Contacts or glasses while Snorkeling?

[Green Eyed Girl]

Does anyone know if you can wear your contact lens's or glasses under your mask?? my 15 yr old daughter can't see without either one:confused: and is so excited to snorkel.

[ricksandy]

My 13 year old has the same problem. I haven't looked into it completely, but I'm thinking of buying her a couple pairs of disposable contacts, so if they get ruined or fall out...who cares... I do know you can also get masks made with your prescription in them - but that isn't cheap.

 

Good luck! Please post if you discover a great solution to this problem.

[alphakitty]

Stock prescription masks run around $60. A custom mask is around $160. DH got a stock mask and is very happy with being able to see while snorkeling now. :) I've read elsewhere on these boards, that you can wear contacts while snorkeling. The mask will keep out any water.

 

If you are interested in looking into the Rx Mask...we got ours at www.snorkel-mart.com. You have to know your prescription to order.

 

kitty

[MaraGirl]

Contacts are fine with a mask. If she finds that she loves snorkeling, then you always invest in prescription mask later.

 

There is just one cardinal rule when wearing contacts in the water and this only applies if she is not wearing a mask - do not open your eyes wide or bye bye contact.

[divadiverfl]

I am a divemaster and have dove everywhere. When I first started diving I bought a rx mask--but that lasted a year because my rx changed and I gave up on dishing out money. I have worn my contacts since and they work fine. I wear soft contacts and I have opened my eyes underwater not on purpose and my contacts stayed. I have heard hard contacts pop out.

 

If not hard contacts--try her wearing contacts before investing in a rx mask and next year her rx changes.:) :D

[suezyq50]

I wore my contact lens while snorkeling. I only wear one. It worked good. Than I could tell I couldn't see as well and thought I had lost it. When I was taking off my make-up, I felt something in my eye. It had folded and was in the corner.

[sea-jay]

Contacts are fine. Just make sure you have an extra pair in case you lose one or both.

 

My Rx mask cost about $250 but I bought a top of the line mask to start with, then sent it off to have my bifocal prescription installed. The cost was well worth it to me as I scuba dive and am down for an hour or so every dive trip I go on trying to take photos.

 

BTW - Take a good 30-45 SPF water proof sunscreen along. Make sure you cover the back of the neck and the EARS well. T-Shirts do not protect against sunburn when snorkling.

[kroozerj]

i wear contacs under my mask, no problems. i always bring an extra pair anyway. fyi, as long as the mask is skin tight no problems, if the mask is loose or you open your eyes, they might fall out, always be sure to close eyes if no mask, JIM

[KaC-Cruiser]

I've worn contact for years - first when I started snorkeling, then the last 4 years after I took up scuba diving. Haven't lost a contact yet! But I do always keep an extra pair or two on hand on vacation. Also - keep a small bottle of saline, or contact eye drops on hand for after snorkeling to help clean out & rehydrate.

[taminator]

Does anyone know if you can wear your contact lens's or glasses under your mask?? my 15 yr old daughter can't see without either one:confused: and is so excited to snorkel.

 

I wore contacts while snorkelling and on a snuba dive last week in Cozumel and Georgetown, respectively, with no problems. I wear disposable monthly contacts and everything was OK.

 

I'd probably bring an extra pair or two of contacts just in case.

[ricksandy]

So, is the only real issue with contacts the risk of losing them?? Meaning, I see now (thanks) that the mask will protect her/them during snorkel, but what about just in the water/on the beach playing around? If the only prob is the chance of losing them and not hurting her eyes - that makes me feel a lot better and it will make her very happy.

