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Scuba Forum / General / June 2007Vision problems -- looking for advice
I had to drop out of my scuba class because my instructor did not want me wearing my contacts (mask off, mask on, mask off, mask on, etc.), and not being able to see was really causing me problems and setting me back. Made it thought 3 days, and felt I did pretty good considering I was blind. Definitely will give it another go, but probably with a different instructor. I felt like I was training to be a Navy Seal, but did learn a lot of lessons over and above what most instructors would teach. If you are supposed to learn how to do things by feel, I've done that already. I could, literally, assemble my equipment and get into it deep water blindfolded if I had to. Anyway, what's the latest scoop on those who wear glasses/contacts? Should I go for soft contacts? RGP contacts (what I wear now)? Should I have generic lenses inserted in my mask? I was told prescription masks are great, but when you get back to the boat you have to run around and find your glasses. What say you? Thanks. Sheldon <snip> > Anyway, what's the latest scoop on those who wear glasses/contacts? Should > I go for soft contacts? RGP contacts (what I wear now)? Should I have [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > What say you? Get a prescription mask. Wear a hat. Place your glasses in your hat and ask the deckhand or captain to put them somehwere they wont get crushed. Never had a problem. > I had to drop out of my scuba class because my instructor did not want me > wearing my contacts (mask off, mask on, mask off, mask on, etc.), and not [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Sheldon I've dived for years with soft contacts, and never had a problem. You can even open your eyes underwater - so long as you don't move your head too vigorously they shouldn't come out. Another option is to get either a prescription mask, or prescription inserts for your mask. Getting a true prescription mask is the best option, but more expensive. If you're worried about dishing out the $$$ for a prescription mask, you can alway get 1 box of cheap soft contacts to finish your course, and decide later if you want to shell out for a prescription mask. Bryan > I had to drop out of my scuba class because my instructor did not want me > wearing my contacts (mask off, mask on, mask off, mask on, etc.), and not [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Sheldon You have two options. Both have pros and cons. To give you any reasonable advice it is necessary to know what kind of correction you have. Janusz >> I had to drop out of my scuba class because my instructor did not want me >> wearing my contacts (mask off, mask on, mask off, mask on, etc.), and not [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > > Janusz Currently, in a pair of swim goggles, I have a -7 in the left and a -6.5 in the right. Not bad, but not as good as my glasses or RGP contacts (I have astigmatism). > Currently, in a pair of swim goggles, I have a -7 in the left and a -6.5 in > the right. Not bad, but not as good as my glasses or RGP contacts (I have > astigmatism). I wore soft contacts while diving for years, no problems. Subsequently, I had lasik. That said, my prescription was never anywhere near your correction. If you can get soft disposable contacts in your prescription, then give that a go. I suspect that you will not be able to do that, however, I'm not an eye doctor. > > Currently, in a pair of swim goggles, I have a -7 in the left and a -6.5 > in [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > a go. I suspect that you will not be able to do that, however, I'm not an > eye doctor. I wear disposable contacts, ones that I replace every month. My prescription is worse than Sheldon's... And to Sheldon, I've always dived in my contacts, and have never lost one (knock on wood) although I do carry spares in my save-a-dive kit. (that's the one thing I carry that I did not see in Popeye's spectacular kit.) For the most part, I keep my eyes closed when doing mask removal/replacement drills in the pool. kari kari > Anyway, what's the latest scoop on those who wear glasses/contacts? > Should I go for soft contacts? RGP contacts (what I wear now)? Should I > have generic lenses inserted in my mask? I was told prescription masks > are great, but when you get back to the boat you have to run around and > find your glasses. > What say you? Get the prescription mask. I carry a small Pelican dry box on the boat with me. My glasses, car keys, ID, etc. all go in it. When the dive's over, I recover them. I wear reading glasses and see fine for anything else without glasses, so it's not an immediate thing for me. If you need glasses to see at all, simply keep your mask on until you find them. Lee > > Anyway, what's the latest scoop on those who wear glasses/contacts? > > Should I go for soft contacts? RGP contacts (what I wear now)? Should I [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > it's not an immediate thing