Question for others who have really bad eyesight without glasses/contacts

[steviesgirl]

I'm pretty badly short-sighted and I was thinking about going swimming at sometime with dd this year; however, as I haven't been in a long time (not since eyesight deteriorated to this level) I was wondering how others with bad eyesight cope with swimming.

If you wear contacts do you risk wearing them? Or do you just put up with struggling to see? Or do you wear your glasses in the pool!?lol (Can't imagine me doing that personally)!

I really don't know what to do for the best. Wouldn't want to cause an accident in or near the pool because I can't see a bloody thing!

age old dilemma huh!
If you can wear swimming goggles successfully then I would wear your contacts and goggles (I can't).

I have been swimming with (soft) contacts in, especially in the sea, but it is a pita trying not to get water in your eyes.

My eyesight is shite (-8) so I am truly bat-blind without correction - can't even see the chlorine footbath easily! Once I know a swimming pool I will go without, but have never done so with a small child in tow.

I have never tried proper swimming in my glasses, but when I take DS babyswimming I wear them then.

It is possible to get prescription goggles/dive mask (remember Notting Hill?) so you could do that!

Thanks for the advice. I will try swimming goggles with my contacts in. Would feel v uneasy about taking my young dd swimming without some sort of correction. I'm -4.25 in both eyes and can't see anymore than a foot in front of me!

yes, I wouldn't dream of taking DS without correction - I'd never find him! I went once with a friend and the only way I could tell where she was in the pool was by looking for the colour of her swimming cozzie.

I wear my contacts in the pool - god, I had no idea I wasn't supposed to! Why is that?

Mine are dailys though if that makes a difference?

I empathise with you ThumbLoveWitch. I really struggle without correction too; People really don't realise just how bad my eyesight is, even my dad.

I told him the other week that I had to wear my glasses all the time, and he was like "is your eyesight that bad then?, do you need them for driving and watching the telly?" I said "if only that was all I needed them for"! The ignorance!

I just wear my glasses. But I'm a lousy swimmer! I had some lessons last year and got some prescription goggles from my optician. I think you can get them on the internet too more cheaply - the prescription doesn't have to be very exact. I find swimming pools very scary and disorientating without my glasses. I only take my glasses off to shower and to go to sleep!

Theres an organism: Acanthamoeba that can be found in chlorinated pools, can cause blindness. Optician was very adamant about not swimming with lenses in. We compromised with disposables (to be chucked out straight after swimming) combined with goggles.

I always wear my glasses when I go swimming (although the term 'swimming' is probably a bit misleading, and I certainly never put my head under water!) However, I do feel that it is important to be able to recognise my own children in teh pool!

I wear my contacts and just shuit my eyes tight when under water so they dont fall out.Mine are two weekly ones but have got some spare ones which I bought extra from the optician in case one gets lost.

My eyes are minus 6.5 and minus 7 so I would be a danger to others and myself without my lenses

I risk wearing my contacts - and threatent he boys on pain of death not to splash me...
I have had recurrant infections in my eyes and now, thankfully, they are old enough to just have dh with them (and I get to drink coffee and read a paper)
I cannot cope without being able to see - I can't even see my children.

And my glasses are £340 so swimming in them not really an option.

Im pretty sure you can get goggles with prescription lenses in.

pah, £340... s'nuthin'.

i'm -8ish all the way, i just couldn't contemplate taking my specs off in the swimming pool, dd would drown. i go underwater in them, though, i just do whatever tbh.

oh now, don't get com-speccy-tive with me Aitch! I'll see your -8 and...er, no hang on a minute, I can't see bugger all. Where's me glasses?

My dh's eyes are bad, can't remember the prescription. He has got prescription swimming goggles and they are fine. He dooesn't go swimming much, only really on holiday
It is best to shop around as our optician quoted £100 for goggles and we got them for £30 from another.

You can get prescription goggles for around £30 from most high street opticians, but as christywhisty said you should shop around. DS1 has them for swimming and whilst they don't correct the full prescription they're pretty close so worth investing in.

My prescription goggles cost £90 and are incredibly uncomfortable, so I'd say go for something cheap! That way if it's not an comfortable fit you don't feel too narked. I can't wear contacts (just because I hate them), and swimming in my glasses doesn't seem to have brought them any harm (and I agree with Aitch £340 seems sadly quite reasonable). I think I'm something like -8.25 in one eye and -2.5 in the other, so I can quite understand how blind you feel.

Just found a site Activeaqua.com online that appear to do them for £16.95!?

I may take a punt and order a pair for DD!!