Contact lenses and rides!

[QuirkyButterfly]

I am new to wearing contact lenses and was wondering how those that use them find them in the parks. I am mostly worried about going on fast rides that the force might displace them. It may be a silly question, but it was on my mind.

Also what do you do in the water parks? Wear them or wear glasses that day. I know that you aren't meant to swim in them but I am not planning on opening my eyes under the water. This all might seem strange but any stories on what you have experienced would be great, and might put my mind at ease.

Thanks

 

[Minniemouse07]

I've been wearing contacts for over 25 years (man I'm old!) and am comfortable wearing contacts in the water as long as I don't open my eyes (or wear goggles).

As far as rides, when I was a teenager (2 or 3yrs after starting to wear contacts) I had a contact fly out of my eye on a roller coaster. Since then I make sure I wear sunglasses on any kind of coaster (even RnRC) that are on a cord...to make sure THEY don't fly off!

It hasn't happened since, but I wear the sunglasses just in case.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Not a silly question, wearing contacts is a big change and takes some getting used to and I had tons of questions. I have never had a contact come out during any ride at WDW or even more extreme rides in other parks. If you contacts are properly fitted that should not be an issue at all. My eyes do water quiet a bit on fast dark rides, like Rock N Roller coaster and sometimes Space Mountain. I think its a combo of the wind in my eyes and being suddenly in the really dark and my eyes don't have time to adjust to it.

As for water parks, if you wear traditional contacts or multi day wear contacts most doctors will recommend you remove them before swimming. some of the 1 day brands are now 'ok' to swim in and won't do harm. But (and I am NOT a doctor or expert, always listen to your doctor first and foremost) I have swam in contacts for years and rarely had a problem. I used to even be on a competetive swim team and school and swam with mine with no goggles. The chemicals don't bother me much, the only times I have had issues was when rubbing my eyes to hard after coming up out of the water and that could happen with hard eye rubbing on a regular day, not just when swimming. If you plan on closing your eyes you should be fine.

Take some extra pairs with you (if disposable) throw a pair down in your bag, they will be fine in the heat and you will have them if you need them. Many of the store sell solution and drops if you need it as well as the first aid stations have some available.

 

[nytimez]

I don't go to the water parks. But I've never had a problem with my contacts on any rides in any park ever.

 

[QuirkyButterfly]

I've been wearing contacts for over 25 years (man I'm old!) and am comfortable wearing contacts in the water as long as I don't open my eyes (or wear goggles).

As far as rides, when I was a teenager (2 or 3yrs after starting to wear contacts) I had a contact fly out of my eye on a roller coaster. Since then I make sure I wear sunglasses on any kind of coaster (even RnRC) that are on a cord...to make sure THEY don't fly off!

It hasn't happened since, but I wear the sunglasses just in case.

Were you wearing soft or hard lenses. I am wearing soft daily disposables. It might be a good idea to bring some extras with me to the parks just incase. Thanks.

 

[Planogirl]

The only ride that makes me feel uneasy is Test Track. That fast portion worries me a little so I squint my eyes to kind of block the contacts from the wind.

Be sure to bring extra though, just in case.

 

[Minniemouse07]

Were you wearing soft or hard lenses. I am wearing soft daily disposables. It might be a good idea to bring some extras with me to the parks just incase. Thanks.

Soft. At the time disposables weren't available...so losing a contact lens you were supposed to be wearing for the next year was a bit scary! I ended up slamming my hands up to my face and the lens was sitting on my cheek as we pulled back in on the coaster.

FWIW...it was on the Runaway Train in Great Adventure (NJ).

 

[QuirkyButterfly]

Not a silly question, wearing contacts is a big change and takes some getting used to and I had tons of questions. I have never had a contact come out during any ride at WDW or even more extreme rides in other parks. If you contacts are properly fitted that should not be an issue at all. My eyes do water quiet a bit on fast dark rides, like Rock N Roller coaster and sometimes Space Mountain. I think its a combo of the wind in my eyes and being suddenly in the really dark and my eyes don't have time to adjust to it.

As for water parks, if you wear traditional contacts or multi day wear contacts most doctors will recommend you remove them before swimming. some of the 1 day brands are now 'ok' to swim in and won't do harm. But (and I am NOT a doctor or expert, always listen to your doctor first and foremost) I have swam in contacts for years and rarely had a problem. I used to even be on a competetive swim team and school and swam with mine with no goggles. The chemicals don't bother me much, the only times I have had issues was when rubbing my eyes to hard after coming up out of the water and that could happen with hard eye rubbing on a regular day, not just when swimming. If you plan on closing your eyes you should be fine.

Take some extra pairs with you (if disposable) throw a pair down in your bag, they will be fine in the heat and you will have them if you need them. Many of the store sell solution and drops if you need it as well as the first aid stations have some available.

I am using the 1 day ones, so I think that it will be a good idea to bring some extras with me. Might be a good idea to remember to bring drops as well if my eyes feel irritated. Thanks for the advice.

 

[QuirkyButterfly]

Soft. At the time disposables weren't available...so losing a contact lens you were supposed to be wearing for the next year was a bit scary! I ended up slamming my hands up to my face and the lens was sitting on my cheek as we pulled back in on the coaster.

FWIW...it was on the Runaway Train in Great Adventure (NJ).

Wow lucky you managed to find it, I can imagine it would have cost a bit to replace it.