for me. If you need glasses to see at all, > simply keep your mask on until you find them. For the sake of the course can you get some stickon lens thingies for your mask? I'm pretty sure I've heard of stickon adapters. They may not be ideal but they would be a quick temp solution to satisfy your instructor. The first time I ever did a resort course I did the whole pool thing (except the mask drills) without a mask because he didn't have enough of them. Surely your instructor can come up with some kind of workaround if he understands that your intention is to get a prescription mask when you start diving on your own. JF > For the sake of the course can you get some stickon lens thingies for > your mask? I'm pretty sure I've heard of stickon adapters. They may [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > of workaround if he understands that your intention is to get a > prescription mask when you start diving on your own. Stick ons are for short vision, ie: reading glasses prescription. > > For the sake of the course can you get some stickon lens thingies for > > your mask? I'm pretty sure I've heard of stickon adapters. They may [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Stick ons are for short vision, ie: reading glasses prescription. Mea culpa. I don't need help with my vision underwater, yet. 8) If it's only long range vision then what's the problem in class? Fake it. JF >>>For the sake of the course can you get some stickon lens thingies for >>>your mask? I'm pretty sure I've heard of stickon adapters. They may [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > JF Fake it ??? You've been doing that here for years >> > For the sake of the course can you get some stickon lens thingies for >> > your mask? I'm pretty sure I've heard of stickon adapters. They may [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > JF Well, if I do get prescription lenses I'd still have to get those stickons to read my gauges. I was thinking about getting those new bifocal soft lenses and disposibles for diving with the stick in + diopters in the mask. I may just use two masks -- one clear and one with a script. That would give me lots of options. Besides, you can't see very well even with 20/20 vision without a mask, but then I wouldn't know. >> > Anyway, what's the latest scoop on those who wear glasses/contacts? >> > Should I go for soft contacts? RGP contacts (what I wear now)? Should [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > JF Too late now, and never could have gotten anything in time. One dive shop within within 20 miles, and the next closest is 200. Good idea, however. > I had to drop out of my scuba class because my instructor did not want me > wearing my contacts (mask off, mask on, mask off, mask on, etc.), and not > being able to see was really causing me problems and setting me back. Well, obviously you should not have told that instuctor that you wear contacts... > Made it thought 3 days, and felt I did pretty good considering I was > blind. How bad is your prescription? Mine is about -1.50 and I don't have that much of a problem in the water... On the surface though, it's kind of nice to have my glasses, so if I'm in a place where I can't leave them somewhere safe while I'm diving, I just take them with me... > Anyway, what's the latest scoop on those who wear glasses/contacts? Should > I go for soft contacts? RGP contacts (what I wear now)? Should I have [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > What say you? Carry your glasses with you... Either put them in a small dry box, a pocket on your BC, or inside your wetsuit... If you lose your mask underwater, contacts are not going to help you see better... If your prescription is not so bad that you have to have it to see *anything* while underwater, you probably don't need a prescription mask... Contacts were never an option for me -- I can't stand the feel of them in my eyes... >> I had to drop out of my scuba class because my instructor did not want me >> wearing my contacts (mask off, mask on, mask off, mask on, etc.), and not [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > How bad is your prescription? Mine is about -1.50 and I don't have > that much of a problem in the water... How does -7 sound? I guess I win. > Carry your glasses with you... Either put them in a small dry box, a > pocket on your BC, or inside your wetsuit... If you lose your mask [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Contacts were never an option for me -- I can't stand the feel of them > in my eyes... No problems with contacts, so trying to see what my best option is. Maybe both, as a generic [prescription] mask wouldn't be that much compared to a real prescription mask. Having two masks, one with no script, is not a big deal. I've got a big pool to try all this stuff in. > How does -7 sound? I guess I win. It sounds like we'll recognize you as the diver with the white pole... <grin> Yep, you definitely win this one... Does your local dive shop sell prescription lenses? If so, I have to wonder if perhaps