I have eye problems and need corrective lenses. I feel really comfortable wearing contact lenses during sports because of the range of visibility. However, the swim and contact lenses will not go well together. Those of you that need corrective lenses, how do you overcome this issue while competing?
I’ve always used my contacts while racing. I find the worst part is them drying out on the bike from the wind, but it’s manageable. The swim doesn’t bother me (just make sure to have good sealing goggles). I am starting to kick around the idea of laser eye surgery though. The thought of never having to deal with them again… mmm…
I wear contacts when racing, and have only had a problem 2twice in over 10 years.
Once, I sprayed myself with water and it got in my eye, which knocked the contact somewhere in betwen my eye and my eyelid. I just rode with one eye shut. Sucks, but could have been worse.
At the Spirit of Racine, I crashed against a lifeguard’s longboard (totally my fault) and knocked the contact loose in my goggle. For sighting purposes, I had to lay on my back, and with my left hand, lift my right goggle, while my right hand gently fixed my contact. Very hard to stay calm and do this, but it is possible.
Ciao,
Thunderlegs:
What kind of gogles do you have?
I am starting to kick around the idea of laser eye surgery though. The thought of never having to deal with them again… mmm…
Same here. Kinda expensive, but worth it. Just gotta find a doc in Alabama that i trust to do the job properly.
Funny, I had no idea until I just searched! An ex GF picked them up for me a long time ago and I just picked up the same pair when I replaced them. I don’t have the longest swimming background so have never actually tried anything else, but these have always worked well for me. They have very little padding and other folks have said they might be less comfy than some other types, but I like them.
Trisports seems to have them online, these are they:
http://www.trisports.com/tyrsocroc20g.html
Or you can see a neat pic with them:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=1402986;search_string=pic%20for%20fleck;#1402986
I always keep saying “next year” when there are more long term studies done on it, but I never hear of any studies anyway!
You can buy goggled with corrective lens inside. I was a at a local large sporting goods store and they had all different types of goggles with the corrective lenses. I wear contact lenses and never have had an issue in the swim because of the contact lens.
I always keep saying “next year” when there are more long term studies done on it, but I never hear of any studies anyway!
Keep waiting. Personally, I am holding out for a pill. I don’t think it is out of reach. They have come out with a no cut lasik, so it is just a matter of time. When people tell you to just do it, ask them to tell you about all the success stories with RK. (Laugh quietly.)
I wear contacts and have never had a problem with them during the swim. I’ve lost one many times on a bike ride (including during Honu last year and IMF last year…during IMF I had a spare in my jersey pocket that I put in on the run).
I wore contacts in college and played water polo (no goggles). I never lost a contact. When I started wearing contacts I was told that I should cup my hand over my eyes and go under water and open my eyes and blink a couple of times. I don’t know if this is true, but I was told the water would get behind the contact and help seal it to your eye. I did this before every practice and game. After you blink a couple of times underwater the contact would settle down and it seemed to work. Not sure if it was the best thing to do. Right after practice/games I would take out the contacts and rinse them in saline and put them back in. Seemed like all the contact lens wearers did the same thing. Never had a problem.
In swimming I wear contacts and have never had a problem. But in longer races I always have a couple of spare contacts stashed a couple of different places just in case I lose one. I’ll probably have Lasik at some time in the next year because I’m tired of dealing with contacts.
I can’t wear contact lenses for more than about eight hours at a time so I either have to get very fast or do something else for an IM…
So far I haven’t quite gotten fast enough yet, so I wear prescription goggles from aquagoggles.com for the swim (I’m probably one of the few folk that don’t take their goggles off until I reach the bike or change tent). I have a pair of photochromatic prescription bike sunglasses I wear for the bike and run (from optilabs.co.uk)
i’ve training and racing with contacts for 17 years without any notable issues.
as long as you use goggles you’ll be fine.
I’ve been wearing contacts during races for as long as I’ve been doing tris.
The one and only time I had a problem was during my very first triathlon when I lost one contact in the wind as I blinked at an inopportune time (I’m sure hard contact wearers can relate).
Once I switched from hard to soft disposable contacts, I’ve never had a problem.
