Contact lenses and diving -Questions Welcome - by Idocsteve

[idocsteve]

However, for diving, I've found that the Acuvue Advance for Astigmatism works great in the regularly moist environment of a scuba mask, and they are soft so they tend to stay put, even exposed to the open water.

Acuvue Advance for astigmatism is gradually being phased out in favor of Acuvue Oasys for astigmatism. The fit is more stable and comfortable and the material is more "wetter" and permeable.

If you're squinting to keep the contacts in your eyes, the fit is most likely too loose. Check with your eyedoc about a larger diameter lens such as a Hydrosoft Toric which is also available in a tighter base curve.

 

[abhiroopb]

Thanks for your recommendations. Sorry if I wasn't clearer about the type of lenses I use. They are monthly day disposable, i.e. I wear them for 30 days.

I don't wear daily lenses simply because they are (like you said) very expensive. So, I am considering buying some daily lenses just for diving.

Again thanks for the information. I will try it in the swimming pool before buying the daily disposables.

 

[idocsteve]

Thanks for your recommendations. Sorry if I wasn't clearer about the type of lenses I use. They are monthly day disposable, i.e. I wear them for 30 days.

I don't wear daily lenses simply because they are (like you said) very expensive. So, I am considering buying some daily lenses just for diving.

Again thanks for the information. I will try it in the swimming pool before buying the daily disposables.

Ok sorry about that. You did say "30 day disposable" and I took it wrong.

You are currently wearing the least expensive modality of disposable contact lenses (for all practical purposes).

You could get 2 boxes of 30 daily disposables (one for each eye) to use just when diving, that will cost you about $50 total.

 

[Kingpatzer]

Sorry if this question has been asked and answered:

Doc do you know of, or have an opinion of SeaVision masks? They ask for detailed prescription information, including PD, so I assume they grind and position the lenses appropriately.

Prescription Scuba Diving Masks - Snorkeling Masks - SeaVisionUSA

 

[idocsteve]

Sorry if this question has been asked and answered:

Doc do you know of, or have an opinion of SeaVision masks?

I don't work with Rx masks but there have been several posts on this thread about them, many by one member in particular who manufactures and distributes them and from his posts he seems to really know what he's talking about.

 

[amw5g]

Thanks for this thread, Idoscsteve, as it's given me, a newly certified diver some good info. I use (and actually like) RGPs and will be making a request for some inexpensive soft disposables that I can use specifically for dive trips.

That out of the way, any thoughts on the infamous "floaters"? I have them, my mother has them, and the eye do recommended I keep watch on them as I get older. They used to bother me when reading on a light background, but given no change in their size, I think I've just gotten used to them. Now, however, they really seem to bother me when diving. Any thought as to if this change in light conditions (primarily low-vis muck dives so far since certification) is a probably cause?

I'll be bringing it up at my next exam for sure this winter. But want to steel myself in case it's the worst, and I have to then learn about treatment options.

Cheers,
Amw 5G

 

[ScubaSaipan]

idocsteve,

I am nearsighted and over 40 years old. I wear contacts, but now need reading glasses if I have my contacts in. I have heard that some people use one contact which allows them to see distance but also allows them to read without reading glasses. Does this work? Thanks for your help.

 

[aprxh]

I have one contact to see far and the other for reading. It took awhile for me to get use to it but it works great. The only thing is when I drive at night I see halos from the lights on the road. If I am driving far at night I remove the reading lens and put one in to see far. I also have a pair of glasses that is set up to make the reading lens see far.

 

[idocsteve]

I use (and actually like) RGPs and will be making a request for some inexpensive soft disposables that I can use specifically for dive trips.

Quite often RGP lens wearers experience "spectacle blur" when they remove their semipermeable lenses due to mild corneal edema. This condition clears but not if you wear the lenses on a regular basis, so you may find your vision to be blurred when wearing soft contacts. This problem may be exacerbated by the fact that rigid lenses tend to give clearer vision than soft contacts especially if there is mild to moderate astigmatism present.

That out of the way, any thoughts on the infamous "floaters"? Any thought as to if this change in light conditions (primarily low-vis muck dives so far since certification) is a probably cause?

More often that not, floaters are due to normal age related degeneration of the vitreious which is the gel like substance that fills most of the eye. As we age the "gel" breaks down to liquid and solids which may appear as cobwebs in our vision. Not much can be done for floaters except when they are so large and frequent as to be debilitating, and there are some experimental surgeries being done for this in various places around the country, but it's not a simple matter of going into the eyeball and sucking them out.

The other concern is that the floaters may be due to traction on the retina or perhaps a hole or mild tear that can lead to a full scale retinal detachment. A dilated exam is necessary to rule this out.

Other than that, learn to live with them. Floaters are more obvious under certain lighting conditions but they are not "caused" by changes in ambient lighting.

 

[idocsteve]

idocsteve,

I am nearsighted and over 40 years old. I wear contacts, but now need reading glasses if I have my contacts in. I have heard that some people use one contact which allows them to see distance but also allows them to read without reading glasses. Does this work? Thanks for your help.

Interesting that you didn't hear this from your eye doctor.

Presbyopia is the natural loss of nearpoint focusing power and usually occurs in people at the age of late 30's to early 40s and continues to progress throughout the rest of their lives although it mostly levels off around age 60 or so.

When I have a presbyopic patient who wears contacts or is interested in wearing them, I lay out all the options, there are primarily 4.

1- Cut back on the full distance Rx to help the reading vision. This can buy an over 40 patient a few extra years before something else needs to be done in regard to needing a reading Rx.
2- Bifocal contacts. These have come a long way and I fit them all the time and my success rate is well over 90%
3- One contact for distance, the other for reading. Depending on the patients rx, some may only need to wear one contact lens. This is called monovision and it's been around for well over 30 years, and is the technique employed in refractive surgeries for patients over 40 who don't want to wear a reading correction.
4- Reading glasses over contact lenses. Self explanatory.

Ask your eye doc why they didn't go over these options with you.