 

[Moonlight_Wolf]

I've worn the soft contacts for a few years, and haven't had a problem with any of the rides at WDW or my hometown park. Though I ALWAYS wear goggles when swimming. More for extra protection than anything else.

 

[tcuplvr]

I have worn contacts for over 30 years (yes I am old!). I wear mine on every ride and in the water parks. As long as you are using daily wear contacts you will be fine. Just make sure that you bring at least a couple of extra pair with you. Also, carry saline with you so in case you get something in your eye you can rinse your contacts.

Good Luck!!!!

 

[crazedprincess]

I've been wearing contacts for 15 years (no I'm not old ) and I've never had a problem with them on fast rides. But I can see where you'd be worried. I agree with a PP, if they are properly fitted, there shouldn't be a problem. But yes, bring extra pairs with you just in case. One time, hubby and I were on a trip and I rubbed my eyes just right and a contact popped out. We couldn't find it anywhere so I had to wear my glasses the rest of the trip. It stunk.

As for the waterparks, I have a harder time wearing contacts in water and in pools. I find if I get splashed or go under water, my eyes get irritated. So I often go without them if I'm going to be around a lot of water.

 

[MNfamilycruiser]

I've been wearing contacts for 15 years (no I'm not old ) and I've never had a problem with them on fast rides. But I can see where you'd be worried. I agree with a PP, if they are properly fitted, there shouldn't be a problem. But yes, bring extra pairs with you just in case. One time, hubby and I were on a trip and I rubbed my eyes just right and a contact popped out. We couldn't find it anywhere so I had to wear my glasses the rest of the trip. It stunk.

As for the waterparks, I have a harder time wearing contacts in water and in pools. I find if I get splashed or go under water, my eyes get irritated. So I often go without them if I'm going to be around a lot of water.

hmmmm.... the only time I was really planning on trying my new bifocal contacts was at the water park. I can't really swim with glasses on, and am just too blind without anything.

Guess I will just bring my glasses with and be prepared to switch if necessary.

 

[WDWprincessloyola]

I've been wearing soft contacts for 13 years (nearly half my life). I've never had a problem with contacts in the parks. Never had them dry out/lost/tear/etc. *knocks on wood* I do bring contact solution with me into the parks (there are some very small bottles) just in case a spec of something or other irritates my eye.

Do bring extra contacts with you in case you do lose one or if it tears. Also bring your glasses (if you have them) in case your eye becomes irritated for some reason and you cannot wear the contacts.

I've never had a problem in the parks or on rides, but it doesn't hurt to carry along some solution or an extra set, just in case.

As for the water parks, I've never been since I've had contacts, so I do not have any advice to offer you there.

 

[maddiemacsmommy]

I've been wearing contacts for more than 20 years, and I noticed this trip that I needed to close my eyes on Space Mountain when riding in the front seat. The wind felt like it was gonna blow my lens out. I think it had something to do with not wearing my sunglasses like I do on the rest of the coasters. This was the only ride I had any trouble with. Good luck and have a fun trip!

 

[Vivianne]

I've worn contact lenses for many more years than I want to admit.
I don't wear them much anymore.

My eyes do have the tendency to dry out on very windy days. So I wore
sunglasses and carried the re-wetting drops. Some people don't have
this problem.

I wore goggles whenever I went swimming. Never wanted to risk losing them. Those buggers are so expensive (my prescription is stronger than most... mine were special order/gas permeable)..

 

[TillyMarigold]

I've been wearing (soft) contacts for 17 years and I've only had one fall out of my eye once in that time. So definitely don't worry about it on rides. I think rigid gas-permeable lenses (the hard kind) fall out a little more easily. I agree about the rewetting drops. I like the blink and clean ones, they really do what they say (clean your lenses when you blink). Not as well as actually cleaning the lenses of course, but it's nice on a windy day when stuff gets in your eyes.

I actually have always found opening my eyes underwater really painful and swimming around with my eyes closed seems freaky to me. I always wear goggles when swimming. When I'm not actually swimming but just fooling around in the water or walking from place to place or whatever, I push them up on top of my head or else pull them down around my neck. Make sure you get ones that fit properly. That said, I've known many people who are comfortable swimming in contacts without goggles.

 

[Rhonna]

I used to wear contacts for years. Took several WDW trips with them. I never had any problems on rides. My eyes always water on RnRC but that happens even with glasses.

As far as water parks, I do the slides, lazy river, all of it and wear my glasses part of the time. I leave my glasses wherever we station our stuff for the day. I put on my glasses for the lazy river to see all the detail and for eating/going to the bathroom. But not for the water rides or wave pool.

 

[Princess_K]

I have never had any issues with my contacts on rides. We went to the water park for the first time in May, and I took a pair of goggles. I didn't wear them the first time on Crush 'n Gusher, and I seriously thought I'd lost both contacts at the end. After that, I wore the goggles on every ride! I would definitely take a pair.

 

[sandym718]

I've worn soft contacts for 20 years - much more than 1/2 of my life! I have no trouble with them on any sort of amusement park ride. For the water parks - I wear mine. I cannot see without them, so it's that or my glasses, which are much worse. The only time I have a bit of difficulty is if I get a splash right to the face with my eyes open. So I generally close my eyes as I come out the bottom of a slide. Even if they do get splashed, they usually just feel a bit weird, I've never lost one in this way. I worked all through HS and college as a lifeguard and swim instructor and always wore them. I would wear goggles when I swam laps so I could see where I was going. I always take an extra pair (I wear 2 week ones) just in case, but I've never had to use them.