Diving and contact lenses

Scarinae

I'm heading to Honduras this summer for two months and for the last two weeks I'm going to be doing my PADI and then exploring the reefs off some of the islands... I'm just wondering if it is possible to wear contacts while doing this? I don't wear glasses or contacts most of the time, my eyesight is -2.5 so quite possibly I should cos my vision isn't the clearest, anyway I do wear the daily disposable contacts sometimes when I'm going out or whatever but they make my eyes a little dry sometimes. If possible I'd like to wear some form of lenses while I'm diving so I can see everything clearer - does anyone have any information on this? I've never been scuba diving before so I apologise if it seems like a stupid question!

christophicus

yup, i've done it many a time and neither my Optometrist or membersbof my club have said anything against it.

Scarinae

Would I be better off trying to get monthly lenses before I go, I've been told they don't dry out your eyes as much...? I'm not sure what to do with regards to lenses in general, I'm spending six weeks in the jungle first doing scientific research and want to be able to see everything properly, but cleaning lenses with hardly any facilities sounds really difficult. But I don't want to be geting dry eyes from the dailies when I'm diving!

christophicus

yeah iknow what you mean, i ue the dailies and would advise against using the monthlys as that could get washed away/infected incase of a mask flood.

Your not goin to be diving all day, i'd imagine youd have the lenss in for 4/5 hours tops. I just put up with the mild discomfort that thy cause for that short time.

lazygit

Why not try getting a prescription mask? thats what i use and i love it.. both eyes are -3.5 or so, my mask is -2.5 (got it years ago) but i spoke to my optiton a the start of the year and he said its fine to keep using it..

scuby

i was going to get a prescription mask as well, but my eyes get a little worse every year or two, so i just use my daily contacts. used them for years now, and never had a problem. if one falls out mid dive, it no big worry, can still see with one eye

and carry a spare in my bag for the next dive etc. never lost a lense yet diving

seadeuce

Have dived with contacts for years, no problems.
I use monthlies or two-weeklies.
My prescription has changed now but it was -2.5 in each eye and I have a prescription mask that is -2.0
I can use this mask while wearing my contacts, no problem. A back-up in the very unlikely event of losing a lens.
I have even done exercises such as mask off and swim, with eyes open, with no loss of lens. They are snug if correctly fitting.
You will find that after a few hours use in the jungle it is nice to re-lubricate them with saline solution for a more comfortable fit.

Hope this helps your decision-making.


Seadeuce

Einstein

there's normally no problem wearing contacts, just when you do your course inform your instructor. Ensure you keep your eyes closed when you do mask removal / clearing etc, or you can be asking for some sore eyes for couple days...
Also the other reason is that IF you have a prob with one of the lenses during a dive (unlikely) and it gets sore or you suffer typical awkward contact lense problems, you aren't able to surface straight away if out in the open water...

invest in the prescription mask...Uber handy!

seadeuce

Divers wrote:

Also the other reason is that IF you have a prob with one of the lenses during a dive (unlikely) and it gets sore or you suffer typical awkward contact lense problems, you aren't able to surface straight away if out in the open water...

Please explain why one can't ascend with/without a contact lens in place.
Or am I missing a point here ...... ?



Seadeuce

Einstein

seadeuce wrote:

Please explain why one can't ascend with/without a contact lens in place.
Or am I missing a point here ...... ?



Seadeuce

course you can ascend with a contact lense, i mean if you've been down to 28 metres, and all of a sudden you lense gives you gripe, you have to endure a slow ascent and 3 min stop, with a sore leaking eye, which could make a safe ascent very difficult...

get me?

seadeuce

Got you.

That's why we use disposables - any problem, ditch it, wash out eye with seawater in mask, then ascend if you need to.


Seadeuce