they are doing this to you in order to make you have to buy more equipment... Quite frankly though, prescription lenses are not all that expensive if you get them at the right place... They don't have to perfectly match your prescription... Although I have a prescription mask, I seldom use it... I might use it if I'm not taking my glasses with me on the dive and there is something worth seeing on the surface after the dive (e.g. a drift dive where I might need to find the boat afterwards)... >> How does -7 sound? I guess I win. > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > the surface after the dive (e.g. a drift dive where I might need to > find the boat afterwards)... No, the shop isn't trying to sell me anything. The idea of having two masks is my idea, and I already have one plain mask. I just asked them what they had. I do have two swim goggles, one plain and one with generic lenses, and they've both come in handy. The sport of diving isn't going to break me, but if I'm spending my hard earned cash I want to be able to see where it's going. :-) > The sport of diving isn't going to break me, but if I'm spending my hard > earned cash I want to be able to see where it's going. :-) Pun intended? <grin> "Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Anyway, what's the latest scoop on those who wear glasses/contacts? Should :I go for soft contacts? RGP contacts (what I wear now)? Should I have [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] : :What say you? If you are optically suitable and have the bucks, Lasik is the best solution. I had my eyes done last month and ever since then, El Stroko Guapo has been a vision of handsomeness. Before that I wore soft contacts, even when I dove. I did lose one once, and I also brought one back in my mask instead of my eye once, so they might come out. This is most likely to occur when you flood your mask really bad. Until you get certified, glasses are the way to go. One skill you'll have to master is taking your mask off underwater and putting it back on. You'll be practicing this a lot, and that's where you might lose a lens. But once you're certified, you'll be leaving your mask on and clearing it before it gets too full. Contacts will be fine then. Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. > "Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> pounded away at his keyboard > resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > Dan Bracuk > If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. I've been wearing nothing now, and it was becoming a problem and adding to panic situations. Also, I think I've now removed and replaced my mask at least a thousand times. Clearing my mask is completely automatic and easy to do. Dropping my weight belt was not as we never practiced that. I only thought about it after the fact. We did more mask clearing than any other procedure, and I'm told the way you make things automatic is to practice them before an emergency. I know what my problems are now, and when I do this again, and have some free time, I will definitely work on my weak emergency procedures. I was spending all my energy trying to get to the surface instead of recovering my regulator or dropping my weights. He never had us hooked up to the BC, so I didn't have the option of inflating that. Sorry to go off on a tangent, but not being able to see only compounded the problem. We never even practiced switching from regulator to snorkel. I was high enough where that might have been all I needed. Thanks for the advice. > I had to drop out of my scuba class because my instructor did not want me > wearing my contacts (mask off, mask on, mask off, mask on, etc.), and not [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Thanks. Sheldon, that is such a shame after everything you've done to prepare. It is most unfortunate that of all the questioning you did before hand, this issue did not arise. Do yourself a favor and get a prescription mask pronto and get back into a class! > Sheldon >I had to drop out of my scuba class because my instructor did not want me >wearing my contacts (mask off, mask on, mask off, mask on, etc.), and not [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > >Sheldon get a new instructor > On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:18:29 -0600, "Sheldon" > [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > get a new instructor- That may be the solution. Vision problems like yours should be a minor issue in getting certed. You've put too much effort into this to be stymied by a minor eye problem now. Obviously there are solutions available to you on a permanent basis so why is your instructor being difficult about it in the short term. It's your life and presumably you have the smarts to protect it when you start diving on your own. JF >> On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:18:29 -0600, "Sheldon" >> [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] > > JF I agree with the new instructor. I think he tried to prepare us for "everything" terrible that