Contact lenses and diving -Questions Welcome - by Idocsteve

[Hoomi]

When I asked about contacts last week, he did bring up the issues with the prism. On other dive trips in the last year and a half, I've not felt any eyestrain issues from diving without the prismatic correction. Using just one hydrostatic lens, I read the gauge with the one eye. It's a quick check to see my depth, time, and remaining air, and it's easy enough to simply ignore the input from the left eye, or just close it for that short moment.

I also have the "fallback" that my eyes have changed very minorly from the last prescription, so I can keep the glasses as a back-up in case the contacts don't work out well.

(My company also covers a free pair of prescription safety glasses each year, so I have that option open to me with the Rx from last week's exam.)

 

[idocsteve]

The commercial medical is very uncomplicated. They are mainly concerned with your ability to see and function in a cockpit. But my Air Force vision check screens for glaucoma and checks the retina.

It sounds like your Air Force Vision check is a complete eye exam. Especially if your pupils are dilated, although that's not an absolute requirement for a comprehensive eye examination; but pupillary dilation IS the standard of care for "at risk" patients including but not limited to diabetics, hypertensives, those with high cholesterol, and those getting "up there" in years; as well as those with unexplained decreased best correctable vision and any patient who presents with suspicious findings on any routine examination tests.

 

[idocsteve]

When I asked about contacts last week, he did bring up the issues with the prism. On other dive trips in the last year and a half, I've not felt any eyestrain issues from diving without the prismatic correction.

That's an important piece of information, and it's certainly favorable in terms of your potential success with contact lenses especially in regard to Scuba Diving.

You just might be ok, although I'd wager a guess that if you decided to use your contact lenses for other prolonged and "intensive" visual tasks such as driving, or viewing a sporting event, you might experience some of the symptoms I mentioned in an earlier post.

But everyone's different, so you might be just fine. One factor is how long you've had the vertical imbalance. The longer it's been, the better you will be able to compensate for it.

 

[Hoomi]

I had it for more years than it was diagnosed. The first time I tried contacts, I only needed correction in the left eye, so the optometrist suggested a contact for that eye only. I still got eyestrain from trying to read, and just quit using it. We ended up switching optometrists (as I recall, our insurance changed and he wasn't on the new plan), the new doctor noticed the need for the prism.

I've gone for all-day bicycle rides using plain sunglasses, rather than prescription lenses, and suffered no eyestrain issues. Granted, I was a bit younger then (I think my last Century ride was in 2002), but we'll see when I try out the contacts.

 

[RJP]

If you apply them correctly they will not wash away. I have used them for years on sunglasses and in several masks and haven't lost one yet. In a mast I find one is just as good as two to read gauges.

+1

I've got a pair in my Atomic Frameless for almost 300 dives including tec training with many many mask drills; plus how many hundred mask skill demonstrations in working with students, etc.

 

[Herk_Man]

It sounds like your Air Force Vision check is a complete eye exam. Especially if your pupils are dilated, although that's not an absolute requirement for a comprehensive eye examination; but pupillary dilation IS the standard of care for "at risk" patients including but not limited to diabetics, hypertensives, those with high cholesterol, and those getting "up there" in years; as well as those with unexplained decreased best correctable vision and any patient who presents with suspicious findings on any routine examination tests.

You know, I have not had my eyes dialated in a long time. I don't know if they do that in a 5 year cycle or if they stopped doing it. How often do you think it should be done. I have absolutely no issues with my eyes. So far it is just arm shrinkage.

 

[idocsteve]

You know, I have not had my eyes dialated in a long time. I don't know if they do that in a 5 year cycle or if they stopped doing it. How often do you think it should be done. I have absolutely no issues with my eyes. So far it is just arm shrinkage.

Eyecare practitioners vary widely in regard to frequency and necessity of pupillary dilation.

It's generally agreed that the only way to fully evaluate the entire peripheral retina is to perform a dilated fundus examination, typically abbreviated "DFE". From 1-3 sets of drops are inserted into the patients eyes over the course of several minutes, and the patient is asked to wait for anywhere from 15 minutes to a half an hour on average. During this procedure, most patients become light sensitive, mildly to significantly blurred, more at near than at distance, and they remain that way for about an hour but this can vary. Some patients stay blurred for considerably longer than that.

Some eye care practitioners dilate every patient, every year...while others do not dilate at all.

I take a "middle of the road" approach, and dilate "at risk" patients, including the elderly, those with systemic conditions including but not limited to diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol; as well as patients with unexplained vision loss and those who present with unusual findings on any other tests. Of course this is not my complete list but it's a general overview.

Should a patient request to be dilated I will usually accommodate them even if I do not consider them to be at risk.

There are a small percentage of patients for whom dilation presents a risk of a "closed angle glaucoma attack", where by the process of dilation affects the flow of aqueous humor through the eye and causes the intraocular pressure to skyrocket. It naturally follows that these patients should be dilated with caution, using a milder topical dilating agent, if at all.

 

[Hoomi]

I wore the contacts for about 3 - 4 hours today, and had no issues while driving. I'm supposed to increase the amount of time I wear them each day, and have another follow-up next Wednesday to see how things are going.

I just felt good about being able to take them out without too much problem around noon. When the optician was teaching me how to remove them this morning, I was starting to feel like I belonged in the slow class. :dork:

We have our pre-trip refresher on Saturday. The last time we were in the Dive Shop pool, the chemicals were rather strong, so I don't think I'm going to try wearing the contacts for the refresher. They use bromide in the pool, and during our OW course it felt bad enough on the eyes as it was. I don't think I want to take any chance of it possibly getting absorbed into the contact.

 

[scubaswede]

I am in need of some vision help. I am considering getting prescription lenses in my Compumask.

The issue is that I cant see the small text on my Vr3's at Deco, kinda important to do.

Are there bifocal contacts that are safe for scuba diving? Deepest I dive is 300 ft so the pressure is a little higher than normal scuba.

Would be greatful for some advice.

S

 

[DandyDon]

I am in need of some vision help. I am considering getting prescription lenses in my Compumask.

The issue is that I cant see the small text on my Vr3's at Deco, kinda important to do.

Are there bifocal contacts that are safe for scuba diving? Deepest I dive is 300 ft so the pressure is a little higher than normal scuba.

Would be greatful for some advice.

S

I dive flat top bifocals in these SeaVision USA - Prescription Scuba Diving Masks - Snorkeling Masks using the yellow lens for deeper or night dives, carrying the red lens masks in my pocket - switching for shallow, daylight dives.