Just curious how those of you that can't see past a few feet without contacts or glasses do in the water. I've been wearing contacts as long as I can remember but I'm regularly getting smacked in the face by waves I can't see when I come up from under the water because my contacts have moved off my pupils. Anybody gotten Lasik? If so, what do you think?
Got lasik about 4 years ago, best thing ever. No regrets, makes surfing and snowboarding so much easier/convenient without messing about with contacts
Have you considered prescription swimming goggles? No good getting hit with a wave you can't see. And while you consider other options this could be a solution. http://m.swimoutlet.com/prescription-swim-goggles-c9623/
It kinda sucks i lost a contact on sunday wiped out in the tube i just carry a bunch of spares with me, i lose them quite a bit
Never had contacts till last year and best thing I ever did. No issues with waves knocking them out. Only lost one once and that was because I was in the water all day and they got dry and irritated so I was rubbing my eyes and one came loose. Keep your eyes closed on duck dives and should be fine.
um, i just surf haha. ive worn glasses since i was 2 (im 23) and ive just figured out how to judge distances and do things without them. i cant wear contacts because my astigmatism is so bad, contacts won't sit on my eye. It doesnt help that i was born cross-eyed either... I hope one day i can afford lasik. heard a lot of good things about it
I started wearing prescription Sea Specs. They're great! They don't move or fall off and rarely fog up.
I wonder if the OP's contacts aren't fitted a bit too loosely, I've never had this problem with mine moving off of my pupils. When the water's warm and it's sunny, I just wear cheap prescription sunglasses that I order online, with a croakies strap/lanyard to hold them on.
I surf in the blind. Sucks not being able to see but every girl on the beach looks like they could be hot
I don't like surfing in the blind. I can't see what the dangerous kooks might be up to, and I can't see the waves until they're right on top of me. I can see which way's back to shore, and that's about it.
You guys that are paddling in blind are nutballz!! How many do you take on the head all surprised as well as mystery air drops?!
same. as weird as this sounds, i think my vision is a little better in the water because i focus on the ocean so much.
So this tends to be my issue. I come up from the duck dive and if I can't get get my eyes cleared quickly without rubbing the contacts out of place I'm taking the next wave in the face.
Also got Lasik 4 years ago. Best thing I ever did. $ well spent, yolo. I had a lot of trouble seeing sets coming, if it was wind chop I was lost. I found myself following the herd to know when waves were coming. I could be sitting 5 feet from a buddy and not recognize them in the water. I remember one of my last sessions before LASIK having a hell of a time trying to find my truck :/ Now, it's a whole new better world! Do it!
Maybe it's similar to surfing in fog or dusk or when you get glassy waves in that weird cloudy twilight where the waves look like aqueous silver and depth perception gets tough. If it's anything like those times for you guys all the time, props. That ain't easy.
yes, there are a lot more factors than just putting in any contacts and paddling out. There are many people who get a prescription and just look for the cheapest price online...basically disregarding base curve, diameter and polymer materials. The main thing, from my experience, is the material. You want a firm material that isn't too jelly-like, so it doesn't fold up/distort on your eye. I can't recommend messing with the prescribed base curve or diameter (but more diameter covers more of the eye, so it technically wouldn't wash out as easy). I recently tried the new Acuvue "Moist" (daily wear) and they're so flimsy, they popped out of my eye on my first surf. I'm now wearing the Acuvue "Oasys" (extended wear) and they are much more firm...no problems after three days surfing in them. (reason I stuck with Acuvue is they're the only brand with significant UV protection..the other brands basically have none) the thought of a laser or scalpel on my eye ball freaks the sh!t out of me...not to mention all the documented botched lasic jobs
Lasik is great, but make sure you use a guy that has the latest and greatest machine. Mine corrected only myopia, and the little bit of astigmatism remained. I think newer machines correct for astigmatism as well. I have had a problem with dry eyes after the surgery, but they were dry before because of years of contact lens wear. Lasik made it worse, but it is only unpleasant when getting up in the AM. Results have held for 10 years - I could probably go back and have the astigmatism corrected, but I'm impressionable and passed out after the first surgery (it smells like they're burning hair, except they're burning your EYES, think about that too much and you pass out) so not looking forward to going back.
