Contact lenses and water parks?

[Fairyjen1]

I tried a search on this forum , but only found a thread from 2011 that had conflicting information.

I have rigid (gas permeable) contact lenses and am nearly legally blind without. I also have glasses I can wear. Switching to daily/soft lenses won't work for me as, according to my eye doctor, they don't come strong enough for me.

Would you take your contacts out to go to the water park and trust your travel companions to read any warnings you can't see? Everything looks like fuzzy shapes so I'm sure I won't run into anybody/anything, but I can't see any detail.

My eye doctor offers prescription goggles, but on the thread I found is seems that sometimes they don't let you wear goggles on the slides so it probably is not worth the extra expense.

I'm definitely not taking my lenses in and out of my eyes all day. I can wear glasses to and from the park, and when we are eating/relaxing. I am bringing my spare pare of lenses on the trip, and I could, in theory, chance it and just close my eyes on the slides.

What do other Gas-permeable contact lens wearers do. what is your experience with slides and goggles. Are they allowed on some, but not others or is there a blanket rule against goggles?

 

[MrsDuck]

I tried a search on this forum , but only found a thread from 2011 that had conflicting information.

I have rigid (gas permeable) contact lenses and am nearly legally blind without. I also have glasses I can wear. Switching to daily/soft lenses won't work for me as, according to my eye doctor, they don't come strong enough for me.

Would you take your contacts out to go to the water park and trust your travel companions to read any warnings you can't see? Everything looks like fuzzy shapes so I'm sure I won't run into anybody/anything, but I can't see any detail.

My eye doctor offers prescription goggles, but on the thread I found is seems that sometimes they don't let you wear goggles on the slides so it probably is not worth the extra expense.

I'm definitely not taking my lenses in and out of my eyes all day. I can wear glasses to and from the park, and when we are eating/relaxing. I am bringing my spare pare of lenses on the trip, and I could, in theory, chance it and just close my eyes on the slides.

What do other Gas-permeable contact lens wearers do. what is your experience with slides and goggles. Are they allowed on some, but not others or is there a blanket rule against goggles?

No way would I ever not wear my glasses or contacts. I have daily contacts - I wore them to Blizzard Beach two weeks ago and brought my glasses as back up. Things got a little uncomfortable at times but on the whole, I was totally fine.

I say wear something and just be cautious! Best of luck.

 

[jmclester]

Anytime I wear my contacts in pools, water rides or the ocean I just close my eyes when I'm underwater and open them slowly when I come out of the water. (Even someone without contacts should not open thier eyes underwater. Bad for your eyes.) Blink a few times to make sure they are still in. I have never lost any contacts while swimming but I guess it's possible.

Still I prefer to just take them out while swimming and use glasses in between swims.

 

[poohfriend77]

I tried a search on this forum , but only found a thread from 2011 that had conflicting information.

I have rigid (gas permeable) contact lenses and am nearly legally blind without. I also have glasses I can wear. Switching to daily/soft lenses won't work for me as, according to my eye doctor, they don't come strong enough for me.

Would you take your contacts out to go to the water park and trust your travel companions to read any warnings you can't see? Everything looks like fuzzy shapes so I'm sure I won't run into anybody/anything, but I can't see any detail.

My eye doctor offers prescription goggles, but on the thread I found is seems that sometimes they don't let you wear goggles on the slides so it probably is not worth the extra expense.

I'm definitely not taking my lenses in and out of my eyes all day. I can wear glasses to and from the park, and when we are eating/relaxing. I am bringing my spare pare of lenses on the trip, and I could, in theory, chance it and just close my eyes on the slides.

What do other Gas-permeable contact lens wearers do. what is your experience with slides and goggles. Are they allowed on some, but not others or is there a blanket rule against goggles?

