can also buy one day lenses as I bought because was afraid of losing them but during all practices and dives didn't lose any.

Have fun.

Cheers,
Senastian.

 

[1RUSTYRIG]

Look at your contact lens package, you'll see that most of the contact lenses out on the market today have a water content of greater than 35%. ANYTHING these lenses come in contact with WILL in deed be absorbed by your lens, including pool water. And like Rick said, even worse, you could pick up a bacteria. .

I have dove with contact lenses for 15 years now and have never had an eye infection (from scuba or otherwise).

If the statement regarding water content is true (I wear rigid gas permeable lenses so I would assume you are speaking of soft/disposables) why don't you soft lense divers ask your eye docs to fit you into a set of rigids that you can use for diving? beats putting lenses in masks IMO. Rigids can also be cleaned off by popping them on your tongue and re-hydrated w/ spit

 

[baitedstorm]

I have dove with contact lenses for 15 years now and have never had an eye infection (from scuba or otherwise).

If the statement regarding water content is true (I wear rigid gas permeable lenses so I would assume you are speaking of soft/disposables) why don't you soft lense divers ask your eye docs to fit you into a set of rigids that you can use for diving? beats putting lenses in masks IMO. Rigids can also be cleaned off by popping them on your tongue and re-hydrated w/ spit

I should have been more specific, yes I am speaking solely of soft contact lenses. The gas permeable lenses do not absorb whatever solution they may come in contact with, are much better for your eyes then the soft lenses, the only downfall would be their high price tag should you loose one.

I recommend the Focus Dalies only because if you loose one, no biggie. You don't have to use them all the time, just when you dive. This is only my suggestion, not to be taken as medical advice in any way. I've even put divers that have high astigmatism in spherical lenses just for dive purposes so in case they loose a lenses, they aren't out the steep price tag attached to the Toric lenses.

 

[1RUSTYRIG]

the only downfall would be their high price tag should you loose one.

I have never bought, or considered buying, soft lenses. What is the price tag for a years supply?

Right now I get about 2 - 2.5 years worth of wear on a single set of hard lenses. My hard lenses run me about $100 - $150 a set. I would be interested to know the price break between the two.

 

[Web Monkey]

I have never bought, or considered buying, soft lenses. What is the price tag for a years supply?

Right now I get about 2 - 2.5 years worth of wear on a single set of hard lenses. My hard lenses run me about $100 - $150 a set. I would be interested to know the price break between the two.

They're about $40 for 30 pairs online.

Terry