Diving with contacts

[caruso]

a) so what do you say? Dailies are better for diving? I assume you did a clinical study then to make your statement better than mine?

Dailies are healthier all around. Less material in each lens, newer technology because all the major contact lens manufacturers are doing all their R&D in dailies and almost all new lenses from these companies are dailies, no solutions needed which means less chemicals in the eye and most importantly you're inserting a new lens each day not wearing the same contact lens for up to 1 month. Almost as important compliance tends to be rather poor among the contact lens wearing community with the majority of patients wearing their contacts too long between replacements and/or wearing them overnight for too many days in a row. Dailies almost completely eliminate that problem.

I've read numerous clinical studies attesting to the numerous advantages of dailies over 2 week and monthly contacts.

 

[Minion_Diver]

Did you get a mask squeeze during your dive? or did you ensure it was equalized throughout the whole time you were under water? If there was any significant pressure differential, I can only imagine the film of a contact lense pressing on the cornea might cause some problems.

-Z

Mask was equalized throughout the whole dive.

Plan is to make a couple more dives with the current ones I have and then possibly make a change to a different kind of contact.

 

[Clayton122]

I wear monthlies myself. Usually when I go diving, I try and swap out to a fresh pair that day.

Could the fuzziness just be a result of your daily activity? After a day out on a boat diving my contacts are total crap. Sunscreen. Salt water. Etc Etc get into them and just screws them up for a short time.

 

[Storker]

I have noticed here lately that after a dive in which I wear my contacts one of my eyes has a hard time focusing. I have never had the issue before while wearing my rx mask and glasses. Just curious as to if anyone else has experienced this and what solutions you have found.

Thanks.

It may be so simple that your contacts dry out a little after the dive. I have that issue occasionally. Solved by taking out the contacts and wearing my glasses instead. If that's not an option, dripping my eyes with sterile saline solution usually helps.

 

[Insta-Gator]

Yea or Nay on wearing contacts while diving if you are comfortable removing the mask for a quick wipe to remove any fog? I've always been very comfortable removing my mask at any depth, but have wondered how that would work with contacts. I'm tired of wearing glasses and would appreciate clearer vision while diving (don't have prescrip. mask.) The whole daily versus month is quite interesting to me. Thanks.

 

[Charred]

I don't like dailies as they are inferior to monthlies, i.e., they don't breathe as well, and are more likely to cause trouble.

Once I mentioned I dive, my optometrist immediately insisted I switch to dailies during dive trips. There is a risk if you get fresh or saltwater in your eye you develop an infection from bacteria or fungus sticking to the contact. By throwing away the contact at the end of the day you drastically reduce the risk. She has seen this occur and was so insistent that she offered to give me trial dailies to wear.

Ultimately I switched to dailies for every day use. The Dr and her husband, both optometrists, both wear dailies.

The downside is slightly higher cost.

 

[Charred]

Yea or Nay on wearing contacts while diving if you are comfortable removing the mask for a quick wipe to remove any fog? I've always been very comfortable removing my mask at any depth, but have wondered how that would work with contacts. I'm tired of wearing glasses and would appreciate clearer vision while diving (don't have prescrip. mask.) The whole daily versus month is quite interesting to me. Thanks.

If my mask is fogged, I let the tiniest amount of water in and then look down and in circles. Even a tiny amount of water will eliminate the fog.

If you keep your eyes shut, there are no issues removing your mask underwater.

 

[Storker]

Yea or Nay on wearing contacts while diving if you are comfortable removing the mask for a quick wipe to remove any fog? I've always been very comfortable removing my mask at any depth, but have wondered how that would work with contacts. I'm tired of wearing glasses and would appreciate clearer vision while diving (don't have prescrip. mask.) The whole daily versus month is quite interesting to me. Thanks.

If i know I'm going to do a mask drill, I use the mask with correction. That allows me to keep my eyes open during the drill, with no risk of losing my contacts. For normal rec dives, I usually use the mask without correction and wear my contacts. If i lose my mask and have to open my eyes, I risk losing a contact or two. If that happens, I pick out the one lens I have left, throw it away, look in my car's glove compartment and dig out the old, retired pair of glasses that live there.

When - not if - my mask fogs over, I let in a small amount of water, look down, left, right and clear my mask. Just like @Charred does. Presto! Usually I don't have to deliberately let in some water; I have to clear my mask occasionally anyway.

 

[Insta-Gator]

If my mask is fogged, I let the tiniest amount of water in and then look down and in circles. Even a tiny amount of water will eliminate the fog.

If you keep your eyes shut, there are no issues removing your mask underwater.

Yeah, I do that also. I guess I started early in my career removing the mask and it got to be a habit. A good application of baby shampoo just before the dive generally keeps the fogging under control, unless it is a long surface swim out on a hot sunny day.

 

[Storker]

A good application of baby shampoo spit just before the dive generally keeps the fogging under control,

FTFY