Toric contact lenses for diving

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taimen

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Anyone who is using toric contact lenses for diving? Can you share your experience?
I have relatively high astigmatism and quite happy with my prescription masks but after reading a lot of comments suggesting contact lenses for diving I decided I should give a try.

Which lens brand and type are you using? Why? Do you think there are some diving related differences between different lens types and/or brands?
 
I used to wear torics while diving and had no problems. I used Accuvue Advance for Astigmatism, but Accuvue discontinued them a few years ago. My doctor was able to get me one more year worth, then I couldn't find a replacement that was comfortable for more than a few minutes, so I took the nuclear option and got Lasik. My astigmatism wasn't terrible, but it affected both eyes, maybe 2.50 in the left and 1.75 in the right, enough that it was the limiting factor in my vision when I wasn't wearing contacts or glasses. I never had issues with the lenses rotating or shifting while diving.

Sorry I can't give you better recommendations as to what brand to pick, but I would expect anything that works for you on land will work pretty well underwater, too.

Consider that a mask flood could be more catastrophic with contacts because it might wash them out of your eyes, so make sure to have a backup pair on the boat.
 
I used to have ~3 degrees of astigmatism on each eye. I was using rigid gas permeable contact lenses. Last year I did PRK laser operation and the only thing I regret was that I haven't done it 20 years earlier! I highly recommend you consider it (not only for diving of course!).

Problems I had with rigid lenses while diving included:
- during ascent (the last meters) after deepish dives (25 meters or so) they were getting blurry because apparently a lot of nitrogen offgases out of our eyes(!) and it was getting trapped bellow the lenses. The blur would last few minutes and it was enough to make seeing my computer difficult during the safety stop.
- fear of loosing them during removing/replacing mask underwater
- I also had problems with hygiene/clean hands to handle them during trips eg to Bunaken/Indonesia

As I said I had a laser operation last year and all these are just memories now.
 
[T]he only thing I regret was that I haven't done it 20 years earlier!
I can't agree more, though in my case, maybe 10 years. :)
 
I also have high astigmatism and use RGPs, though I couldn’t tell you what brand. I have never had a problem with them. I do have the same fear as stephen in regards to loosing them.

Something I haven’t tried, but am tempted, is diving without them. When I first started diving there weren’t contacts for astigmatism (yes, I started diving a long time ago) and I would dive without any corrective lenses. I never had any problems reading my gauges. I haven’t tried it because the though of driving to the dive site in my glasses sounds worse than loosing a contact.

All of that said, if your mask is working well for you, would it really be worth taking the chance of loosing a contact due to an accidental fin to the face?

Erik
 
I wear Vertex Toric lenses and have for many years - even before I started diving. I've never had a problem with them. Only once did I lose one while diving in Bonaire...my mask kept fogging up (which almost never happens) and I had to keep flushing it with water. The last time I did, it got washed out. I always bring 2 extra pair of contacts when I go on dive trips just in case...
 
A lot of divers at my work use toric type contacts. Use the brand that stays most comfortable on you throughout the day.
Diving won't change that other than occasional water splash and dry air in your mask on your eyes.

I would recommend finding contact eyedrops that play well with you, as you'll want to rehydrate on top and behind the contact when you're done diving.
For me, it helped keep me from squinting & blinking a lot post dive.
 
I wore contacts until I got old and needed stronger bifocals. So now I’m in progressives and love my glasses.

My optometrist knows I dive and he gives be a couple pair of torric lenses to wear on dive trips. Since I don’t wear every day, they are not comfortable to wear all day, so I put them in to dive and take them out back at the hotel.
 
Thank you for your replies! I am quite happy now with my disposable toric contacts on surface now.
I might give a try also when diving.
 
Contact lenses are very much like prescription meds: $50 a pill in the US, $2 for the same pill elsewhere, often from the same source. Remember that each lens must be FDA tested and approved (or failed) at a large cost, so sometimes two entirely different products are "the same" except for being put through two different certifications. My long-term now retired ophthalmologist used to have some very unprofessional words about contact lens companies, because they would be all "special" and technically, the products weren't different at all.

For a diver? Proper hygiene is the thing to worry about. The ocean is "soup" and all sorts of nasty bugs can be present in it. If the lens is at all porous...thousands of lens wearers have algae and bacteria infections simply because they do not clean and disinfect the lens properly. To me this just means "remove lenses as soon as back at..." rather than maybe keeping them in all evening. And give an extra thorough rinse and disinfect.

I've worn soft lenses and had a mask flood. Once, one lens popped out and stayed in the mask, teasing me to come get it. I did, on the surface. But they will often stay in place, especially if you have been trained to purge your mask with your eyes closed. If you're stable in the water, that's easy enough. Worst comes to worse? Travel with a spare pair of lenses. Consider what one lens costs, versus what one boat dive costs. No crisis.
 

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