might happen, but left out all the fun in between. And in my case he was pretty harsh. I believe I'll do a lot better with the guys at the local dive shop. My current instructor seems to have a "reputation." Maybe he's good for some people, but I've been told to change over to the local shop by more than one person who knows this guy. I didn't expect to be coddled, but when you are teaching someone with a disability, and not really allowing them to work around it, it can't help. I keep going over and over the mistakes I made, IMO due to poor instruction, and hopefully that will help a lot the next time I get into a similar situation. I wish I understood the physics behind the difficulty in breaking the surface even though it took no effort to get so close. Sheldon > I keep going over and over the mistakes I made, IMO due to poor instruction, > and hopefully that will help a lot the next time I get into a similar > situation. I wish I understood the physics behind the difficulty in > breaking the surface even though it took no effort to get so close. You're making it a lot more difficult that it needs to be... Just get any instructor and get the C-card... After you get that out of the way, you can learn how to dive... Kaitlyn has finished week #2 of her course... We're headed off this afternoon and I'll let her have her 2nd non-class pool session so that she can practice the various tasks that they expect for the certification... Two more class days, the written test, and then the open water dives... She's getting there... Grumman-581 > Kaitlyn has finished week #2 of her course... We're headed off this > afternoon and I'll let her have her 2nd non-class pool session so that > she can practice the various tasks that they expect for the > certification... Two more class days, the written test, and then the > open water dives... She's getting there... Just tell me that you're not going to let her wear that sidemount you put together. 8^) Lee > Just tell me that you're not going to let her wear that sidemount you put > together. 8^) Nawh, that's a bit too much weight for her... Perhaps if I had two AL40s, I might consider it... <grin> Seriously though, she's using Grace's BC and some short aluminum tank, probably an AL63... I've been laying on the bottom acting as a safety diver while she does the practice sessions... Well, that plus acting as a harassment diver, I guess... Yanking off her mask and regulator with no warning... That sort of stuff... I'm using an old plastic backplate with a Dacor 150 1st stage and Dacor metal 2nd stage... Don't remember the model name on the 2nd stage... No SPG, no BC, no weightbelt... Very clean and compact, like the old days... I let Kaitlyn give it a try today and she liked it also... The donning and dofting of the tank while on the bottom is considerably easier than with the BC of Grace's... No snaps, cumberbunds, adjustable buckles on the shoulder straps... Can't get much simplier than a rig like that... Grumman-581 > Nawh, that's a bit too much weight for her... Perhaps if I had two > AL40s, I might consider it... <grin> I'd loan you mine except I just wouldn't do that to Kaitlyn. > I'd loan you mine except I just wouldn't do that to Kaitlyn. Awh, 'ell... I'll have her where she can sling a tank with a rope and dive over the side to clear my jet boat's engine intake in no time... Come to think of it, I'm trying to remember how many years ago it was that we just attached our webbing directly to our tanks without even a plastic backplate... Can't get much more minimal that *that*... The best solution to jet boat intakes is to get rid of the jetboat. Every person I've ever known that had one, has had problems with the intakes sucking things up that keep it from working properly. > Come to think of it, I'm trying to remember how many years ago it was that > we just attached our webbing directly to our tanks > without even a plastic backplate... Can't get much more minimal that > *that*... About 40. Lee >> I keep going over and over the mistakes I made, IMO due to poor >> instruction, [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > any instructor and get the C-card... After you get that out of the > way, you can learn how to dive... <snip> That's my plan, and I didn't make it more difficult, but I hear ya. Contact the agency and tell them what happened. Ask if they can accommodate you with some other instructor in your area. This is, based on the information your provided, a pretty clear case of instructor error. Many perfectly good divers have been certified in contacts over the years. You may not get your next course for free, but unless you ask, it's sure you won't. Lee > Contact the agency and tell them what happened. Ask if they can > accommodate you with some other instructor in your area. This is, based > on the information your provided, a pretty clear case of instructor error. > Many perfectly good divers have been certified in contacts over the years. I was not allowed to wear my contacts, but I can't think of any other NAUI instructors in the area. > You