Safe to dive with contact lenses?

[c&a'smom]

We are planning a discover scuba dive in Roatan and a few of us wear contact lenses. Is it OK to dive with them in? Otherwise, we will be totally blind out there.......

 

Thanks for any info!!

[Dgonza]

I am not sure if its safe or not, as I dont wear contacts or glasses for that matter. However, if you buy your own mask, the can build the lens right into the mask....so you dont have to be blind...lol

[GeneHunter]

... a few of us wear contact lenses. Is it OK to dive with them in?

From DAN (Divers Alert Network)

Diving with Contacts

Diving with Contacts

Q: What are the best contact lenses to wear underwater? A: Divers who wish to wear contact lenses while diving should ask their ophthalmologists or optometrists to prescribe "soft" contact lenses. "Hard" lenses or rigid gas-permeable lenses, the other two commonly prescribed types of lenses, have been found to sometimes cause symptoms of eye pain and blurred vision during and after dives, in which the diver accumulates a significant inert gas load. These symptoms occur as a result of gas bubbles forming between the cornea and the contact lens. For more information on vision issues, see the complete article by Frank K. Butler Jr., Captain, Medical Corps, United States Navy on High-Pressure Ophthalmology from Alert Diver.

[kathy7558]

I wear contacts - soft contacts - when diving. The only thing you have to remember is to not open your eyes under water if/when your mask is off or your contacts could float away. Just be sure to tell your instructor that you are wearing contacts. He/she will be able to instruct you. They're all familiar with that.

[c&a'smom]

Thanks everyone. I wear my contacts (soft) while swimming and they have never come out so I don't think I'll have any problems. Thanks again!

[tootsiescurly]

It is safe to dive with contact lenses. I did it all the time until DH and I had prescription put in the lenses. Even wore them on my certification dives!:)

[bowbiter]

i wear contact lenses when i dive and i haven't had any problems. i just make sure to bring drops for when the dives over since sometimes they get a bit dry.

[Capt_BJ]

spousal unit dove with soft contacts for 20 years, several hundred dives - until getting lasered - never had a problem, but always had extra sets on hand. She knew when to close her eyes I guess 'cuz never needed those extras.

 

Prior prep' prevents .... as they say

[carrievision]

I also have always dove with my contacts. The only time it's a little bit of an issue was during the certification exercise where you have to take your mask off. I had to be sure to close my eyes before taking it off, and the instructor knew to help me put the mask back on. Though, even when I had 20/20 vision I remember not being able to see very well under water, so I doubt having them open would have made much of a difference!

 

If you have an extra pair of contacts, bring them along on your vacation just in case! I have the monthly disposables and always bring an extra pair with me.

[Kirsten T]

I've done Discover Scuba with soft lenses - I didn't have to remove my mask during the dive instruction. I agree that A) you should have a spare pair just in case, and B) bring rewetting drops. My eyes get very dry, probably because I spend the whole dive wide-eyed with wonder and forget to blink! :)

Enjoy -

Kirsten