Water sports and contact lenses

[Snigletted]

If you have bad eyesight, which water sports do you do?
Swimming?
Windsurfing?
SUPing?

DH is annoyed by my reluctance to learn windsurfing. I don't see how it is compatible with wearing contact lenses!

I use contacts plus well fitting goggles and change them immediately before and after to minimise infection risk

Wear goggles over the top or get prescription goggles?

I did used to get the odd box of disposable daily lenses so I could see when I went swimming. I would take them out straight after and dispose of then then wear my glasses home. I used to work in an opticians and taught people to put lenses in with instructions not to swim, sleep or shower in them but the optom said that, with taking them out straight after swimming, it minimised any possible risk of infection but we were not to tell the patients that! Not sure how safe I would feel in open water though.

Prescription goggles. They're brilliant.

eurochick is that just for swimming or do you do their water sports too?

I've lost goggles before from going down water slides so I never do that now (DH says I'm a killjoy) and I don't dive in either. I don't see how goggles would stay on if you fell in.

other water sports

What do you wear them for MitziK?

I use disposable daily contact lenses on holiday and for swimming competitions so I can see where I need to be for races.
I don't bother with prescription goggles for training though, I'm used to it and goggles generally fog up reducing visibility anyway

I don't bother with prescription goggles for training though, I'm used to it and goggles generally fog up reducing visibility anyway

But I'd be with the kids. If I were to lose my lenses I wouldn't be able to see a) the kids b) the land!

I use them for snorkelling, diving, messing about in the sea or pool. I haven't done more vigorous water sports for many years.

I wear contacts and have done for 20 years. I don't think twice about swimming, snorkelling, diving, surfing, going down massive slides at water parks etc. Sometimes wear goggles, sometimes not. Never lost a lens. I change them after the water activity (disposables).

You're very unlikely to have a problem going down an average slide, or windsurfing, or swimming with DC young enough to need supervision. For all of those examples you'll have your head out of the water most of the time!

Honestly, you're making excuses.

I wear dailies and swim regularly.

I went canyoning at the weekend and was diving underwater into lakes etc. My contacts were fine. I simply took them out at the end of the activity

should be fine, at beginner windsurf level you'll be falling in a LOT but you usually get enough warning to close your eyes.

swimming, assuming you are doing it properly, means head in water and that isn't ideal with contacts. Prescription goggles.

I was told never to wear just lenses In any kind of water by the optician because of the risk of infection leading to loss of sight.

I've had goggles come off on a slide before and I lost a lens (fortunately just one!) whilst diving once. When I swim I wear goggles, but don't dive in or jump in. Neither do I swim for a long time so they're not too uncomfortable by the time I take them off. I get headaches if I don't wear sunglasses when it's sunny but giggle don't give sun protection.

My prescription is -10.5 so I need something!

I wear prescription goggles for swimming, and if I was kayaking/SUP/windsurfing I'd wear my prescription sports sunglasses which have a headstrap.

I scuba dived regularly for 10yrs, now I dinghy sail (and fall in!!). I used to swim for aerobic exercise too but stopped when I bleached my hair.

Daily disposables all the way here. I’m very short sighted and can’t bear not being able to see.

Chuck ‘em away at the end of the day. I’ve not had any water related issues.

I clicked on this thread because my mind is clearly in the gutter..... weirdly disappointed!

Seeing as I’m here though, I’m -6 and wear contacts you can sleep in for a month. I often forget I wear them so am possibly a bit more gung ho than most, but I just swim in them! Give them a rinse with solution when I get home and that’s it. The prescription goggles sound fab though!

www.aop.org.uk/advice-and-support/for-patients/eye-care-blogs/2017/05/18/swimming-in-contact-lenses

There is real risk in getting water on your lenses - the article I’ve just posted is well balanced. Problems are uncommon, but can be sight threatening. It is true that daily disposables, with tight fitting goggles and removing lenses as soon as you’re out the water is the best way to minimise risk, but it’s still playing Russian roulette with your eyes. Prescription goggles much safer option I’m afraid 😬

Oh there's a risk with everything.
Driving.

Walking down the stairs.
Going out for dinner.
Crossing the road.

Of course there's a risk. But more often than not, that risk will be outweighed by a desire to do something more exciting.

I’ve worn lenses since I was 16. I have a similar prescription to you and wear them for showering, swimming, water slides, kayaking. I’ve never had an issue, I just practice good hygiene with them but I’m aware it’s not good practice!

@Snigletted

other water sports

What do you wear them for MitziK?

Swimming, mostly - but I've used them for surfing in the past. The ones I've got (just from a random online retailer) have UV protection as well.

If they're put on correctly (ie, not too loose), they don't come off, even when diving.

Weirdly I think I'd be happier if it was in the sea rather than a lake! I'm tending towards getting some glasses, but that's going to be more expense.

DH is giving me the silent treatment... I'm still very unsure about taking a child who can't swim out on the water, even just a SUP. I'm not sure how he thinks he's going to teach the DC to windsurf either. I've never done it, and he hasn't for 20+ years.

@Snigletted

Weirdly I think I'd be happier if it was in the sea rather than a lake! I'm tending towards getting some glasses, but that's going to be more expense.

DH is giving me the silent treatment... I'm still very unsure about taking a child who can't swim out on the water, even just a SUP. I'm not sure how he thinks he's going to teach the DC to windsurf either. I've never done it, and he hasn't for 20+ years.

That's more of a concern. A middleaged man thinking he can still windsurf so well that he can be an instructor to a non swimmer child.

Makes a change from cycling, I suppose.

If only 🙄

Might this help put him straight?

'Water confidence is without doubt the most critical thing.

No one is expecting a toddler to swim 25m in 30 seconds. But being confident around the water, not being scared of having water splashed in their faces, having a familiarity with a shoreline and developing a respect for some of the possible dangers of water will make being introduced to windsurfing that bit easier.

As Amanda Van Santen, RYA Chief Instructor, Dinghy and Windsurfing, explains how just suddenly one day taking your child windsurfing, sticking them on a board and letting them get on with it probably isn’t the best approach.'

And that's assuming the adult concerned is a regular, confident and, most importantly able windsurfer. Not somebody entering the Mid Life Crisis stage where they think they can instantly do something they did when they were fifteen.

www.rya.org.uk/courses-training/courses/windsurfing/Pages/introduction.aspx

Courses in actually windsurfing are usually from age 8 onwards.

In fact, every windsurfing place I've just looked up stipulate age 8 as the minimum.