Instructors and Contact Lenses

[jagter]

Hi

I hope someone can enlighten me. Can a Scuba Instructor wear contact lenses while instructing?

If so, how would he/she demonstrate the mask removal drills and so forth during the OW course. Is there anything in the PADI or other agency's regulations regarding this?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I know of no regs covering this. But as someone who could wear contacts if i wanted to put foreign objects in my eyes I find that having a script mask is the best for me. One thing about being an instructor is having complete control of your students at all times. If you were to lose or dislodge one while doing a skill would it distract you from your students? If so then the answer seems obvious.

 

[cudachaser]

I teach and wear contacts. It's not a problem at all. You can either close your eyes or squint if you need to see. The contacts won't come out. In 15 years I've never lost a contact underwater.

I'm also more cognizant of my student needs....before the mask exercises I always ask if anyone is wearing contacts and say the same to them

 

[jagter]

Thanks for the responses.

Cudachaser, did you manage to complete your divemaster and instructor courses while wearing contacts?

I'm considering going that route, but I'm a bit worried about the contacts.
(My profile isn't up to date in case someone feels the need to comment on my number of dives)

Regards

 

[Jan Kruger]

I have been diving with contacts for 10 years - i regularly remove my mask underwater as part of skills practice and normally even open my eyes underwater.I have never had any problems with the contacts being dislodged, or any movement at all- I wear the soft disposable types-not too sure if it is the pressure that keeps them in, or whether the suction of the contacts simply ensures a proper seat but yeah i love diving with my contacts and i doubt it if i would go for the prescription mask ,simply because then i am bound to wear it to see what is happening around me above & below the water surface .Enjoy your diving with contacts.

 

[ptyx]

I always dive with contact, and very rarely loose one.
When I do, it's no big deal, I can see well enough without. But I guess it depends on your correction.

I do avoid contacts in a swimming pool however - they seem to trap chlorine and have me look like a berserk rabbit for 2 days.

If I were an instructor, I'd probably get an prescription mask made for pool work.

 

[cudachaser]

Yes...never a problem

Thanks for the responses.

Cudachaser, did you manage to complete your divemaster and instructor courses while wearing contacts?

I'm considering going that route, but I'm a bit worried about the contacts.
(My profile isn't up to date in case someone feels the need to comment on my number of dives)

Regards

 

[Scott L]

I am going to try the contacts route and thought I would ulitize my mask with gauge readers as my back-up in my hip pocket which would seem to reconcile all issues...

 

[boulderjohn]

I wore contacts without a problem before I went the Lasik route.

 

[JonKranhouse]

Do not sleep in contacts after diving or swimming!

From our website:

• 75 million people worldwide wear contact lenses... for many good reasons.

• Maximum resolution: Most people needing vision correction achieve higher low-contrast acuity through contact lenses than through eyeglasses or LASIK.

• We only recommend soft contacts for diving; among other reasons, they have a larger diameter which makes it almost impossible for a lens to fall out when you squint if water splashes in your face (Research by SPUMS glued sutures to contacts and tried tugging contacts out while submerged)

• Swimming with contact lenses does not raise the risk of eye infections. But keeping contacts in for many hours -- or days -- after swimming IS VERY RISKY. Timely removal of contacts virtually eliminates the risks of infection because your eyes' natural tears flush away bacteria commonly found in water. (e.g. Pseudomonas Aeruginosa or Acanthamoeba).

Fresh water (e.g. lakes, swimming pools and hot-tubs) often carries more infectious agents vs. salt water at typical dive destinations .

• Fit to dive = fit to use contacts; don't wear contacts if:

1. You have an impaired immune system (e.g. fever).
2. You have an existing eye infection or corneal damage.
​

• Rinse your eyes with sterile saline solution before putting contacts in -- and before removal to prevent the lens from "sticking" to your cornea (caused by an osmotic imbalance). Of course wash your hands before handling contacts - hand sanitizer works well - just rinse alcohol off with saline).

• Daily disposable contacts are the most convenient for hygiene compliance. If using weekly or monthly disposables, be sure to disinfect per your eye doctor's instructions - and DO NOT reuse cleaning solution!