Underwater drills with contacts

[kaylee_ann]

That is a very good option if your eyesight is good enough. I’m virtually blind without contacts/glasses. My contacts are -10 correction! Diving without them is not an option for me.

My eyesight is really bad but I could see enough to find the mask. What I'd do is look into the pool, see where the mask is then take my glasses off and go to that spot. I think I'm -5 for contacts.

 

[formernuke]

If you can I recommend not wearing contacts. Once chlorine gets on them it hurts.

If you must wear your contacts tell your instructor and shut your eyes during mask drills.

I had Lasik in 2003 now I have sensitive eyes so if I'm doing drills I shut my eyes unless I'm teaching.

 

[kaylee_ann]

If you can I recommend not wearing contacts. Once chlorine gets on them it hurts.

If you must wear your contacts tell your instructor and shut your eyes during mask drills.

I had Lasik in 2003 now I have sensitive eyes so if I'm doing drills I shut my eyes unless I'm teaching.

would wearing glasses then taking them off for mask drills be ok? then I'd use my contacts when I can have my mask on in the water.
I'm really hoping I can get Lasik. sick of having to put in contacts/glasses every day lol and they irritate the eyes sometimes.

 

[formernuke]

Wearing glasses under your mask won't work because the mask can't seal. If you need the contacts wear them and shut your eyes.

The best way is a prescription mask

 

[kaylee_ann]

Wearing glasses under your mask won't work because the mask can't seal. If you need the contacts wear them and shut your eyes.

The best way is a prescription mask

oh I meant to not wear glasses or contacts during the drills

 

[formernuke]

If you can see well enough go for it.

I know people who dive with contacts. They make it work. I know PADI does not require you to retrieve your mask from the bottom, not sure about other agencies

 

[kaylee_ann]

okay. the diving place I'm training with goes through PADI. I'll ask them about any tips/advice/recommendations

 

[ktchan]

Relevant PADI skills are partial mask clearing, full mask clearing, take it off (and keeping hold of it) then putting it back on and clear, and swiming certain distance without a mask. You can do all of those literally with your eyes closed. Let your instructor knows so especially the swim they can give you a tap to tell you when to stop swimming.

 

[kaylee_ann]

Relevant PADI skills are partial mask clearing, full mask clearing, take it off (and keeping hold of it) then putting it back on and clear, and swiming certain distance without a mask. You can do all of those literally with your eyes closed. Let your instructor knows so especially the swim they can give you a tap to tell you when to stop swimming.

awesome. thanks! will talk to my instructor.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

I wear glasses and dive too. Our brain looks at ALL the light images that shine on our eye's retina and gets interpreted as blurry. Sometimes by focusing that light image to a smaller part of the retina we can see the image clearer and that's how glasses work to better focus. As diver's, we can trick our brain to focus on a smaller part of the retina image underwater by making a tiny hole with our curled up index finger. Tuck your index finger in a tight curl leaving only a small hole opening about the size of a pencil lead. Hold it tight with the your thumb on top. You can hold this up to your mask lens underwater or eye and you'll still be able to clearly read your gauge or computer underwater.

You can also test this right now if your eye won't clearly focus on something without glasses at or above your screen. Take off your glasses, tuck your index finger and read the words. Even though the amount of area you can read is tiny, you can still clearly see the letters as you move down the sentence or see across the room to read something. It's not a substitute for a prescription mask or plastic inserts that are available, but it's a nice trick for a backup plan when you need to see something clearly and quickly,,,,,Even in the pool or underwater.

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My little brain is officially blown!!! What a cool trick. I'll admit, I was somewhat sceptical, but this absolutely works. Thanks, you've just saved me £3,500 on corrective Lazer treatment.