This post is a bit long, but I want to include all the relevant information:
I'm thinking about OW Certification for my son and His girlfreind, But my son does have a congenital condition that causes me concern.
He is missing 3 of 4 peripheral communicating arteries (P-coms) which help to feed his visual cortex. We discovered this via MRI because his vision would occasionally (a couple of times a year) "grey out" if he stood up too fast.... similar to the lightheadedness one feels occasionally if you stand up too fast (orthostatic hypotension), but instead of dizziness he only experiences diminished vision for 30 seconds or so.
I'm an RN, so I have a bit more access to medical opinions than the average person, but my community hospital has no Neurologist on staff at this time. When this was first discovered a couple of years ago I showed the MRI and radiologist report to a couple of Neurologist aquantainces, and there opinion was that since There is no aneurism, it's just an essentially benign, albeit medically interesting, congenital abnormality (apparently many of us are born missing one P-com, and rarely two, but they didn't know of anyone missing 3 of 4 with essentially unnaffected vision).
My son, was very active in Martial Arts/Taekwondo (2nd degree Black belt, Former US Junior National Champion with several international competative medals), and he HAS scuba-dived before.....we both did a resort dive when he was 11.
He is now in college, and I'm thinking of Certification for him and his girlfreind as a Xmas present (so I don't want to spill the beans to them just yet-which having a Diving specific exam would entail)
I got the application and medical waiver from my LDS and discussed this with the LDS owner / OW instructor. He has no other medical conditions. He didn't feel that it would prevent certification or diving, as long as his Buddy is aware of the condition. He mentioned that Visually impaired persons do get certified, and he has certified handicapped divers.
I cannot think of a reason that an orthostatic / hypotensive event would happen underwater but what advice do you have?
I would appreciate any input from instructors and Especially Physicians
Thanks
I'm thinking about OW Certification for my son and His girlfreind, But my son does have a congenital condition that causes me concern.
He is missing 3 of 4 peripheral communicating arteries (P-coms) which help to feed his visual cortex. We discovered this via MRI because his vision would occasionally (a couple of times a year) "grey out" if he stood up too fast.... similar to the lightheadedness one feels occasionally if you stand up too fast (orthostatic hypotension), but instead of dizziness he only experiences diminished vision for 30 seconds or so.
I'm an RN, so I have a bit more access to medical opinions than the average person, but my community hospital has no Neurologist on staff at this time. When this was first discovered a couple of years ago I showed the MRI and radiologist report to a couple of Neurologist aquantainces, and there opinion was that since There is no aneurism, it's just an essentially benign, albeit medically interesting, congenital abnormality (apparently many of us are born missing one P-com, and rarely two, but they didn't know of anyone missing 3 of 4 with essentially unnaffected vision).
My son, was very active in Martial Arts/Taekwondo (2nd degree Black belt, Former US Junior National Champion with several international competative medals), and he HAS scuba-dived before.....we both did a resort dive when he was 11.
He is now in college, and I'm thinking of Certification for him and his girlfreind as a Xmas present (so I don't want to spill the beans to them just yet-which having a Diving specific exam would entail)
I got the application and medical waiver from my LDS and discussed this with the LDS owner / OW instructor. He has no other medical conditions. He didn't feel that it would prevent certification or diving, as long as his Buddy is aware of the condition. He mentioned that Visually impaired persons do get certified, and he has certified handicapped divers.
I cannot think of a reason that an orthostatic / hypotensive event would happen underwater but what advice do you have?
I would appreciate any input from instructors and Especially Physicians
Thanks