I don't know about goggles, so maybe someone else can answer that for you. I wear disposable (the 2-week kind) soft lenses, but I'm on the very upper end of prescriptions... meaning I can't see the big E, and everything would be just fuzzy shapes like you mentioned. There is no way I would feel comfortable walking around the park like that. I can barely make it to my kitchen for a drink without contacts or glasses.

When you get new contacts, how long do they usually take to come in? If I thought I could get them over-nighted to me, I'd probably take my chances with the contacts, and order a new pair if I lost one. How often do you replace your lenses? If you're almost due for a new pair, I'd get them now and just keep the old ones to wear at the park. I have no idea how much they cost, but if it's not more than the cost of the goggles, I'd think I'd rather just have a spare pair of lenses.

 

[poohfriend77]

Anytime I wear my contacts in pools, water rides or the ocean I just close my eyes when I'm underwater and open them slowly when I come out of the water. (Even someone without contacts should not open thier eyes underwater. Bad for your eyes.) Blink a few times to make sure they are still in. I have never lost any contacts while swimming but I guess it's possible.

Still I prefer to just take them out while swimming and use glasses in between swims.

Just swimming usually isn't a problem. But my DH did lose a contact last year on a water slide where the water just comes crashing down all around you. It's hard to always be prepared for that, so it's good the OP is making a plan now.

 

[plumsiren]

I always wear my contacts for swimming, water parks etc, but mine are soft so I don't know how yours would differ in behavior. I will say, though, that I would think that even if goggles generally weren't allowed, there's probably some kind of exception, or some way this is usually handled, since it falls under the general 'disability' category. Maybe contact one of the water parks and see if they've had this issue come up before?

 

[Profear]

I almost always just wear my contact lens, but they aren't very expensive, so I wouldn't mind losing them.

When I don't wear them, or when I wear sunglasses, I got a little neoprene band that attaches my glasses to my head, so that they don't fall off. That has really worked for me also.

Good luck!

 

[ZehnJahren]

I would say call your eye doctor. This is something they can answer over the phone without you coming in, and your eye doctor knows your specific eye profile and will be able to tell you what to do.

I would no way no how trust strangers on a Disney forum to give me advice about my eyes - one wrong move and you could be blinded. Call your eye doc!

 

[bumbershoot]

IMO the real question here is if the waterparks allow goggles or glasses on all rides. If the answer is yes then goggles are your answer.

 

[kaybird]

I use my contacts in the water parks about half the time. I also have rigid, and it is usually not a problem, but I do often take them out and leave them in the lockers, especially if I'm doing the big wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon, or Summit Plummet at Blizzard Beach.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Here is the official (internal) notice about goggles (and swim masks):

Goggles (covers only the eyes) are permitted on all attractions except:

Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park

Slush Gusher
Summit Plummet

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

Humunga Kowabunga

Swim Masks (covers eyes and nose) are permitted at the following attractions:

Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park

Cross Country Creek
Melt-Away Bay
Ski Patrol Training Camp swim area
Tike's Peak swim area

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

Castaway Creek
Crush 'n' Gusher swim area
Shark Reef

Fins are not permitted in any area at the Water Parks.

Snorkels are only permitted to be used in Shark Reef at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park.

 

[Bellamouse]

FWIW, I always wear my contacts to the water parks (my eyes aren't as bad as yours, but I absolutely cannot walk around for hours without being able to see - that would give me a MASSIVE headache and ruin my day). I don't have prescription sunglasses and I have to wear sunglasses. That said, I don't usually swim at the water parks where my head is actually under the water. If I should get knocked under water accidentally, I still haven't lost a contact lens.

That said, once many years ago I was wave running out in the Gulf of Mexico. A big wave bashed me (woo hoo it was fun!!) and it did knock one of my contacts out of my eyes. It was lost. From then on, I just have made it a personal policy to always, always bring back up lenses just in case. So I do carry extras with me (I leave them in the room). Mine are actually expensive ($125 for 6 lenses), but I still don't worry about it because it's only ever happened to me once in my whole adult life (and I've been wearing contacts for 30 years). So I just don't consider it a really big deal/risk. Heck, I accidentally rip/tear my lenses far more often than I lose them out of my eyes while in water.

