DIR w/ Contact Lenses?

[rsdancey]

My vision is often described as "horrible" (i.e., I sit in the chair at the Drs. and when asked "read the first letter you can see on the chart" my response is "what chart?") I wear contact lenses and have for most of my life. I'll eventually go under the beam, but the contacts give me so little hassle that I haven't bothered with surgery. My correction is so significant that I cannot wear glasses without experiencing nausea.

In my OW classes I was able to pass the "mask off" portions by just closing my eyes and toughing it out. I have had a mask kicked off my face while diving, and was able to cope with the emergency without undue stress (even managed to find the mask on the bottom and replace it by feel, got my eyes shut before the water hit the lenses and was able to purge & continue dive without incident. Dive partner didn't even know it had happened.)

I've been reading up on DIR-F, and it appears that there's a lot of skills performed in the class without a mask on. For obvious reasons, that's impossible for a diver in my situation to easily cope with.

Obviously, there's a safety issue with a diver who could 'lose vision' due to a mask failure, which I (and my buddy) accept when we dive. I suspect I'm far from being alone in this situation. A mask with a prescription lens is not an option for me (the thickness of the lens, and the radial distorion would both contribute to far more problems than they'd be worth).

How does the DIR/F handle students with impaired vision? Can the class be passed just by "toughing it out" (i.e. performing mask-off skills with eyes closed?) Is there a DIR position overall on imparied vision?

Ryan

 

[Jon C]

Being in a similar situation, I can't wait to hear the answer on this one. I am sure, given DIR's reliance on bungie and surgical tubing, the solution will involve tying off the edge of your lens and clipping it off on a DIR approved nose-ring (stainless, of course)

Seriously, years ago I had the RK done and loved the results...keep in mind, there were no lasers; only surgical scalpels. Now that time has passed (15 years), my vision has dropped off and I will require contacts or go under the beam.

This opens up another BIG discussion regarding handicaps beyond vision issues. What about someone who has lost a limb. Is it possible to be considered let alone pass the course? (Bet there are some opionions on this!)

Hopefully, there is some answer to your contact lens question. We'll learn together on this one.

 

[JeffG]

My vision is often described as "horrible" (i.e., I sit in the chair at the Drs. and when asked "read the first letter you can see on the chart" my response is "what chart?") I wear contact lenses and have for most of my life. I'll eventually go under the beam, but the contacts give me so little hassle that I haven't bothered with surgery. My correction is so significant that I cannot wear glasses without experiencing nausea.

In my OW classes I was able to pass the "mask off" portions by just closing my eyes and toughing it out. I have had a mask kicked off my face while diving, and was able to cope with the emergency without undue stress (even managed to find the mask on the bottom and replace it by feel, got my eyes shut before the water hit the lenses and was able to purge & continue dive without incident. Dive partner didn't even know it had happened.)

I've been reading up on DIR-F, and it appears that there's a lot of skills performed in the class without a mask on. For obvious reasons, that's impossible for a diver in my situation to easily cope with.

Obviously, there's a safety issue with a diver who could 'lose vision' due to a mask failure, which I (and my buddy) accept when we dive. I suspect I'm far from being alone in this situation. A mask with a prescription lens is not an option for me (the thickness of the lens, and the radial distorion would both contribute to far more problems than they'd be worth).

How does the DIR/F handle students with impaired vision? Can the class be passed just by "toughing it out" (i.e. performing mask-off skills with eyes closed?) Is there a DIR position overall on imparied vision?

Ryan

You don't spend a lot of time without a mask. You just need to be able to remove and replace your mask while in a state of neutral buoyancy.

Also, your eyes are supposed to be closed the whole time your mask is off.

 

[MHK]

How does the DIR/F handle students with impaired vision? Can the class be passed just by "toughing it out" (i.e. performing mask-off skills with eyes closed?) Is there a DIR position overall on imparied vision?

Ryan

When doing drills without the mask we are trying to accomplish 2 things at once.. On the one hand we want to insure that the student is comfortable without the mask, and on the other hand we are trying to simulate a no-vis scenario so we specifically request that the student keep their eyes closed during the skill.

FWIW, I also use contact lenses and I've never had a problem during my DIR-F, Tech-1, Tech-2, Cave-1, Cave-2, RB, DIR-F Instructor Training and/or Triox Instructor Training classes.. And trust me, we spent quite a bit of time with our maks off during those classes ;-)

Hope that helps..

