Diving with Scleral Lenses
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OP
divesergeant
Contributor
Thanks DDM. I got frustrated trying to ferret out info on my own. So, I decided that there must be others like me similarly adrift. I am pleased that it has been helpful to many felllow people who both dive and struggle with scleral lenses!
Blessings to all,
DS
Blessings to all,
DS
vacagirl
Registered
Dive Seargeant: How did you do with the Scleral fil? Initially it sounded like you liked it. I just re-read this thread. Since I have had my lenses now for a couple months, alot more made sense. But I still get the Gunk on my left lens. Looking for solutions. Thanks for the help.
OP
divesergeant
Contributor
Hi vacagirl,
I got some ScleraFil from my optometrist and it was fine. I don’t think I really noticed much difference between it, Lacripure and Purilens.
My left eye gets gunky and cloudy at times. It is irritation from something and I can get a prescription for it (Lotemax) that clears it up if I need it. I can tell when it happens because everything gets coudy and I see hazy circles around lights.
In your case, (and what I try first and what most of the time helps) try doing a couple cleanings back to back and give your eyes a day or two without the lenses. I will zap it with the Clear Care Plus and also give it a soak in the BL Boston Simplus solution.
I got some ScleraFil from my optometrist and it was fine. I don’t think I really noticed much difference between it, Lacripure and Purilens.
My left eye gets gunky and cloudy at times. It is irritation from something and I can get a prescription for it (Lotemax) that clears it up if I need it. I can tell when it happens because everything gets coudy and I see hazy circles around lights.
In your case, (and what I try first and what most of the time helps) try doing a couple cleanings back to back and give your eyes a day or two without the lenses. I will zap it with the Clear Care Plus and also give it a soak in the BL Boston Simplus solution.
mountain_diver
Registered
I don't know if anyone is still following this thread but I wanted to throw out my situation. I'm getting fitted for sclerals this month and when I asked the optometrist about diving with them he said he didn't recommend it but only because he doesn't know enough about diving and is worried about liability. He did say that he's not worried about gas exchange due to how gas permeable the lens material is. He also mentioned that if I were going to dive in them he wanted to take a couple extra days of fitting to vent the lenses to allow pressure to equalize. I don't remember seeing anything about this option anywhere in this thread or any of the other research I've done. I'm wondering if this is worth the extra time? The research from the following article mentions that their divers wore non-fenestrated lenses. Very frustrating being in a situation where there really are no experts because it's such a small population!
Contact Lens Spectrum - SCLERAL LENS WEAR IN SCUBA AND DEEP-SEA DIVING.
Contact Lens Spectrum - SCLERAL LENS WEAR IN SCUBA AND DEEP-SEA DIVING.
OP
divesergeant
Contributor
Hey mountain diver,
Firstly, I pray you have success with your scleral lenses. For many of us who can’t get satisfactory vision with glasses or soft contacts they are a life saver. I’m four years into wearing them and have been pleased.
I read the article with interest. It seems in line with what DAN told me (Not surprisingly, since the article and study are connected to DAN Europe!). Basically. They said there is no reason not to dive with sclerals. I have had great success doing so. The only issue I could see would be if the underlying reason you need sclerals is not compatible with diving.
As for vented lenses, I don’t see how that would be needed. As long as your contacts are seated well with no air bubbles there shouldn’t be pressure problems. The entire cavity under the lens is filled with fluid so there is no gas to equalize. Be warned, however, that bubbles are not uncommon, I still get them from time to time. After insertion, I take a low powered flashlight and check each eye for bubbles. If there is a bubble, I take out the lens and reinsert it with new fluid.
I agree with your frustration. There Is very little info on sclerals for diving since we are such a small number.
Keep us posted on how it is going. Getting a good fit is critical and will require several return visits to your fitter. But in the end it should be worth it.
Cheers!
Firstly, I pray you have success with your scleral lenses. For many of us who can’t get satisfactory vision with glasses or soft contacts they are a life saver. I’m four years into wearing them and have been pleased.
I read the article with interest. It seems in line with what DAN told me (Not surprisingly, since the article and study are connected to DAN Europe!). Basically. They said there is no reason not to dive with sclerals. I have had great success doing so. The only issue I could see would be if the underlying reason you need sclerals is not compatible with diving.
As for vented lenses, I don’t see how that would be needed. As long as your contacts are seated well with no air bubbles there shouldn’t be pressure problems. The entire cavity under the lens is filled with fluid so there is no gas to equalize. Be warned, however, that bubbles are not uncommon, I still get them from time to time. After insertion, I take a low powered flashlight and check each eye for bubbles. If there is a bubble, I take out the lens and reinsert it with new fluid.
I agree with your frustration. There Is very little info on sclerals for diving since we are such a small number.
Keep us posted on how it is going. Getting a good fit is critical and will require several return visits to your fitter. But in the end it should be worth it.
Cheers!
mountain_diver
Registered
Hey dive sergeant,
Thanks for the response and for starting this thread. I've probably read through it a hundred times! I appreciate you sharing so many details from your own experience. Like you, I'm getting them for a bad surgery outcome from a few years back that's recently gotten a little worse; so I don't really have any underlying reason to not be able to dive.
I have a few questions if you don't mind. When you first got your sclerals did you ease into diving with them or just go for it? My local dive shop has a 16 ft pool that I can use pretty much any Saturday morning and after that I was thinking of going to familiar dive sites and going incrementally deeper focusing on being alert for any changes or issues.
Also, what depths have you been to with them in? I'm a DM so I'm certified to 130 feet; most places I go there's not much reason to go beyond 100 but I'd be really curious to hear what depths people have been to. Tech diving has been a dream of mine for a while now but I fear that may be out...
