Question for contact lens wearers

[ronnie]

I've found that daily disposables stay in well in salt water, but come out easier in fresh water.

funny, now that you say it...I think I lost mine only in sweet water! Interesting...why is that?

I think the salt water dries your eyes and that causes the lens to stick to your eye more. It can be difficult to get a lens off after kiting in the sea. Some clean fresh water should help remove it.

[TomW]

I've been wearing contacts 40 years. 1day lenses since they first became available.
If I don't wear some sort of glasses on the water I'll lose a lens for sure. A hassle to come in and put a new one in.
So I wear cheap safety glasses with a headstrap. Still lose one or two a year so I always have spares in the car.
I have progressive lenses now and have to wear glasses at work, but pop in the contacts before kiting and toss them when I get out of the water.

[borist]

I wear one contact (daily) only to protect my left eye from dryness (result of cancer therapy). I can't use sport sunglasses because they let too much wind in and dry my eye and the lens too much. So I have to use goggles. They seal reasonably well and don't come off that easily (I wear a cap or helmet with the strap on the top). Haven't lost one yet. Have to use anti-fogging spray every time though.
these are pretty good:
http://www.amazon.com/HiCool-trade-Anti ... ge_o04_s00
There are smaller versions available but I find those to limit my view slightly

[Hugh2]

I wore my glasses for windsurfing for 20 years and then 10 years of kitesurfing. Last eye exam I asked about disposable contacts and tried them in Cape Town for two months this year and once I got used to putting them in (still not good at it), they were great. Have not lost one yet, despite getting thrashed in waves. I discovered a major bonus over my glasses was being able to see at the end of the day when the sun was low in the western sky, hence had many more evening sessions. I kept a box in my car and put them in just before I went out, and removed them when done. $1 a pair can't be beat, but I'm lucky that both eyes are roughly the same prescription.

[maurice_k]

Hi Jim,

I am wearing contacts all my life. I have tried all sorts of goggles but the best thing for me, is that I just close my eyes when I fall. That's it. I am wearing day lenses.

Hope this helps,


Wind and season is coming.
http://www.seabreezekiteclub.com

[posty]

I'm wearing monthly lenses and in combination with my seaspecs i never lost one.
I also never lost a seaspec even with unhooked into blind crashes.
Even if you do they float.
I simply cannot kite without them because my eyes would irritate after some splashes of salt water in my eyes.

[Toby]

They don't float in sweet water.

[shawn13]

I also wear dailies for kiting and monthlies for regular use.

Only one time I had a problem. I was riding on a red flag day in Varadero, and if you have ever been to Varadero you know that a red flag day washes people off the beach out to see.

I was riding over surf and out of nowhere this massive barrel hit me from behind and pushed me to the bottom. Whenever i fall I always close my eyes to keep my lenses in, but this force was so strong it ripped open my eyelids and mount. So I was left getting back to shore completely blind a -5.0.

I have lost a lens or two from spray off the boat but i find the dailies stick much better than the monthlies.

[POACHER]

I was riding over surf and out of nowhere this massive barrel hit me from behind and pushed me to the bottom. Whenever i fall I always close my eyes to keep my lenses in, but this force was so strong it ripped open my eyelids and mount. So I was left getting back to shore completely blind a -5.0.

Same here. I'm actually a little worse even (5.50 right eye and 5.75 left........Coke bottle contacts!)

I was doing an ocean side downwinder in Hatteras in a good N'East. Halfway through the 7 mile ride,I got rolled in a bigger wave, kite crashed into the surf, lines were a disaster and both contacts got flushed. It was the epitome of suckage.

At 5.0 prescription you are a candidate for Lasik Shawn. I love having it!

There is no brail in kiteboarding.

[pj sofine]

I wear soft toric lenses.I have a steep astigmatism that can't be corrected with lasic.I wore gas permeable lenses for years and only lost one.The softs I never lost one,tore one once on water.They can be funky if they go "off axis"while kiting but they are great compared to wearing glasses. Got to make sure whatever you wear to keep clean,some nasty little things would like to grow in your eyes. Contacts and kiting are a virtual non issue imho