The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: killingxspree on May 10, 2015, 11:21:22 PM
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Anyone have any experience with water sports and bad eyesight?
My prescription is roughly -6.00 (probably gotten worse by now) and I have astigmatism BAD. I tried boogie boarding with regular prescription sunglasses but they fell off and I almost lost them. I've googled some options and these http://www.silverfish.com/cp-prescription.html (http://www.silverfish.com/cp-prescription.html) silverfish ones come up. However since I'm in Australia I'm not really willing to drop +$200 US without being sure that they will work. Anyone tried these or have any other solutions that could work?
also wanted to add I'm finding it hard to find things in my prescription
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Hey there. Not sure about exactly what boogie boarding entails, but how about corrective swim goggles? I have a friend with pretty bad vision (~-.500) that uses those for lap swimming and loves them. They are not expensive. Here's an example: www.swimoutlet.com/p-ab/tyr-corrective-optical-goggles-3465/?color=208 . I think there are numerous companies making these.
You'd have to find out whether a particular manufacturer can handle your prescription of course. Good luck!
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I have to admit im not the biggest fan of swimming Goggles but maybe ill give them a shot thanks
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Can you do contacts?
My prescriptions are worse but with less astigmatism and I frequently wear contacts when in the water (swimming, wakeboarding, etc).
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Or maybe sports glasses with a strap behind your head? (like basketball players wear) e.g. : www.zennioptical.com/sports-glasses
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Not exactly a sport, but I had fun semi-snorkeling with a glass-bottomed plastic bucket designed for that purpose. I borrowed it from a friend and never found anything similar to buy, so for myself I got a Sea Window X-4 PSC (reading off the side of it). It's a floating window that allows you to look around under water as if snorkeling but with your head out of the water and your glasses on. Tthe bucket worked the same way. It was really neat to finally get to see fish and coral and even a small shark one time. Also it was easier to share than a snorkel and mask would be.
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I got inexpensive Rx goggles on ebay for a -5.0 but without astigmatism. They work fine for swimming.
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I second the water goggles suggestion, but regular sport strap goggles should be fine for kayak/canoeing and paddleboarding, since you only go under the water when you decide to.
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I am having a really good experience so far with prescription swim goggles from http://www.gogglesnmore.com/. I won't say they were cheap, but I did think they were worth the splurge to get correct since I'm pretty sure I have the worst vision of anyone I've ever met that isn't actually blind -- moderate astigmatism and myopic diopter exceeding negative fourteen.
I'll be interested to find out what you end up with.
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Thanks for that link, slugline! I also have a horrid Rx (negative double digits in both eyes) and a trip to the Galapagos this summer. This might mean I'll be able to see while snorkeling.
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I am around -4 and just deal with it. I hate not being able to see well on the water, but I can see plenty well enough to see the wake and judge my approach. I would quickly lose or break those glasses you linked, and I would never wear anything over my eyes behind the boat as I'd be concerned with eye damage if face planting. I tried contacts but did not like putting in and taking out so gave up, doc said they were fine to wear while doing watersports though, he said worst that happens is you lose one or it rolls up in your eye and is uncomfortable for a few seconds until it goes back in place. I may try again eventually. Once debt free and closer to FI I may do PRK or whatever may be superior at the time. I would not do lasic for watersports as there have been issues with the flap coming loose and tearing. Not worth the risk.
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I wear contacts to waterski, wakeboard, play in the ocean, etc. The worst thing I've had happen is a contact getting way up in my eye during a bad fall barefoot waterskiing. I've been wearing contacts for watersports since I was 12 or 13 and had virtually no problems.
I don't open my eyes underwater without goggles. I've lost a few contacts over the years, but given the amount of time I'm in the water it's been pretty minimal.
Midwest