Several things that have worked for me:
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Be extra picky when choosing goggles; I never choose ones with the spongy seal. Make sure the goggles sit sqarely and tightly on your eye sockets.
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Use disposable contacts; keep extras handy in T1, T2, in your bike jersey, special needs, etc.
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Keep a tiny bottle of eye drops with you because your eyes do tend to dry out on the bike and late into the run
Last but not least, it’s probably best to stick with what you train in regularly, to maintain a field of view and distortion that you are accustomed to. If you train in glasses, race in glasses. I train in contacts so I don’t dare race in glasses, although I do have a pair. Good luck!
Ken
I have to agree with everyone else that wearing contacts is really not a problem on the swim. Its the bike where the problem exists for me. I have to be careful with the type of sunglasses I wear while riding since some don’t provide adequate eye coverage and I have had some lenses blown out. I have never lost a lense wearing Oakley half jacket XL’s. My vision is so poor that without my contacts I wouldn’t be able to ride safely so I take it pretty seriously. I also carry an extra set of lenses, and a little bottle of drops from T1 on.
I’ve been swimming for years with contacts and have never lost one. I know a number of kids who train 4 hours a day in the pool wearing contacts and have gone years without losing one. I do put an extra pair in my transition bag just in case though.
I did have some issues on the bike when I first started riding because I only wore my sunglasses when it was sunny. My eyes would get dry if I rode without glasses but I just put up with it. Then, I nearly killed myself after riding into a cloud of gnats on an evening ride (no sunglasses) so I finally broke down and got some Oakleys and a selection of lenses so I can wear them in any light level.
Well, I’ll give you the Lasik success story. Wearing contacts was one of the biggest reasons I avoided water sports – even diving I’d be petrified my mask would come loose and i’d lose a lens. It never happend, but those masks are a bit more substantial than goggles.
I had it done in 2001, and but for a bit of dry eyes in the first six months my vision is remarkable – 20/15 in both eyes. I still wake up amazed that I can see the alarm clock clearly.
The only downside is I was informed I’d probably go into “readers” sooner than had I not had the surgery. Sure 'nuf, I’m using the drugstore cheaters, 100 level for almost all reading now, but at 44, it was bound to happen sooner or later. I’d wear readers any day of the week to be able to see distance perfectly clear 24/7
I can’t say enough of what a huge life changing event this was.
Swim. I wear disposable contacts and I’m so blind that if I lose one and don’t have a spare, my day/race is over. The only problem I’ve ever had was poor fitting goggles. For some reason, the Aqua Sphere Kamin goggle was a complete nightmare for me. Once I switched to Speedo Vanguishers or Nike Remora goggles…voila…no problems whatsoever…I swear by those googles. But just make sure they are firmly sealed and suctioned around your eye socket. Both brands come with different sized nose pieces for a more custom fit.
Bike. For Olympic distances or shorter, I keep a spare set/small bottle of wetting drops in my transition bag. For long training rides, always carry spare set and drops in jersey pocket. For races longer than Olympic, spare set and drops in bento box. Always wear sunglasses (if it’s not sunny, use the lighter colored lenses)…I wear Rudy Project Rydons or Rudy Project Ekynox and have never had any problems on the bike (knock wood).
I wear glasses instead of contacts and can see enough to get through the swim with goggles. I have prescription inserts for my Oakleys that I wear on the bike and the run.
I’m blind as a bat without corrective lenses on. I wear Speedo corrective goggles (-8.0) that are good enough that I can see the buoys and find my bike in transition. They cost about $20. In T1, I throw on either my regular glasses or sunglasses, depending upon the weather, and forget that I’m wearing them just like every other day.
Never had a problem with my contacts and my goggles. I wear monovision contacts which has one eye looking long and the other short (for reading). Once I’m convinced that Lasik surgery will allow me to duplicate this (and avoid reading glasses), I’ll pull the Lasik trigger (at least that is what I keep telling myself).
BTW - I have not shot in the 70s in golf since I switched to monovision contacts ( but I didn’t do that before either). You do give up some eye- hand co-ordination, which I found out trying to play ping-pong.