Any advice for the blind?

[J Rock]

I have a friend who is getting into kayaking... slowly but without fail. He has been complaining recently (baby) about not being able to see when he on the river. He is blind as a bat and doesn't want to wear contacts while on the water. Do any of you have any advice on how to remedy this situation. I don't wear glasses so I have no idea what to tell him. Thanks all.

JK

[Livingston]

I recall a Seinfeld episode where George lost his glasses and had to wear his perscription goggles around town. I'm pretty sure they do exist, not sure on cost. I've worn contacts on the river and it really didn't bother me. I usually don't though, my eyes aren't too bad yet.
-d

[KSC]

I thought George would just squint.

I have to wear something. I wear disposable contacts and don't have much trouble. Occasionally a blast in the eye will cause things to shift around, but I've never lost one. I keep a spare in my pfd pocket just in case.

Some sports glasses over contacts help keep the water out (with some good anti-fog stuff on them), but I've found I don't need them.

[Ture]

I would google "surf goggles". I have seen them advertised in Surfer Magazine. Stuff like this:

http://www.murrays.com/barz/barz.html

[Geezer]

Ciba Vision make the Focus Night and Day contacts that stick to my eyes like glue and don't get moved around. I even open them underwater now and then with no problems.

[dvanhouten]

I wear contacts while kayaking with sunglasses to protect my eyes from splashes. Usually not too much of an issue but I sometimes have some difficulty running class V when everything is blury I would think goggles might fog alot, but I've never tried them.

[double-a-ron]

I live in contacts because I cant function without them. They do suck on the river. I as well as others I know lose them continuously. I just keep one extra pair on my person. I also keep an extra pair with my camping gear. I buy one normal years worth and then I buy an extra six months just for kayaking and I like to use anything thats disposable between dailys to 4 week turnovers. I, being one of those children who watched pro sports in the 90s, believe that looking good comes before functionality so I refuse to wear goggles or anything like that and six months worth of contacts costs less than most of the perscription googles. When under water you just have to feel your roll (tough when learning) or resurface and my eyes blink when I hit big holes.
my 2 1/2 cents

[kclowe]

I had the same problem. For a long time I couldn't see a thing because my contacts would move around when I got splashed or had to roll. For the last six months I have used O2optix lenses. These seem to "stick" to my eyeball much better and if they do move, in a couple of blinks they are back where they should be. I lost several of my old lenses on the river, but not the new ones. I also wear sunglasses so the waves don't hit my eyes directly. I do have friends that wear goggles, but I didn't like it much. These lenses cost me about the same as my old ones and I have no problems sleeping in them as well. This is a big bonus when you live in your car every weekend.

[DanOrion]

So far, I've had good luck with Ciba focus or toric 1month disposables, eyes open or closed underwater, waves spashing, etc.

[Eric]

I've had glassess/hard contacts since I was four and will be more than happy to loan him a pair of Hanson brothers glasses for his paddling pleasure. If you hold them up to the sun just right, you can burn holes in other peoples boats.