Wearing contacts during class pool session?

[Dectek]

for squinting. It is tried and true.

 

[DeputyDan]

prescription mask thing and the recommended that - - -

I purchase a mask that can be fit to prescription lenses but not to purchase them yet. Then go ahead and try the contacts. If there is no problems then you've saved some bucks. If not, you can order the lenses without purchasing a different mask.

It worked fine. The squint references are correct.

 

[kelpmermaid]

in a pool could be problematic and painful given the chlorine level. I did my skills with my eyes closed, disposable contacts in...being able to see won't help you get the mask back on anyway.

 

[navy85]

I am blind as a bat (that E at the top of the vision chart is mighty fuzzy), but oddly enough I have found that I can see perfectly fine underwater with a mask and no corrective lenses. I suppose the refractive properties of the mask must somehow provide the correction, but with a -5.5 prescription, I wonder how - there seems to be no difference underater when I wear my contacts and when I don't. Of course, on the surface, I'm back to seeing fuzz.

Anyone else experience this phenomena or can anyone explain it more accurately?

 

[nk5]

I wear my contacts while I swim or dive both in fresh and salt water. Never had a problem, but as precaution I remove them afterwards and put my eyeglasses on, occaionally put some visine in my eyes. I also carry a pair of back up contacts with me just in case.

 

[SueMermaid]

Disposable contact lenses are one of the great inventions of our time.
They're cheap, comfortable, convenient, and always clean cause you pitch 'em after a set period of time.
For the record, I have been diving with them for more than ten years, and never have I lost one in the water, even when I actually tried. (The only time I have lost a lens at all is when laughing reallyreallyreally hard, and in high winds, and neither of these occurred while underwater). ut:
In fresh, chlorinated water, I find that lenses tend to stick to your eyes and can be difficult to remove until your natural tears re-permeate the lenses. I did my OW training with lenses in, and opened my eyes underwater and everything, no problems whatsoever.

 

[MikeFerrara]

IMO. it,s a bad plan to keep your eyes closed during mask off drills. If you loose or flood your mask on a real dive you'll need your eyes open, you'll still need to control position in the water column and keep tabls on your buddy and do who knows what else. Your initial training should include practice that prepares you for those situation. Just can't do it with your eyes closed.

 

[DivePartner1]

SueMermaid once bubbled...
Disposable contact lenses are one of the great inventions of our time. :

I'm with Sue. If you are concerned about losing them, use a pair in its last week. If you need to keep eyes open for a drill, don't wear them.

I've lost a few pair while diving over the years, but the number is slight in proportion to dives. Also, I can read my guages better without contacts than with 'corrected' vision (which is why I have use a bi-focal geezer mask--regular lenses with magnifier's built in). I can safely dive if I lose my lenses. Perhaps not everyone can.

I use a bi-focal mask but am loathe to use a prescription mask. I've seen too many sets of sun glasses crunched on dive boats. Contacts are cheaper and its easier to manage stuff on a crowded dive boat that you are wearing.