Contacts when diving

[violakat03]

Does the salt water damage them if it accidentally comes in contact with them? The tech told me if chlorine water touches it you have to toss them, but I didn't actually ask specifically about salt water. My eyesight isn't terrible, I just lose fine details in the distance. I can't read highway road signs until my car is pretty much right next to them, but I can see cars and shapes quite clearly. I'd really prefer to have the ability to see far detail if I wanted to, though.

The contacts I have are recommended for 14 uses. :shrug:

 

[JonKranhouse]

Here are a few procedures to follow to virtually eliminate all risks of eye infection: Link to info on our website. Also, BE SURE to hydrate your eyes with some drops before you remove the lenses – particularly after fresh water diving, when soft lenses want to stick to your eye (the lens wants to extract saline from your natural tears).

 

[diver 85]

Here are a few procedures to follow to virtually eliminate all risks of eye infection: Link to info on our website. Also, BE SURE to hydrate your eyes with some drops before you remove the lenses – particularly after fresh water diving, when soft lenses want to stick to your eye (the lens wants to extract saline from your natural tears).

Jon, interested how you got into the field(ie started your company), O.D, M.D., Ph D. P.O.??...TIA..here's hoping for another O.D......lol.....

 

[00scuba]

I used to wear contacts all the time while diving. The only issue I had was when a salt crystal got under the contact and it scratched my eye. I was at the surface so it wasn't a problem on a dive.

 

[mor]

thanks everyone for your help, I just have one more question. It sounds like I should be pretty safe when I have my mask on, but we are going to stay w/ friends on their sailboat and I know we will be swimming. If I accidentally open my eyes underwater will I just loose my contacts, and if I don't should I toss them if they are exposed to water? I see well enough that on a 40 foot boat I would be okay w/o them, but if say the people on the dinghy were frantically waving at me I might not notice.

sorry for all the questions, I guess my blond roots are showing.

 

[sunnyboy]

Does the salt water damage them if it accidentally comes in contact with them? The tech told me if chlorine water touches it you have to toss them, but I didn't actually ask specifically about salt water. My eyesight isn't terrible, I just lose fine details in the distance. I can't read highway road signs until my car is pretty much right next to them, but I can see cars and shapes quite clearly. I'd really prefer to have the ability to see far detail if I wanted to, though.

The contacts I have are recommended for 14 uses. :shrug:

Geez - between this and your other post (on gear), you REALLY need to tune up your Bull***** detector!!!

You are being given 100%, corn-fed B.S. from the tech.

I've been diving the same brand of contacts as you since 2000, and never, EVER had a problem. Recently I switched to the super-extended variety and likewise no problems.

I also used to swim regularaly (3 mi/week) and again never had a problem. I did use the swim goggles for swimming as I didn't want to saturate them with chlorine, but otherwise getting them splashed is no problem.

The biggest issue underwater would be "mask off with eyes wide open" - there's a risk they will be flushed off. However, I've done many mask off skills with my eyes shut no problem, and even played around with "severe squint" to be able to see but not open the eye enough to lose the contact.

I've never lost a contact underwater in all that time, and never had a problem with salt water or chlorine.

Now back in the '70s, my very first pair of expensive soft contacts (not disposable) did get contaminated with bromine compounds in a chem lab "incident" - and they never, ever did come clean. But that's a whole 'nother story. :14:

Cheers,

-S

p.s. The BIGGEST problem you can ever encounter with contacts is if you don't wash your hands frequently - especially when you have a cold. I only did that one time ever (touched an eye when sick) and it was very, very unpleasant (antibiotic for a week with no contacts).

 

[teknitroxdiver]

I wear mine all the time while diving (Acuvu 2), and can open my eyes underwater without losing them. I actually swam probably 400' with my eyes open, no mask a few dives ago doing drills.

 

[sunnyboy]

I wear mine all the time while diving (Acuvu 2), and can open my eyes underwater without losing them. I actually swam probably 400' with my eyes open, no mask a few dives ago doing drills.

I'm pretty sure I could as well - esp. with the extended duration ones.

BUT - I'm blind enough without them that I didn't want to lose one just for the sake of a mask off drill. Then I'd be blind in one eye for the rest of the dive! :14:

-S

 

[diver 85]

I'm pretty sure I could as well - esp. with the extended duration ones.

BUT - I'm blind enough without them that I didn't want to lose one just for the sake of a mask off drill. Then I'd be blind in one eye for the rest of the dive! :14:

-S

One-eyed(monocular) divers make good divers, why do you think we have 2 eyes???...The old joke answer by an eye doctor is 'cosmetically, it looks alot better than having one big one right in the middle'...(of course the real answer is you have one as a backup--damn, right down DIR's path I guess..lol.....)

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I have been wearing the Night & Day contacts.You put them in and leave them in for a month, and then take them out and throw them away, and put a new pair in. I like this type beacuse I don't have to fiddle around taking them in and out all the time. I wear them in the pool and salt water and never had a problem.
I just got a pair of Baush & Lomb Pure Vision Multi-Focal contacts because my arm isn't long enough to read my computer anymore. Same deal though, put them in, leave them for a month and throw them out and put a new pair in. Haven't had a chance to try them yet though.