Contact Lenses and Snorkeling

[Steve S]

We are bringing a newbie B in L with us in March. He wears contacts or eyeglasses pretty much interchangeably. Should he buy a prescription mask or wear his contacts under a regular mask?

Seems to me that if you are wearing your contacts out and about, it would be a PIA taking them out on the beach to snorkel. Based on this alone I would recommend a non prescription mask.

Since we have no personal experience with corrective vision underwater, any insights from you folks on the forum would be appreciated.

[KatieH]

Hi Steve - We are taking my newbie BiL this coming March, too.

I am a contact lens wearer and I snorkel with them. I've never had a problem; I just bring an extra pair (or 2) in case something happens.

Have a great trip!

[Diana2]

I've been snorkeling with contacts lens for year and have never ever had any problems. (I always take a couple of extra contacts along just in case.) I think that's a better solution than a RX mask although my DH does the RX mask since he doesn't have contacts.

[Islandtripper]

Each year when I take a "snorkeling" vacation, I get a script for a month's daily wear lenses. That way I toss them at the end of the day OR after snorkeling and put in a new pair. Before when I got saltwater or anything else on them while snorkeling, they bothered me a little. They cost about $45/for a 30 day use. Really worth it for vacations.

[Carolyn]

I seriously considered a Rx mask prior to my recent trip and I decided against it due to the fact that I also have contacts that I rarely wear. I took them this trip and they helped considerably. I did put them in and take them out on the beach w/ a tiny little compact mirror and little bottles of cleanser as well as drops. I am now a convert to snorkeling w/ contacts and at this time see no reason for a Rx mask. I only lost one during 10 days of snorkeling.

[luvinsun]

I wear contacts all the time while swimming and snorkeling... Never had a problem. But, as others have noted, I do bring extras just in case.

[Steve S]

Thanks everyone!

[sailorgirl]

I've done both. I use the prescription mask because I now need reading glasses as well. Since my second favorite thing to do is read on the beach I just use my regular progresive lens with a fancy pair of snap on shades.

[Maggy]

I both scuba dive and snorkel with my contacts, without problems. The only thing is that if the mask is leaking and gets flooded and you are not closing the eyes, you might lose the contacts. But that won't be any bigger problem when snorkeling, as you are probably not that far from shore. Might be a little more tricky to lose a contact when scuba diving. Also depends how bad your vision is of course.

It's important to get a mask that fits properly.

[jimg20]

I agree with all the others. I keep an extra set with me as well. I have never needed to use the new set. I have never had a problem. The one scuba class where we were to flood the masks is the one time I did not wear the lenses.

Have a great trip.

JIM

[Teresa_Rae]

100% of the snorkeling I've done has been while wearing contacts and it has mostly been fine. My only suggestion regarding contacts is that sunblock REALLY hurts when it gets in your eyes, and having contacts just makes it worse, so I’ve learned to not put sunblock on my face before snorkeling, at least not north of my eyes. It sucks when you’re out in the middle of the ocean and adjust your mask just to have your eyes sting like crazy because sunblock is sticking to your contacts.

[Jamestown]

Another tip from this 30+ year contact wearer and snorkler/diver: take a SMALL bottle of saline solution to the beach or boat with you....my eyes get dried out and a little squirt of saline does the trick.

Jamestown