I wear contacts and couldn't race or train without them. You just need to make sure that your goggles provide a very good seal, and that your sunglasses also provide enough coverage. I've never had a problem in a race, but one time on a ride, when I just started 4 years ago, I let my sunglasses slip down just a bit, and one of my contacts blew right out of my eye. I found it on the inside of the sunglasses! Since then, I've never had a problem.

I go the contact lense route, just make sure you have some rewetting drops in the transition area and maybe bring them on the bike. I don't want to spend the $$ on perscription goggles and don't own perscription sunglasses, just the clip-ons for my regular glasses.
I do worry in the swim about getting the goggles kicked off and losing a contact but hasn't happened yet, I use the seal mask and feel it stays on a little better.

A

I too am a contact lens wearer...always train and race in mine. I always keep an extra new pair of disposables at transition just in case I were to lose one in the swim from a well placed kick. Since I can not function at all without them, I try to be extra aware of where other swimmers are in relation to me. I know in IM distance mass starts that is not always possible. For those occasions, I actually wear a second pair of goggles on the back of my head in case something were to happen to the ones that I am wearing. I know that sounds weird but without my contacts I can not see shi_t. I have worn TYR racetech goggles for years and have never had a problem in a race, great cheap goggles, you can buy 4-5 pairs for the price of a pair of a windshield sized Seal Mask.

JJ

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"Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying"

I would say go with the prescription goggles + sunglasses route...

I wear contacts and glasses but always wear prescription sunglasses during sports...

Things happen and contact do slip out... why run the risk of not being able to see out of one or both eyes.

Spent too much time worrying about contacts, started using prescription goggles, and now I don't have to worry about it any more. Check Sports Basement for prescription Speedos. Occasionally, they have them for ~$25.

Litherland

Pete,

I have never had a problem with my contacts. I wear a Seal Mask and whatever sunglasses I like and have never lost a lense while racing or training. Keep a spare pair of contacts in your transition area in case you get demasked in the swim. I only lost a mask once while coming in from a training swim in huge surf. I got clobbered by a wave but managed to keep the lenses in since I was almost to shore. Now I put my cap over the mask strap, even in a race.

Have a great race! Remember, ride right and pass left.

Add me to the list of contact wearers. (-7.0 and -6.5, so yeah, I'm blind). In 15 years, I've only lost a contact once during the swim. I keep a spare set of contacts in my bike bag and always have another set in my transition bag. Disposables are cheap.

And yes, when you find goggles that work....buy multiple pairs.

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

I've used both - contacts and prescription goggles.... about 15 yrs. ago, I finally settled on prescription goggles and rx sunglasses.

Contacts were too much of a problem... dry eyes... or problems caused during the swim... sealing water out is important. But when you get kicked in the head during the swim start/scrum, it's not uncommon for the goggles to leak.

Just my opinion, I know many a triathlete that find contacts easy to race in.

Joe Moya