contact lenses or not?

[southernsam]

Hello everyone! this is my first ever post so please be gentle with me!
We (thats me, hubby and 2 sons 14 and 10) are visiting Discovery Cove in March for the first time and I just wanted to ask this question - as a contact lens wearer should I either, 1. not wear the lenses and use one of the prescription goggles that they offer or, 2. wear the contact lenses and have ordinary goggles? this may seem an odd thing to ask but Im hoping fellow contact lens wearers will have experience of this! Thank you

 

[jujiot]

I have not been to Discover Cove, but I have been snorkeling several times and I have always worn my contacts. I have had them for 24 years and have never lost one at the beach or at waterparks. I am very nearsighted, so going without isn't an option for me. If you are worried, bring a back up pair with you on the trip just in case.

 

[southernsam]

Thank you jujiot, I will wear my contact lenses and take a spare pair as well, thats one less thing for me to worry about!

 

[Poohbeck]

I wear glasses because I'm VERY nearsighted. I used to wear contacts, but, don't anymore due to my astigmatism (sp). Anyway, will I be able to wear the goggles all day? Will they let me wear my glasses at all?

I have an eye appointment on Thursday, should I see about new contacts?

 

[southernsam]

Hi Poohbeck DC website says they offer nearsighted masks -1 through to -8 on a first come first served basis, because I have never snorkeled before I was unsure about if my contacts would stay in or float away!! However now I think I will leave them in, have an ordinary mask and see(!) what happens. The downside to leaving them out and having a prescription mask is that I would only be able to see with it on ~ not a good look when sitting eating lunch HaHa anyway we go March so I will let you know how I get on.

 

[MrDDuck]

Hello all,

I am an optometrist so might be able to help.

Firstly, the official advice is contact lenses should never be worn in water. This is because water contains a whole haven of microorganisms including acanthamoeba which will readily be absorbed into your lenses. When you next insert your lens, you risk these microorganisms coming into contact with your cornea and giving you a nasty infection.
Contact lenses will not "float off" your eye in water if they are fitted at all well. In fact, soft lenses (the majority nowadays) will "suck on" to your eye like a plunger. Therefore, if you are wearing lenses in water, do not rip the lens out your eye immediately after coming out the pool, rather let the lens settle for 15-20 mins and allow tear production to resume as normal and the lens will come off easily and not rip off the top layer of your corneal cells with it.
In all honesty, the prescription masks offered by DC sound pretty pathetic and the park should be doing more to cater to people with refractive errors. If it was me, I would take a pair of daily disposable contact lenses, wear them while in the water and then bin them afterwards. That way, you dramatically reduce the risk of infection.

Hope that helps.

 

[southernsam]

Thank you MrDDuck for taking the time to post a reply. What you write makes perfect sense, so I will go and get some daily disposables (the ones I have last a fortnight) and hopefully will get on ok! Because for the amount we've paid to go to DC I at least want to be able to see the dolphins clearly!!

 

[Poohbeck]

So, if I decide not to get contacts at my eye appt. on Thursday (or am not able to get them) will I have to wear those goggle things all day???? Or not see?????

 

[SandrA9810]

I wear my glasses in the water at the water parks without an issue. So i would just keep them handy and wear the googles while you're in the pool. Sounds like a hassle, but if you decide for contacts, you have to get a whole different prescription, and insurance will generally only cover one or the other exams. So if you're current glasses are still good, then go for the contact prescription and give them a try. Worst thing that can happen is you have a stack of contacts left over. (which is what happened when I stopped wearing them. I think I only ordered them like twice in my life).

 

[southernsam]

mmmm..... tricky one poohbeck. I dont have glasses anymore only contacts as they do seem easier on a daily basis. I guess as SandrA9810 has had no problems with glasses at the water parks you could wear the glasses then switch to one of the prescription masks for the snorkeling but where do you then put the glasses?? Its a pain having less than perfect vision isnt it! There must be plenty of glasses wearers who have visited DC ~ wonder what they do........

 

[mbsquirrel1198]

Wear the contacts. Then you can wear sunglasses while not in the water, too. Use the regular masks for the snorkeling and such. That way if you snorkel into the avairy, you will still be able to see the fantastic birds when you take your mask off. You are not allowed to wear a mask or goggles during the swim with the dolphins part of the day. Then when your day is done, throw out your contacts and either wear your glasses or put in a new pair. No germs that way.

 

[SandrA9810]

Well I wear board shorts that have velcro pockets on them... so I have no issues of sticking them in my pocket. I'll sometimes do this on fast body slides, as the splash down into the pool can sometimes knock them off.
I also like wearing the shorts over a bathing suit because I don't have to feel like I need to cover up every time i get out of the water.

 

[southernsam]

Thanks guys for all of your advice, mbsquirrel1198 you are so right, I am looking(!) forward to our trip even more now! Poobeck ~ how did your eye appt go? have you ordered contacts? SandrA9810 shorts over costume at water parks ~ good plan! had to work last couple of days so not been online at all, spent my time dreaming of Florida! woo hoo only 4 weeks til we go!

 

[Poohbeck]

No contacts for me due to a number of reasons.
So, I called DC yesterday to confirm they do have perscription goggles and they do. I got the prescription from my doc. She also said I can wear them in the dolphin swim.

I do wish I could get contacts, but, I am OK.

 

[southernsam]

Hi its good you can have the prescription goggles for the dolphin swim, we go in March and I will tell you all about it, we have DS similar ages? (mine 14 on Wed and 10) think I am more excited than them! Looking forward to Seaworld too but wish they would put March show schedules on website!

 

[Poohbeck]

Hi its good you can have the prescription goggles for the dolphin swim, we go in March and I will tell you all about it, we have DS similar ages? (mine 14 on Wed and 10) think I am more excited than them! Looking forward to Seaworld too but wish they would put March show schedules on website!

Do you need the special goggles too? I just noticed my signature was outdated, I just updated my DS ages...they are pretty close to your two. Let me know how you all liked it!

 

[southernsam]

Hi no sorry, my last reply was confusing! I meant its good that you can have the goggles for the dolphin swim, I will wear the contacts now I know I can