may not get your next course for free, but unless you ask, it's sure > you won't. > > Lee Thanks for the advice, Lee. I didn't pay for the course since it was offered through the college I teach at, so the only money lost is the NAUI kit which does contain lots of good info regardless of who teaches you. My instructor did say if we don't finish we can find him and he will let us drop in on any class and finish or do a refresher for free. Unfortunately I don't think I want to find him. The local dive shop's instructor has been a PADI instructor for 20 years, and our personalities clicked as soon as I met him. I almost dropped out of the first class to sign up with him when I met him. Somehow I figured having a harsher instructor would be better safety wise, but in my case we practiced the wrong things over and over. A while ago when I asked about instructors some of you said to try and get several during your certification so you will get many opinions and styles during your training. You were right. Sheldon >> Contact the agency and tell them what happened. Ask if they can >> accommodate you with some other instructor in your area. This is, based >> on the information your provided, a pretty clear case of instructor >> error. Many perfectly good divers have been certified in contacts over >> the years. > I was not allowed to wear my contacts, but I can't think of any other NAUI > instructors in the area. I know that. That's the whole point. > Thanks for the advice, Lee. I didn't pay for the course since it was > offered through the college I teach at, so the only money lost is the NAUI > kit which does contain lots of good info regardless of who teaches you. > My instructor did say if we don't finish we can find him and he will let > us drop in on any class and finish or do a refresher for free. > Unfortunately I don't think I want to find him. You probably could do worse. It's often better to put up with such an agressive instructor that will actually teach the course than to settle for someone that doesn't, but issues a card anyway. Consider getting a prescription mask and taking him up on his offer. > The local dive shop's instructor has been a PADI instructor for 20 years, > and our personalities clicked as soon as I met him. I almost dropped out > of the first class to sign up with him when I met him. Somehow I figured > having a harsher instructor would be better safety wise, but in my case we > practiced the wrong things over and over. I believe we told you to check around for an instructor you got along with. There's a saying experience helping you make good decisions and that experience comes from making poor ones. > A while ago when I asked about instructors some of you said to try and get > several during your certification so you will get many opinions and styles > during your training. You were right. We knew. Now you know too. Lee >>> Contact the agency and tell them what happened. Ask if they can >>> accommodate you with some other instructor in your area. This is, based [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > > Lee The problems I had seemed to be repetitious. I've gone over them so many times in my head now I feel confident I would be far more careful the next time down. I just have to learn to make two or three proper decisions before losing it. I MUST learn to drop my weight belt. I don't know why I dropped my regulator from my hand. I have to straighten my snorkel out after getting into my BC and tank over my head. I think the mouthpiece was caught under my BC. Because our octopus was never attached to our BC, I couldn't grab that either. Lots of solutions after the fact, but little training to use them and not enough calm on my part to do what I had to. Live (thank God) and learn. I "can" clear my mask. :-) We did that about a thousand time. I think the post that said just get your card and then learn to scuba has a point. I can practice lots of emergency procedures if I can get my hands on a tank when I want to. I can also get my card and drop in on my previous instructor's next class this fall to see what I missed and pick up some new pointers. Thanks again. Sheldon "Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :I think the post that said just get your card and then learn to scuba has a :point. I can practice lots of emergency procedures if I can get my hands on :a tank when I want to. I can also get my card and drop in on my previous :instructor's next class this fall to see what I missed and pick up some new :pointers. Better yet, get yer card and travel somewhere nice and have fun diving. Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. > The problems I had seemed to be repetitious. I've gone over them so many > times in my head now I feel confident I would be far more careful the next > time down. Quit doing that. You're making this harder than it is. > I just have to learn to make two or three proper decisions before losing > it. No, you simply learn not to lose it. At first, think about each thing you're going to do as you do it. Later, much of it will become automatic. As long as you can breathe, you have time to think. That, of course, makes you gas supply the last thing you abandon. > I MUST learn to drop my weight belt. I don't know why I dropped my > regulator from my hand. You were only a little out of order. The weight belt is the next to last thing you abandon. On the other hand, probably there will come a time when you'll lose all or some of your weight by accident. It's nice to have experienced it in a non stressful environment before you have to do it for real. Harassment drills, including leaving your stuff on the bottom, etc. are usually, and should be, something done only after you're comfortable with all other skills. > I have to straighten my snorkel out after getting into my BC and tank > over my head. I think the mouthpiece was caught under my BC. One of several reasons why many of us have decided that the best place for our snorkel during a dive is in our dive bag. > Because our octopus was never attached to our BC, I couldn't grab that > either. Not a valid complaint on two levels. First, you have to be able to retreive your alternate air source under all conditions. Even if it's not attached to your BCD, even if it's somewhere behind you, etc. They used to teach the sweep, swinging your arm to hook and recover a regulator. I presume they still do. It's not the most reliable way to get the job done. I usually try it once because it does tend to be the easiest and quickest way to get your regulator when it works. When it doesn't I reach for the one, and only place I know I can find a link to my regulator, the tank valve. No matter where the breathing end of your regulator is, the other end is always at the tank valve. Second, it's your equipment, next time fasten the alternate where you can find it. In diving, no matter what you're told about the buddy system, cross support, etc., personal responsibility is everything. It's your life, take care of it. When you've got your card, come back and ask about necklacing your secondary. Many of us use this method to ensure we always know where it is. You'll hear people refer to it as a DIR innovation. Don't believe them. It predates DIR by several decades. > Lots of solutions after the fact, but little training to use them and not > enough calm on my part to do what I had to. The key is in your sentence. Calm is your friend. The PADI mantra "Stop, Think, Act" applies. It is possibly the best single thing PADI ever did for diving safety. > Live (thank God) and learn. I "can" clear my mask. :-) We did that about > a thousand time. Clearing your mask is proably the most complex, most difficult, most important skill a new diver will learn. It's a good start on the road to good diving. > I think the post that said just get your card and then learn to scuba has > a point. I can practice lots of emergency procedures if I can get my > hands on a tank when I want to. I can also get my card and drop in on my > previous instructor's next class this fall to see what I missed and pick > up some new pointers. Or you can get your card and go diving. If you start simple and progress slowly, all else will come. Lee >> The problems I had seemed to be repetitious. I've gone over them so many >> times in my head now I feel confident I would be far more careful the [quoted text clipped - 73 lines] > > Lee Good stuff, Lee. Thanks for the support. I will say, however, that if I ever lose all my stuff on the bottom I have an American Express Card with no limit. :-D Seriously, I have enough trouble clearing that if I go down without air it's difficult on my part. I run out of air on the way down or suffer ear pain. As long as I have air, and can descend slowly I'm fine. > Good stuff, Lee. Thanks for the support. I will say, however, that if I > ever lose all my stuff on the bottom I have an American Express Card with > no limit. :-D Seriously, I have enough trouble clearing that if I go down > without air it's difficult on my part. I run out of air on the way down > or suffer ear pain. As long as I have air, and can descend slowly I'm > fine. Taking your equipment off and putting it back on underwater is a useful, but rarely necessary skill. Sometimes the easiest way to resolve something is to remove it, or something else, take care of it, and put it back on. For example, If your first stage is tangled in something, it can be quite difficult to get it loose while it's behind you, but simple if you can see what you're doing, so you remove your tank, BCD, etc., resolve the problem, and go on about your dive. When you do that, though, some strange things happen. For example, most divers weight is on their belt while their buoyancy is attached to their tank. Take your tank off, and you're going to find yourself very negative while your gear, and your gas supply, is very positive. It can be an unpleasant surprise until you've experienced and dealt with it. At any rate, swimming down to your gear and recovering is a skill even less likely to be used, but it may still be useful. If you lose your weightbelt, for