Wearing contacts during divemaster skills

[Divingguy]

I am a DMC with NAUI. I am scheduled for this Friday evening to do some of my confined water "stupid human tricks" as they are not so affectionately called. The only ones that I am concerned about are the ones requiring the ditching and recovery of my mask. I have no problems with clearing a flooded mask, but am worried about losing soft contacts while having to search for my mask in order to recover and clear it. I can not just do the skills without my contacts, because I am REALLY nearsighted. Has anyone else done this with contacts? Any suggestions? Thanks. Tom

 

[AzAtty]

You just have to ditch and recover the mask, right? No one ever said you couldn't carry a backup mask to assist you in looking for the lost mask, right? If nothing else, I think NAUI would give you credit for thinking to bring a backup.

Failing that, you're stuck with giving them a demonstration of your Braille skills. I'm also quite myopic, so I understand where you're coming from.

Keep in mind that you're demonstrating a skill--making it look easy to do--not demonstrating no-vis search and recovery. Given that fact and knowing about your eyesight, I think the instructor will cut you some slack and not drag your mask to the far end of the pool.

 

[Divingguy]

The actual "skills" I have to perform tonight are:
Swim underwater 25yds on 1 breath
Skin diving gear ditch and recover
Scuba diving gear ditch and recover
Scuba bailout
and whatever else we have time for. These are defined in the NAUI S&P.
My concerns are losing a contact, and wasting precious seconds and breath, while trying to swim a straight line underwater, and find my $%@* mask to get it put on and cleared.
It does NOT appear that I will be cut any slack. I will let you know how it goes.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Getting through the class is one thing but what are you going to do when you're supervising students and your mask comes off. I'd rather have my eyes open so I can still dive and I've never worn contacts but I'd guess that's a good way to lose them..

I can't see well without my glasses either but I use a prescription mask...I have two of them.

 

[Divingguy]

Good point, MIke. In the course of my boat dives, and working with classes, I have had my mask kicked and/or flooded by other divers, and was able to clear it with no problem. I have never had it actually separated from my body to where I had to go "find it". I guess I will need to figure out how to carry a "spare" when working worked with classes, but I know they are not going to let me use a spare tonight to find my primary.

 

[AzAtty]

Mike correctly points out that supervising students is the end goal. I still believe the best option for dealing with the possibility of a lost mask (especially for the very nearsighted) is to carry a spare mask. Just based on the training I know Mike has, I'm pretty darn sure he carres a spare most (if not all) of the time.

For the class tonight may have to gut it out with closed eyes. You might try closing your eyes most of the way so you can still see, but will still provide some eyelid pressure to prevent your lenses from coming out. I've never given it a serious try, but it's an option.

The other option is to remove your contacts and do the search. Although I wouldn't be able to see anything beyond a couple feet away, at least it wouldn't be a blind search.

As for carrying a spare, put it in your BC pocket, or a pocket on your exposure suit. No pockets? You can add them.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I'm also VERY nearsighted. It's helpful to realize that it's really pretty tough to make soft contacts come out of your eyes underwater. It's possible I'm sure, but I've found that it's far from a sure thing that your contacts will come out if you open your eyes underwater. I've actually found the opposite ... it's far more likely that they won't go anyplace. When I open my eyes underwater without a mask, I don't open them all the way. Just open them about half way. Enough to see a bit. I've never lost a lense doing that. Also, hopefully you wear disposable lenses. I always bring a couple of spare pair of lenses and my glasses with me everytime I go diving. Every time, regardless of whether it's a quarry shore dive, lake boat dive, ocean boat dive or pool dive. While I have never lost a single lens, when I eventually lose one (it will happen eventually), I want to be prepared. I'm absolutely blind without them. I can hardly walk without running into things. Driving or doing further diving is absolutely out of the question. So I make sure I'm ready for that eventuallity.

I also carry a spare mask in a mask pocket on my harness waist belt on all open water dives. I don't carry a spare mask with me in the pool.

 

[AzAtty]

Thanks for the personal experience, DH.

 

[Divingguy]

Thanks for the responses, guys. I do have extra contacts and my glasses with me for tonight. I am mentally, and I certainly hope physically, prepared to do whatever it takes to accomplish these skills tonight.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Mike correctly points out that supervising students is the end goal. I still believe the best option for dealing with the possibility of a lost mask (especially for the very nearsighted) is to carry a spare mask. Just based on the training I know Mike has, I'm pretty darn sure he carres a spare most (if not all) of the time.

I carry a backup mask on dives where being able to read is really important.

I don't know if they make contacts that would work for my eyes but I haven't looked because I'm afraid to stick anything in my eye. LOL