So for whatever that' worth, that's my take. Hope you have a great time!

Oh, editing to add, is there a reason you don't want to wear your glasses if you really are afraid to do the contacts? I have "fitover" sunglasses that go over my regular glasses (and don't look too horrible, either) that I use for the days when I really don't want to do my contacts (i.e, when I fly - contacts just get way too dry and I always try to sleep on the plane anyway - dries out the eyes even more). So I wear glasses and use the fitover sunglasses on the way to/from the airport.

Here is just one link with some fitovers - there are many out there.

http://www.epolarizedsunglasses.com/sunglasses-over-glasses/?gclid=CKPPoJvZo7oCFYxAMgoddWYAaA

Adding one last thing! It sounds to me after reading the other responses that maybe hard lenses fall out easier than soft ones do. Which of course makes all my thoughts basically useless. Sorry about that....

 

[kwdw]

I'd wear the "spare pair" to the water park - leaving the good ones at home - and just close your eyes on the slides.

I wear 2 week disposal soft - so I just bring extras on the trip. Never once been close to losing a contact - but I do have to watch the splashing in the face on the slides - so I keep my eyes closed more than I want.

I'm really, really blind - I don't even KNOW there's a eye chart across the room... just light vs dark with contacts/glasses. Surprised to hear soft lenses don't come in your strength! Learn something new everyday. But - you just won't enjoy the water park blind at all - risk it with shut eyes or don't go.

As an FYI - not sure I'd recommend the wave pool for someone worried about losing a contact. If you are in the thick of a big wave - folks are EVERYWHERE - it's crowded - and I found myself opening my eyes under water simply not to get hit - just as self-preservation. Didn't lose a contact as it was quick - but the concern about people collisions overrode my fear of losing a contact!

 

[wdwfan22]

My husband has the same contacts as you. He always wears them, even to water parks. He is just careful to close his eyes when he might go underwater or be splashed. He would never walk around from ride to ride not being able to see.

It is a little worriesom, because those lens are EXPENSIVE, not like people (me) with soft lenses that are cheap to replace and just have another pair back at the hotel. If he would lose one, we would be in trouble, as he does not like wearing his glasses at all.

But still, it's just not an option in his mind not to wear them. So he's just careful. He hasnt lost one yet in countless trips to water parks. (both BB,TL and our local one).

 

[GusGus77]

This is from an ex-gas perm wearer....(I had lasix.) Don't go semi-blind through the water park. You will miss the ambiance AND it isn't safe for you. It could also be disorienting since it is not a familiar place.

I would wear my contacts, BUT keep reminding yourself not to rub your eyes!!!!! I think we do that automatically when we get water on our face and as a rigid contact wearer I am sure you know how painful that can be! (Especially when you rub them off the center and they get suctioned way off the side in your eye!!!) Also keep your eyes closed especially at the end of the waterslides. Bring your contact case (pre-fill with contact solution so you don't have to bring that separate) in case you need to take them out. I found my eyes dried out and the contacts would get uncomfortable after awhile in the water park. Soft contact wearers generally don't have that problem (I wore those for a short time before lasix as it was required.) Bring your glasses as a back up just in case.

Good luck!!!!

 

[disnut8]

I tried a search on this forum , but only found a thread from 2011 that had conflicting information.

I have rigid (gas permeable) contact lenses and am nearly legally blind without. I also have glasses I can wear. Switching to daily/soft lenses won't work for me as, according to my eye doctor, they don't come strong enough for me.

Would you take your contacts out to go to the water park and trust your travel companions to read any warnings you can't see? Everything looks like fuzzy shapes so I'm sure I won't run into anybody/anything, but I can't see any detail.