example, you might have to swim down to get it or, if you sink while untangling your gear, in the situation above, you might have to swim back up to retrieve it. Lee >> Good stuff, Lee. Thanks for the support. I will say, however, that if I >> ever lose all my stuff on the bottom I have an American Express Card with [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > Lee We did a lot of removing and replacing our BC/Tank underwater and on the surface. No problems. I could see where if you were tangled up that might be the best way to resolve it. As for your other examples I'm hanging on to that regulator for dear life. lol Everything on my back can be replaced. > > Contact the agency and tell them what happened. Ask if they can > > accommodate you with some other instructor in your area. This is, based [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > I was not allowed to wear my contacts, but I can't think of any other NAUI > instructors in the area. I did a NAUI course in contacts... -10 and -10.5 so I'm pretty frickin blind. Call NAUI and quote some regs at him if you can find any other options. > > You may not get your next course for free, but unless you ask, it's sure > > you won't. [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Sheldon >> > Contact the agency and tell them what happened. Ask if they can >> > accommodate you with some other instructor in your area. This is, [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > blind. Call NAUI and quote some regs at him if you can find any other > options. My instructor was pretty harsh. "You don't need to see to drown." I think I'm going to take the local PADI course, get the card and then drop in on my original instructor's fall class to get what I missed. Even he said it really doesn't make much difference what card you have. He just likes NAUI because it gives him a lot of leeway when he teaches. "Sheldon" <sheldon@XXXXXXXXsopris.net> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :My instructor was pretty harsh. "You don't need to see to drown." I think :I'm going to take the local PADI course, get the card and then drop in on my :original instructor's fall class to get what I missed. Better yet, get the card and go diving. Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. > >> On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:18:29 -0600, "Sheldon" > [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] > situation. I wish I understood the physics behind the difficulty in > breaking the surface even though it took no effort to get so close. Hey, I'd go with the soft lenses. I use them exclusively and have never lost one. My instructor is letting me do my divemasters wearing soft lenses. When I do skills sans mask I just close my eyes when it's in the pool, chlorine under contact lenses is REALLY not good for your eyes. In the ocean I would close my eyes for a mask clear and just open my eyes and hope for the best if I had to. Like has been said above you can open your eyes without losing them. .. the lenses. I too hate the idea of being completely blind if I lose a script mask. If something goes wrong and you lose your script mask you're boned but if you lose a contact lens you can at least abort the dive on your good eye. You could carry a redundant mask I suppose. If your instructor has a problem with contacts get a new one I'm thinking, or call PADI or whoever and tell them that the "standards" allow it. If that's the case. > Sheldon >> >> On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:18:29 -0600, "Sheldon" >> [quoted text clipped - 80 lines] > or whoever and tell them that the "standards" allow it. If that's the > case. One of the PADI exercises is to scuba without your mask. We already did that. One PADI video showed another diver (buddy) leading a diver with contacts, eyes closed, through the water. I think we can now say it's not the organization but the instructor. My girlfriend has a PADI certification and says she had to go to the bottom of the pool to get her stuff while tangled up in ropes. I think this simulates a death wish. > One of the PADI exercises is to scuba without your mask. We already did > that. One PADI video showed another diver (buddy) leading a diver with > contacts, eyes closed, through the water. I think we can now say it's not > the organization but the instructor. My girlfriend has a PADI certification > and says she had to go to the bottom of the pool to get her stuff while > tangled up in ropes. I think this simulates a death wish. I've never heard of such a ridiculous thing. That would definitely be against PADI standards and if such a thing occurred the instructor should have been reported. > I had to drop out of my scuba class because my instructor did not want me > wearing my contacts (mask off, mask on, mask off, mask on, etc.), and not [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Sheldon I had no problem wearing soft contacts - mask on - mask off - yeah I lost a few - so what - lasic changed that > > Anyway, what's the latest scoop on those who