[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. :shock:

 

[dvanhouten]

Contacts

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 :shock: 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]

O2optix rock.

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.

 

[GAtoCSU]

Prescription Oakley's. Without a doubt the highest grade stuff to get on the river. Lenses will never break and cut the shit out of you like the other ones will.

Scott

 

[paddlebizzle]

Didn't Kareem Abdul Jabbar wear sports goggles on the court?

Why doesn't your friend just wear those? I know tons of peeps who wear prescription sports goggles w/the elastic band around. We wear nose plugs and skirts - what's a pair of sports goggles going to change?

 

[double-a-ron]

water goggles (like for swimming) I can understand but I cant imagine having to replace or depending on a pair sunglasses or sports goggles to stay on my face when I roll or submerge. sounds expensive especially when playboating.

 

[mescalimick]

the swim goggles don't really work, comfotably. The create a suction around your eys which is fine underwater where the pressure balances, but out of water they feel like your eyes are getting pulled outta your head.

 

[cstork]

I wear my normal glasses when I boat. I attach the common bands that go around my head and under my helmet and they never come off.

 

[jj_luv2play]

I wear contacts on the river & sunglasses to prevent direct splashing. I prefer polarized sunglasses so I don't have problems with shadows and miss holes. I have maybe lost only one or two contact on the river. Camping along the river is wher I ususally loose more. 8)

 

[PhillyBoop]

I wear them as well. I only lost one contact in about 6 years. The biggest issue other folks with contacts complain about is when the water get's real splashy the contacts tend to float around in your eye. Usually in the middle of a rapid, blink hard a few times and it helps. Don't open your eyes underwater because the river grit tends to get between the lens and your eye, you don't want to see the rock your gonna hit anyways. :wink: . Always bring some extras in your vest or drybag just in case. A friend got some oakley wire frames with lenses that darken in the sun. It helped him a bunch. I don't like sungalsses becasue then tend to fog, but was recommended by my eye doctor.

 

[Suze]

Rigid/Gas Permeable Lenses Rock!

I wear gas permeable lenses & as they are expensive, I thought I would try disposable on the river to reduce the cost if I lost a lens. Well, without fail, every time I would roll, one of the soft lenses would slip off to the side of my eye.

So I went back to the gas perm and have never had a problem with them shifting during a roll or when they got wet - I do keep my eyes closed underwater. They are better for your eyes as well - try them out!

 

[J Rock]

Thanks for the information... I will be sure to get it to my friend. Happy boating and be safe.

 

[earthNRG]

In the past I have worn the Night and Day contacts. I lost several on the river and never really liked paddling with them. Now I just wear an old pair of glasses with a teather to be sure I do not lose them. The theather is loose, but it's extremely rare that I've needed it. I've been through some pretty good class IV thashings and my glasses stayed right where they should be. There is a bit of a fogging problem on cloudy days in cold water, but a quick splash to the face clears that up. Water spots on the lenses can be annoying, but not as bad as trying to recenter a contact that has fushed under your eyelid just before the crux move of whatever you're running. Yeah, boating with vision problems is a hassle, but it's still better than not boating at all. 8)