Contact lenses during IM, experiences? (Page 2): Triathlon Forum: Slowtwitch Forums

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Contact lenses during IM, experiences?

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japarker24

Apr 8, 12 17:37

Post #26 of 36 (777 views)

Re: Contact lenses during IM, experiences? [dprestontri] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

dprestontri wrote:

Same here for me...no problems in any of my Ironman's or 70.3's. But spares in T1/T2 is definitely a good idea.

x2.

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2x IM Finisher. Only 10 more to go!

Eileen

Apr 8, 12 22:47

Post #27 of 36 (752 views)

Re: Contact lenses during IM, experiences? [AwesomePossum] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Focus Dailies wearer, also, with similar experiences to report as the others (one IM with contact lenses no problem, plus several shorter races), but no one has suggested putting a dry washcloth into the bag with the contacts. I don't know about you, but my fingers need to be really dry if the contact lens is going to come off the fingertip and stick to my eyeball. Wiping my finger on a wet tri suit won't get it dry enough to get a new lens in. I'm not totally blind without contacts, so if I lost one, I'd just race without it, albeit more slowly and carefully, but if I somehow decided it was important to put a new one in, I'd want a dry washcloth in T1 or T2 or special needs, to get my finger dry enough to get the new one in quickly. Cheap investment (sort of the same cost as a pair of extra dailies), but you might be glad you had one around.

GhiaGirl

Apr 8, 12 22:56

Post #28 of 36 (747 views)

Re: Contact lenses during IM, experiences? [AwesomePossum] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

I've lost contacts during races. In 2006 I lost one during the bike in a HIM. After that I lost one a few times in training rides. So when it came time for IM Florida I put a spare in my bento box and a spare in my T2 bag. At about mile 105 of the bike I lost a contact. When I got into T2 and was ready to head out on the run I asked a volunteer for a mirror. She thought I was crazy and said I looked fine. After looking around everywhere there were no mirrors. I looked in the porta potties and no mirrors. I ran until the first aid station and used the side mirror of a car to put the contact in. If you need a mirror to put a contact in then having one in your transition bags is probably a good idea.

I still wear the same contacts but I haven't had a problem since. Not sure why it happened in 2006, but I have switched sunglasses since then.

gordongecko

Apr 8, 12 23:29

Post #29 of 36 (741 views)

Re: Contact lenses during IM, experiences? [Zach7956] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Just carry a pair in your saddle bag.

Francois

Apr 9, 12 5:36

Post #30 of 36 (714 views)

Re: Contact lenses during IM, experiences? [caius] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

You can get what is called a protozoa infection (usually due to amoeba in the water...e.g. feces,) which infects the cornea.
Quite rare with goggles and in clean pools (as told by my ophthalmologist, who is also a former college swimmer).
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Reservoir Cat

Apr 9, 12 11:56

Post #31 of 36 (665 views)

Re: Contact lenses during IM, experiences? [AwesomePossum] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

I'm a -7.0 and only take my contacts out to sleep. I had no problem with them in IM but I figured if I ever was destined to have a problem, IM would be a really inopportune time. I too wear daily disposables and had one pair in my bento box and a pair in each special needs and transition bag "just in case" -- never needed them thankfully. I really don't wear glasses as since my vision is so poor, glasses give me a weird peripheral effect - - descending steps is "interesting" at best when I wear glasses and I don't want that effect descending on the bike. For that reason I don't think I would attempt to do an IM with prescription sunglasses but then again maybe I'm a freak. I just never see as well with glasses as I do with contacts.

(This post was edited by Reservoir Cat on Apr 9, 12 11:58)

BCDon

Apr 9, 12 12:34

Post #32 of 36 (643 views)

Re: Contact lenses during IM, experiences? [AwesomePossum] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

I was on a 3 week bicycle tour of Germany and at about week 2 I was cycling along and blinked and my contact popped out, hit my sunglasses and fell onto the paved road.

This was before daily wears so all I had was the 1 set of contact lenses and over a week to go. I did have my glasses with me so could have worn them but then no sunglasses.

Anyway, I stopped immediately, laid my bike down and very slowly walked back over where I had ridden. I had only been going about 20 kph when I lost the lense and stopped pretty quickly so had a decent idea of where the lense "might" be. Anyway, I crouched down and sort of duck walked back so I'd stay close to the road and I found it! Surprised myself and the others with me.

Lesson was to not put them in inside out (not as easy to do now). Now, I have spares with me whenever I travel. Didn't think of carrying on the bike though, I'll have to think about that but I'll make sure the spares are in transition for sure.
BC Don
There's a difference between skiing and just getting down a mountain.

Iron Dukie

Apr 9, 12 19:48

Post #33 of 36 (602 views)

Re: Contact lenses during IM, experiences? [AwesomePossum] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

My eyes tend to get dry towards the end of the marathon. I always put eye drops in my run special needs bag and have used them more than once. It helped. I always have spare contacts in my T1 and T2 bags just in case.

tazunemono

Apr 9, 12 19:51

Post #34 of 36 (598 views)

Re: Contact lenses during IM, experiences? [Iron Dukie] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

I second the eye drops (Rohto) and keeping a spare set handy "just in case"

SpicedRum

Apr 9, 12 20:09

Post #35 of 36 (595 views)

Re: Contact lenses during IM, experiences? [tazunemono] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Pretty sure rhoto eye drops say do not use with contacts.

andyroosky

Apr 10, 12 10:08

Post #36 of 36 (545 views)

Re: Contact lenses during IM, experiences? [SpicedRum] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

I've done 5 70.3's and 1 full. I did have one problem with 1 half. In the swim I got kicked in the goggles pretty hard and I didn't realize it then but only in T1 I realized that my contact had come out. I happened to look in my goggles and it was there, I just took it out and popped it in and had a good race (other than a long T1 time)....I would put a extra set in each if your worried, but other than that no other problems...

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