contacts & surfing

[maleko]

I always surf wearing contacts. i never open my eyes when underwater except for when they're not in or for a split second while everything is calm.

What does everyone else do with their eyes while underwater? Only reason I ask is I freaked myself out by thinking of getting trapped between coral.

sorry fo' the lame question...no shame.

[surfer9joe]

I always open my eyes when ducking, but I dont have contacts. Its really cool ducking and seeing the bottom or the whitewater coming at you, being able to see means being able to manuver around whitewaters underwater sometimes.

[Adder]

hehe yo maleko, i can relate!
i wore contacts for years and years and got pretty good at squinshing my eyes shut every time i had to duck dive, etc.
i got the lasix surgery a couple years ago, and DAMN senor i can't begin to tell you the difference!
when you duck dive and can open your eyes, it's Sooooo much easier than the whole blind thing, and it's pretty cool looking for the areas with no turbulent water to go through when sets wash through and you're busted inside.
no worries when you're surfing at a break further from the shore due to lost lenses, which is a pain in the arse.

[megaprober]

i 've been fortunate enough to not wear contacts or glasses and even if i did i wouldn't wear them when was in the water. the idea is that when you get barreled you have two tasks to accomplish.....the first is to enjoy the view and the second is to make it out. with your eyes closed i think both of these awesome perks of barrel riding are lost. also when you have to bail or duck in shallow water there is a a lot of comfort found in the idea you won't be swimming into an unforeseen coral head or body or your own surfboard. me and surfer9joe have a friend that quite literally can't identify anybody in the water until he's within ten feet of you, however he's a great surfer....he's just learned to adapt. my suggestion is try surfing without the contacts and if that is too much try getting those strap on googles because i honestly think it will open a new realm of surfing to you.

[maleko]

mahalo for the replies everybody i only started wearing them about 1.5 years ago while surfing i use to never wear 'em while surfing but like i said i freaked myself out the other day and started having 2nd thoughts about wearing 'em. the eye doctor says don't so i guess i shouldn't.

if you see somebody in the water in the future giving you stink eye fo' no reason... they probably can't even see ya so don't take it to hard.

[Bud]

damn, something I fear .... my vision has been getting sllightly blurry over the past few years or so.

I've always looked - opened my eyes underwater, going on 30 years, as far back as a 12 year old swimming/diving the epic reefs of Guam. Couldn't imagine not seeing what's going on underwater out in the surf

[Adder]

maleko, i would stick with the contacts or specs if you need them.
i think it's really irresponsible to go out surfing with shitty vision, you will put everyone around you in jeopardy. you won't be able to see sets until they are right on top of you. you will have a hard time avoiding people and obstacles until the last second. it does not make for a very enjoyable session. believe me, i've been there.
while it is very cool to be able to see underwater, it's not a necessity, i have used contacts when surfing for over 15 years with the only problems being the loss of a lens every once and awhile. but damn the lasik kicks a$$!
the surfer's medical association did a really nice study on vision aids for surfing, and contacts came out on top. i have the article at my office, i'll try to get it for you next week.
also, i'm assuming you are myopic, or nearsighted, and that you have trouble viewing things far away.
now budster, dare i say you're near the golden age o' 40 and that you might just be getting presbyopic, or having trouble with your close-up vision?
that's totally natural, and while the deck of your board might look a bit blurred it shouldn't slow you down too much!

[Bud]

close, mo like the RUSTY age of 41 (coming up in May)

actually for me it's the far away stuff getting slightly fuzzy, used to be I could read highway signs light years ahead.... right now i got my feet up on the 2nd desk where my other PC sits, that monitor is about a foot past my toes and the text on the title bar of an open explorer window is blurry unreadable. but I can read the text I'm typing easy, this monitor is about 3.5 feet away.

sounds like you're an eye doc?

[maleko]

maleko, i would stick with the contacts or specs if you need them.
i think it's really irresponsible to go out surfing with shitty vision, you will put everyone around you in jeopardy. you won't be able to see sets until they are right on top of you. you will have a hard time avoiding people and obstacles until the last second. it does not make for a very enjoyable session. believe me, i've been there.
while it is very cool to be able to see underwater, it's not a necessity, i have used contacts when surfing for over 15 years with the only problems being the loss of a lens every once and awhile. but damn the lasik kicks a$$!
the surfer's medical association did a really nice study on vision aids for surfing, and contacts came out on top. i have the article at my office, i'll try to get it for you next week.
also, i'm assuming you are myopic, or nearsighted, and that you have trouble viewing things far away.
now budster, dare i say you're near the golden age o' 40 and that you might just be getting presbyopic, or having trouble with your close-up vision?
that's totally natural, and while the deck of your board might look a bit blurred it shouldn't slow you down too much!

mahalo adder...patiently waiting fo' the report. in the 1.5 years of surfing w/ contacts, i have never lost 1 yet...knock on wood. i have 2 week diposables and i'm nearsighted. i don't have any trouble with them while getting tubed...knock on wood. MAHALO

[HMARK]

41 is krusty? hahahahaah! get to that ripe ol' 45 now THATS krusty!

(at leasts that what Mama sez!)

Been 20/45 20/50 since grade 6, uku billion years ago, pretty much OK when it comes to being in the water. Not as crisp as I would like it to be on the vision, and the sights missed, but not a danger- as squinting focus' the amount of light and creates better sight.
Havent had the $ to look into the laser thingy, would be wonderful not to have to wear glasses for work, or anything else for that matter.
Wore contacts up until 5 years ago, and no worse for the wear, but never in the water - gas permeable, not softies, so no can i guess.

Only other observation is a question - Have you or anyone else noticed that as the water sheets over your eyes, that your visionis better/clearer?
Been noticing that for years now, and pretty cool when it occurs.

Hey Bud - always be aware of possible growths on da eye - Removal is easier than misery - we all only get 1 set a peepers..

[Adder]

hehe krusty, i'm 37 so i'm catching up pretty quickly!
bud, it's a little weird to get your symptoms at your age, sometimes cataracts will do that and lots of uv exposure comes with a higher incidence of 'em.
maleko, yep that's what i wore for a pretty long time, they come in those handy disposble packs, was easy to take an extra pair with you, and i agree they do stick pretty well! it gets to be just like a reflex shutting your eyes a split second before duck diving, etc.
naw bud i'm just a regular family practice doc, but worked for two years with a group of ophthalmologists before coming up here to north texas.

[maleko]

mahalo Adder.


i've always closed my eyes underwater. every once in awhile i'll surf w/o 'em. i'll open eyes then. it's cool seeing the white water go over you as you just cruise by. keeping 'em closed, makes the ragdoll ride more fun.

mahalo for all every one's points of views. all well taken.

[Bud]

hehe krusty, i'm 37 so i'm catching up pretty quickly!
bud, it's a little weird to get your symptoms at your age, sometimes cataracts will do that and lots of uv exposure comes with a higher incidence of 'em.
.

don't think I have any cataracts yet but I have had a Pterygium on my right eyeball since the '80's. only goes onto the iris a little, seems to have stopped and maybe even eased off a little over the years

[Adder]

hey bud congrats on the photo!
man i forgot to look through my back issues of the SMA journals for that article, i need to remind myself better!
if your pterygium is backing off, that's good news, those things hurt like a beeotch to have removed!

[Adder]

i couldn't find the article on contacts specifically, but i found another article about forms of uv protection, and one of the best things they tested were "suntacts" which are contacts with a dark tint, pretty funky....