wear glasses/contacts? Should > > I go for soft contacts? RGP contacts (what I wear now)? Should I have [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > I had no problem wearing soft contacts - mask on - mask off - yeah I > lost a few - so what - lasic changed that I never lost one. A couple of times I thought I'd lost one but it had merely floated off to the side of my eyeball. As Kari said, I closed my eyes for dons and doffs, and if I had a flood, I'd clear with eyes closed. IMNSHO, one should use disposables because it is much healthier for your eyes. When diving near home, I had a replacement pair and/or my glasses in the car. When travelling to dive, I didn't have a replacement pair on the boat, but always had replacement pairs back in my room. >> > Anyway, what's the latest scoop on those who wear glasses/contacts? > Should [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > the > boat, but always had replacement pairs back in my room. I agree. I've been told soft is the way to go, but they do act like a petri dish when they pick up any contaminants, so disposible is the way to go when diving. Hi Guys My name is Rob I am an Optician living in Sydney Australia. I have dived a couple of times and I am still to get in to it more. Reason for my post is to let you know that I make Custom prescription scuba masks, we send them to any place in the world that wants them. A Custom prescription scuba mask is obviously the safest bet when diving at depth, there is nothing to lose except the mask itself and that would not happen. I have sent masks to Canada but mainly south east Asia. Visit our website if you wish 'Flash Page' (http://www.ozbobscuba.com) Email or respond to this message if you wish to know more info Regards Rob Ozbob Scuba Australia  SignatureOzbob http://www.scubish.com >Anyway, what's the latest scoop on those who wear glasses/contacts? Should >I go for soft contacts? RGP contacts (what I wear now)? Should I have [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >Sheldon I have just gone the "prescription mask" route - Bi-focal in fact. It's expensive, but I was never one for contacts. My diopters aren't bad at all (-1.25 in both eyes for distance) and up to now I was using a clear lens mask with no correction, but I want to see much more clearly for photography. The bi-focal is for being able to see up-close items. Just make sure your prescription is correct before you invest in the mask. You wouldn't want to have to spend that kind of money again if you need an adjustment to the prescription. Buy 1 pair of simple glasses first and when those are correct, get the mask done. ____________________________________________ Regards, Arnold >>Anyway, what's the latest scoop on those who wear glasses/contacts? >>Should [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > Arnold Oh, I already wear glasses that are dead on, and hard lenses that are dead on. Without them I wouldn't be able to find my car in the parking lot. I see an optometrist on a regular basis. Can't even imagine what it would cost to put Invisiline lenses in a mask, so I'd have to go with my normal script and then get those stick in bifocals so I don't run out of air. > Oh, I already wear glasses that are dead on, and hard lenses that are dead > on. Without them I wouldn't be able to find my car in the parking lot. I > see an optometrist on a regular basis. Can't even imagine what it would > cost to put Invisiline lenses in a mask, so I'd have to go with my normal > script and then get those stick in bifocals so I don't run out of air. Talk to your optometrist to be sure. It's quite possible that the right prescription for above the water is not the right one underwater. Remember, the interface between the water, your mask and the air inside is kind of a lens too. Lee >> Oh, I already wear glasses that are dead on, and hard lenses that are >> dead on. Without them I wouldn't be able to find my car in the parking [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Lee I understand, but my optometrist isn't a diver. Maybe she has some information on prescriptions for divers. > I had to drop out of my scuba class because my instructor did not want me > wearing my contacts (mask off, mask on, mask off, mask on, etc.), and not > being able to see was really causing me problems and setting me back. Made Sheldon, did you get your money back? >> I had to drop out of my scuba class because my instructor did not want me >> wearing my contacts (mask off, mask on, mask off, mask on, etc.), and not >> being able to see was really causing me problems and setting me back. > Made > > Sheldon, did you get your money back? As I said in a previous post, I didn't pay since I teach at the college the scuba course was taught at, and I purchased the NAUI materials on my own well before the class just to be prepared. Also got the PADI material for a different perspective. Only thing I paid for was pool time, and I only missed one day. Not worth it, but thanks for thinking of it. |
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