 

[headhunter]

This little exchange I had with a DIR instructor recently might help and I don't imagine that he would mind if I shared it here. This is the edited down Reader's Digest version (believe it or not :11: ):

I wear contact lenses and am comfortable diving with them. I'm very comfortable underwater without a mask, but obviously this would be without my contacts.

I have absolutely terrible uncorrected vision. My prescription is -5.5. For the rest of you, I can barely read the big "E".

I'm comfortable not wearing contacts and being somewhat blind although I don't really have quite as much fun that way. That's what I did to pass all of my skills tests when I certified long long ago and had to ditch everything but my fins at 30 feet and go back and get it all or go though "stress testing" with air being turned off, mask being ripped off, tanks being set loose, etc.

I'm also comfortable closing my eyes and being led completely blind, which allows me to continue being able to see once that part of the exercise is over and I can open my eyes.

How is this handled in a DIR class environment?

Christian

Believe it or not, I have worse vision than you. I didn't even know there was a big E. I believe I'm about -11 or so.

I tried not using contacts, and got really tired of not being able to see without a mask on. So I just went with it. In class, loss of mask does two things.
#1 - test buddy awareness and communication
#2 - simulates loss of visibility, as even without a mask.

We ask the students to keep their eyes closed for the bottom portion of the dive, as we are simulating a silt out/loss of light (but they all peek, the cheaters). Upon ascent, they can open their eyes, as you usually ascend out of bad viz.

Personally, I've found that if I squint, I can see, yet not lose a contact. I haven't tested it for a loooong time, as I usually squint, get my bearings, and then close my eyes. But I've never lost a contact doing it.

joe

Hope this helps.

Christian

 

[MHK]

This opens up another BIG discussion regarding handicaps beyond vision issues. What about someone who has lost a limb. Is it possible to be considered let alone pass the course? (Bet there are some opionions on this!)

We do NOT preclude anyone from taking our classes as a result of any disability. However, our standards provide for certain skills and certain swim testing requirements. If the student can satisfy the course requirements then they will pass the class, if they can't then they won't. FWIW, AG & I once worked with a student that had lost his right arm, which made for some interesting air shares. But after some time we were able to figure out a way to donate the long hose with the left hand..

Hope that helps..

 

[CameronMartz]

I think you might be making a few assumptions about what divers who don't wear contacts are doing during the no-mask sections of DIRF. Most everyone is closing their eyes anyway, and plenty have made it through the class with contacts. Yes, there is the added risk that you might not close your eyes fast enough to keep water off your contacts, and potentially one might get washed out.

I did all of my training with contacts without any problems, as do many others. If you are worried about it, though, I'd spend time with a buddy in the pool before the class getting used to breathing off a reg without a mask, filling and clearing, etc. This should not be the skill that holds you back.

Cameron

 

[mer]

I wear contacts and I keep my eyes closed during drills. In fundamentals, the time without mask is minimal... flood and clear, and remove replace. At other levels, the mask goes away more, but you are supposed to keep your eyes closed.

In an emergency situation, might open my eyes and risk losing contacts if I couldn't deploy my backup mask quick enough. Granted my vision is a bit better than yours (I can see the E at least), but I could see shapes and colors and movement.

 

[sunnyboy]

I've been wearing disposable contacts since 1990, and now the super-extended wear contacts for about 5 years. I've also done DIR-F.

Standard procedure for me is that I have a pair of spare contacts in my vehicle at all times. If I need to open my eyes underwater, I have found that squinting works quite well. Other team members also wear contacts and report no problems opening their eyes fully. No-ones ever lost a contact yet.

A good fitting contact should not flush off under normal dive use - no mask, eyes open. Like I said, if it does, I have a spare pair in the van for the drive home.

-S

 

[Hoyden]

I wear contacts for all of my diving and swimming - I would fall into the "what chart" category of vision (-8.50). I was worried about loosing my mask while diving or doing mask drills and having a contact wash out so I went to see my friendly eye doctor who got me a few pairs of larger diameter, slightly thicker lenses to use just for diving - they are less likely to wash out. If I didn't mind jinxing myself, I'd say that it was nearly impossible for one to come off by accident, but I'm not going there. I will say that I have not lost one doing mask drills even when I open my eyes. I carry a couple of spare pairs in my regulator bag just in case. If I didn't have such bad eyesight I' be looking into Orthokeratology which will allow you to shed your contacts during the day without surgery. This seems to be a possible answer for those of you who can still see the big E (-6.00 or better).

Jackie