[CaesarsNcruisin4me]

Personally I think contacts are so much more convenient. I've been wearing contacts for 20 years now and waterski/wakeboard, swim, snorkel and dive in them. Your activities are not restricted when wearing contacts and wearing them at the beach will not harm your eyes. Another bonus with contacts over glasses is that you're not restricted to what sunglasses you can purchase. Plus its much more likely that you will lose glasses during watersports than contacts, IMO.;)

 

I would recommend that you buy her disposables if she has never worn them before that way if she loses one than no big deal. Of course, I don't like having to soak them every night or lug the solution around with me either. :D I started out wearing soft contacts but switched to disposables many years ago. I wear Focus Dailies as I prefer to pop in a fresh pair every morning and then just throw them out when going to bed.

 

Enjoy your trip!

 

Sandie

[Widespreadpanic]

I've worn soft contacts for 30# years, while doing a great variety of sports, and the freedom I have from glasses is indescribable. Some comments I have are: During a windy day (at the beach or wherever), soft contacts are likely to get dirty much more quickly. They can be cleared by CLEAN HANDS taking out the contacts, squirting solution on them (I've used saline and even rewetting drops, if that's all I have), and rubbing gently before reinserting. Secondly, be sure she becomes accustomed to them at least a month before leaving. That will lessen the likelihood of problems on board. Thirdly, be sure to bring extras - it's only happened once in all the years I have worn them, but I had one that I could not use - it must have been defective, as I tried cleaning it and nothing helped. I put in a different one and no problem. Emphasize always having CLEAN HANDS when inserting - pink eye is not something she wants to mess with on vacation. Get a bar of Ivory Soap for her to use, and after washing her hands, have her squirt her fingers with solution to wash off any towel lint. A few precautions will save a lot of headaches!

[KaC-Cruiser]

So, is the only real issue with contacts the risk of losing them?? Meaning, I see now (thanks) that the mask will protect her/them during snorkel, but what about just in the water/on the beach playing around? If the only prob is the chance of losing them and not hurting her eyes - that makes me feel a lot better and it will make her very happy.

Pretty much ..... I've worn mine swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, at the local water park ..... and a good point was made. Make sure she gets them a awhile before the trip so she can beceome used to them. I now wear the Focus Monthlies, so I wear mine for a month (night & day -even sleeping) then throw them out. An eye doctor will judge what type is best to use - dailes, weeklies, monthlies, disposables, etc .... for a 15 year old, contact could be a big bonus - especially if she's active at all. At that age, my glasses were a pain in the butt during sports & stuff.

[SeaBunny]

I have worn gas permeable hard lens for 35 years of heavy diving and snorkeling. I asked by opthamologist about it way back and he said there was no problem with either these or soft lenses. This includes diving to the 100 feet area many times. I have never lost a lens in all that time.

 

The only issue is that most dive operations ask you to flood and clear your mask before the first dive to make sure you have some competence. I always just close my eyes for that process until I've cleard the water out of my mask.

 

I did try out a prescription mask and hated it. My eyesight is very, very bad and after the dive I had to keep my mask on until I found my glasses. Very awkward, not to mention goofy looking.

 

If your vision is not that bad, you might need anything when diving. The water magnifies everyting approximately 20%.

 

I wear my contacts for everything water-wise. Since your first instinct is to close your eyes when water is heading for them, you prretty much protect yourself. Of course, you should always have some sort of fall-back eyewear, no matter what you're doing.

[aeraen]

I just came back from Hawaii and snorkled with my family about 4 or 5 times. It didn't dawn on me to worry about our contacts, since the mask is supposed to keep the water from our eyes in the first place.

 

The one consideration we did take is we kept our last pair of disposable lenses (the ones we WOULD have tossed away the week before) and wore those while snorkling (or swimming or surfing). That way, if we DID lose a contact, it wasn't the fresh new ones we just took out this week.

[sicsinohio]

I am blind as a bat without my contacts, and wear them from the time I get out of the shower in the morning till I go to bed at night. They have been to pools, in the ocean, snorkeling, etc. and I haven't lost one in the water yet. But...I take at least 3-4 pair with me when we go on vacation, and once I've worn a pair in the ocean or a pool, I only wear them for swimming snorkeling for the rest of the trip.