My eye doctor offers prescription goggles, but on the thread I found is seems that sometimes they don't let you wear goggles on the slides so it probably is not worth the extra expense.

I'm definitely not taking my lenses in and out of my eyes all day. I can wear glasses to and from the park, and when we are eating/relaxing. I am bringing my spare pare of lenses on the trip, and I could, in theory, chance it and just close my eyes on the slides.

What do other Gas-permeable contact lens wearers do. what is your experience with slides and goggles. Are they allowed on some, but not others or is there a blanket rule against goggles?

There is a big difference between gas perms and any kind of disposable contacts that are soft. I've had both and there's no comparison to what you can do with soft disposables vs gas perms.

OP - I was also told I couldn't have soft lenses by my eye doctor so I had gas perms (after real hard contacts) for close to forty years because that's what the doctor told me. I now have soft contacts. I don't know your history with your eye doctor but you might want to go to LensCrafters for a visit (or another "mall type" place) and see what they say.

However, back to the gas perms. I would not wear them in water where there's even the slightest chance your eyes would open at all. Those gas perm lenses can and will simply float away and it's impossible to get them back. Having a second set would be great but, again, these are not disposable so if you do have a second set, they probably weren't cheap so I wouldn't want to carry them around "just in case".

I wore my glasses around the water parks and removed when going on the rides. Yes, you will have to have another person with you but it's kind of funny if you laugh about not being able to see things. It really isn't that bad. I would rely on glasses.

All that said, I do have soft disposable lenses now and while I'm sure they would be fine at a water park, I'm still afraid of losing one - that's from having those gas perms so long.

 

[Itinkso]

Another option is to ask your optometrist for a trial pair of soft contacts in the highest prescription available. Not sure what your prescription is but soft lenses can correct -9.5 vision. At least you would be able to see a little more than shapes and blurs while you are at the water park.

 

[Anal Annie]

I tried a search on this forum , but only found a thread from 2011 that had conflicting information.

I have rigid (gas permeable) contact lenses and am nearly legally blind without. I also have glasses I can wear. Switching to daily/soft lenses won't work for me as, according to my eye doctor, they don't come strong enough for me.

Would you take your contacts out to go to the water park and trust your travel companions to read any warnings you can't see? Everything looks like fuzzy shapes so I'm sure I won't run into anybody/anything, but I can't see any detail.

My eye doctor offers prescription goggles, but on the thread I found is seems that sometimes they don't let you wear goggles on the slides so it probably is not worth the extra expense.

I'm definitely not taking my lenses in and out of my eyes all day. I can wear glasses to and from the park, and when we are eating/relaxing. I am bringing my spare pare of lenses on the trip, and I could, in theory, chance it and just close my eyes on the slides.

What do other Gas-permeable contact lens wearers do. what is your experience with slides and goggles. Are they allowed on some, but not others or is there a blanket rule against goggles?

I no longer wear contacts as I need multi-focal now and they just don't work for me. I DO wear glasses AND have RX sunglasses. These are what I wear in the water parks - I use an eyeglass strap that I can tighten around the back of my head when I go down slides & stuff. (One time many years ago I wore the RX sunglasses on a body slide without a strap and lost them in the dump pool at the bottom of the slide and the lifeguards had to stop it for a few min. while we fished them out of the bottom - only slightly embarrassing). I haven't had any problems tho since I started using the strap. If you have glasses I would just wear those with a $10 strap.

 

[Tamiami]

From the looks of things, they DO allow goggles in almost all areas of the water parks. I'll be going to Typhoon Lagoon this coming December, and I'll be the 46 year old dork wearing goggles, much to my DD19's dismay. I have clear ones, so they're not THAT bad, and when not in use, they are wrapped around my wrist. I love to be under water, and it's too much of a pain to constantly be over-cautious about how I open my eyes when I come up out of the water, so as not to lose a contact!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

From the looks of things, they DO allow goggles in almost all areas of the water parks.

See my post #11 in this thread for the official rules.