Thanks for the response and for starting this thread. I've probably read through it a hundred times! I appreciate you sharing so many details from your own experience. Like you, I'm getting them for a bad surgery outcome from a few years back that's recently gotten a little worse; so I don't really have any underlying reason to not be able to dive.
I have a few questions if you don't mind. When you first got your sclerals did you ease into diving with them or just go for it? My local dive shop has a 16 ft pool that I can use pretty much any Saturday morning and after that I was thinking of going to familiar dive sites and going incrementally deeper focusing on being alert for any changes or issues.
Also, what depths have you been to with them in? I'm a DM so I'm certified to 130 feet; most places I go there's not much reason to go beyond 100 but I'd be really curious to hear what depths people have been to. Tech diving has been a dream of mine for a while now but I fear that may be out...
OP
divesergeant
Contributor
Hey MD,
I don’t mind questions at all! I figure, if you have the question, others probably do also. And if others answer, I might learn something, too.
I got sclerals in the spring of 2016. I was still learning how to deal with them (insertion sometimes took 15-20 minutes and a very creative vocabulary) I on a dive trip just a month or so after getting them.
I stuck them in, got on our friend’s dive boat on Grand Cayman and plunged in. Luckily, no problems ‘surfaced’.
Dive depths have been typical recreational depths. Most of ours seem to end up shallower than 60 or so, but I’ve been below 100 with them a few times with no issues.
I didn’t ease into like you speak of, I just went for it! But in retrospect, I think your method might be smarter.
Keep me posted how it goes. And never hesitate to ask a question. There is definitely a learning curve with scleral lenses and group knowledge can be immensely helpful.
Blessings,
DS
I don’t mind questions at all! I figure, if you have the question, others probably do also. And if others answer, I might learn something, too.
I got sclerals in the spring of 2016. I was still learning how to deal with them (insertion sometimes took 15-20 minutes and a very creative vocabulary) I on a dive trip just a month or so after getting them.
I stuck them in, got on our friend’s dive boat on Grand Cayman and plunged in. Luckily, no problems ‘surfaced’.
Dive depths have been typical recreational depths. Most of ours seem to end up shallower than 60 or so, but I’ve been below 100 with them a few times with no issues.
I didn’t ease into like you speak of, I just went for it! But in retrospect, I think your method might be smarter.
Keep me posted how it goes. And never hesitate to ask a question. There is definitely a learning curve with scleral lenses and group knowledge can be immensely helpful.
Blessings,
DS
mountain_diver
Registered
Thanks DS. I've been through a few fitting iterations at this point with at least one, possibly two more to go. It looks like I'll still have some residual aberrations but overall a nice improvement. The doctor ended up not doing the venting after I discussed with him what I had read on here and other forums. He is however, making the lenses with the most oxygen permeable material available to date. I'm getting decent at insertion, sometimes getting it on the first try but usually no more than 4-5 attempts. How long did it take to get used to having them in? I'm working up to 10 hours in right now and I think my eyes/brain/conscious awareness are still adjusting. It's hard to explain; I don't know if I "feel" them or just have an awareness that my brain is saying "something is different". Hoping to try diving with them in the next few weeks and go from there.
-MD
-MD
OP
divesergeant
Contributor
Hey MD,
Sounds like you’re doing well with the insertion learning curve. I’m glad to hear it. It can be frustrating. And of course, they always tend to not insert well when you are in a bit of a hurry.
Having some residual aberrations is pretty common. I have them quite noticeably, especially at night, but the improvements over soft lenses and glasses is remarkable. Without sclerals I’d have had to give up Law Enforcement several years ago.
Having the best permeability should help with keeping the right amount of O2 on the eye. Poor oxygenation caused some redness issues with mine. If you find yourself experiencing redness, try Naphcon or Lumify, both OTC drops,. Naphcon is good for allergies, too.
I was pretty comfortable with them fairly quickly. Now, they aren’t usually uncomfortable, but there is always the sensation of having them in. It is not painful, nor all that bothersome mostly, but always there. And understandably so, they are pretty good sized chunks of plastic that we are sticking onto our eyes.
There is a bit of brain-training in the process. Sometimes it seems that things are in focus, but displaced a bit spatially. It is kind of like wearing progressive lensed glasses. I seem to remember that I had a bit of what felt like motion sickness or vertigo right at the start but it did not last long.
Hopefully your diving will go well. It sounds like you’re well on your way to successful scleral lens wearing.
Let me know how your diving goes, I pray it works out as well as it has for me.
DS
Sounds like you’re doing well with the insertion learning curve. I’m glad to hear it. It can be frustrating. And of course, they always tend to not insert well when you are in a bit of a hurry.
Having some residual aberrations is pretty common. I have them quite noticeably, especially at night, but the improvements over soft lenses and glasses is remarkable. Without sclerals I’d have had to give up Law Enforcement several years ago.
Having the best permeability should help with keeping the right amount of O2 on the eye. Poor oxygenation caused some redness issues with mine. If you find yourself experiencing redness, try Naphcon or Lumify, both OTC drops,. Naphcon is good for allergies, too.
I was pretty comfortable with them fairly quickly. Now, they aren’t usually uncomfortable, but there is always the sensation of having them in. It is not painful, nor all that bothersome mostly, but always there. And understandably so, they are pretty good sized chunks of plastic that we are sticking onto our eyes.
There is a bit of brain-training in the process. Sometimes it seems that things are in focus, but displaced a bit spatially. It is kind of like wearing progressive lensed glasses. I seem to remember that I had a bit of what felt like motion sickness or vertigo right at the start but it did not last long.
Hopefully your diving will go well. It sounds like you’re well on your way to successful scleral lens wearing.
Let me know how your diving goes, I pray it works out as well as it has for me.
DS
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