I've just been diagnosed with a "pterygium". Had never heard of it before, it's obviously quite common in Australia, it's a growth on the conjunctiva... Frequent condition in people with excess outdoor exposure to sunlight and wind... It figures...
I'm not too fuss about it, but I'm still surprised by how quickly it came: I've been kiting for 3 years but have always worn sunglasses when kiting and never had problems. I suspect the damage to come from surfing, when I don't protect my eyes. I've been surfing for less than a year so I'm aware that if I'm not more careful, I will get complications.
I don't think there's any eye wear that can possibly stay on when surfing... I'm now wondering if there's anything else I can do than stop surfing during the bright hours of the day... Which is a bit of a bummer...
Are there any people affected with this condition who found a way to minimize the damage?
Any suggestion on how I can protect my eyes more efficiently when in the surf?
Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts and experiences.

Oakley Waterjackets, They are ridiculously expensive but I have been surfing with them for 7 years (2 pairs) and they are the only brand (i have tried several) that work really well for kiting and surfing. Not as nice as none but hey you only get one set of eyes.

Forgot to mention dont get the the polarising lenses (more expensive anyway) they make it really hard when kiting to judge where the surface of the water is when you are landing jumps, but they are fine for surfing unless you are doing big airs I guess? Sun is f...ing strong in tassie with no ozone layer and they work for me.

Em, get on ebay, there is a company in Florida where you get three pairs of waterjacket like sunnies ( or choose from a heap of other styles) with straps to keep em on your noggin, surf/kite/sail for about $50 delivered, they arrive in about 10 days. I have been using them for months, excellent and it wont hurt so much ($$$) if I lose a pair. Keep others for spare or for mates.

seaspecs ...don't know why they couldn't be worn surfing. have you tried them em...55 dollars each.. buy two and get a third one free

What about those super cool Gath helmets with the visorYou could be like Surf Vader or Darth Kiter.

Camo

I'd be reluctant to get sunglasses on ebay. Australia has strict standards when it comes to UV protection of sunnies and all imports for resale must comply. I think a way a seller could bypass these standards is to sell on ebay, I may be wrong but as a photographer I am not taking any chances. I use a pair of sunnies called "Fuglies" that you can get from a local fishing store, they work a treat for surfing and kitesurfing plus they are padded a little near the eyes. A good 'dedicated' brand goes a long way. WHATEVER YOU DO DONT GET THOSE GOGGLE LIKE SUNNIES! They fog up, are annoying, and fill up with water. Hope your eyes get better soon Em.

Already do wear Seaspecs for kiting and they work great. Didn't have any eye trouble when I was only kitesurfing. It's only been this past year, I started noticing my eyes were really painful when surfing, often had to get out cause couldn't keep my eyes open any more... Then would get foggy for the rest of the day, like when after swimming at the pool... I don't get it when kiting so it's when surfing I need to be more careful.
I'm still spending more time getting smashed than riding, and I would lose any pair of glasses within 2mn... Besides getting good, what can I do????

invest in a surfing simulator? Surf in England???

i had a pterygium removed from my eye in 1991 in an operation they chuck drops in as anesetic and you watch the doctor scrap it off your eye...for the next week i was disorientated and lost my balance and couldn't drive my car.
leaving it in your eye won't kill you ,its just that you have that feeling of a piece of sand in your eye.
when you're surfing i suspect for the early morning sessions its hard to not to look into the sun when its on the horizon. Sunnies can help but they're a pain in the behind.
i've had no problems with my eye since i just avoid the direct sun and always squint if i am looking into the sun.
no solution for them sorry,,

I'm trialing some of these at the moment as I have lost my sea specs:

www.rebelsport.com.au/?action=view&id=1096314&cat=204

They do an ok job - totally seal out the water spray getting in your eyes. You do get some water leak in if you have a stack, but generally they are ok. Fogging can be an issue when first getting in the water - but a spit and they are great.

The silicon seal around the rim forms a seal on your skin, applying positive pressure - the strap helps them stay on but the positve pressure does that as well. I haven't had them come off yet (just leak a little after a stack)

I have used ones from Barz Optics. They are more like dark goggles, if I spit in the they don't have too many probs with fogging.

They also have a strap that you can clip to your rashie or wettie so you don't loose them when they come off. I've had a few mates loose their oakley ones.

Plus with the goggle type you can dive down and have a look around between sets.

quote:

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Originally posted by chronic
i just avoid the direct sun and always squint if i am looking into the sun.

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Sorry to be a pain in the Rs chronic but that wont help - at all !
Doc tells me water reflected UV is the worst culprit - by a long shot Guess that means even peaked hats would be marginal
Glasses suk but fwiw I use seadogs, no fog & great warranty (from SOS). Best Ive tried
Hint (4 any glasses) - run a dribble of superglue round the inside edge of the lenses. They'll never pop out when u stack

Check these out, they are expensive but so is a seeing eye dog.

www.kurtisusa.com/surfshack/goggles.html

Superflex so no probs in the surf. As for all the cheap sunnies out there don't bother, get a good pair, you need them polarised so as they stop the glare, the mian cause of eye problems. I have been using water jackets for 3 years now, no probs with them at all, besides being held together by a bit of string!!

It is amazing kiters spend $1500 on a new kite but won't protect their eyes for a couple of hundred.

Another possible solution, from left field, is to get some contact lenses. You can get ones that are 100% UV proof. If you're not blind I believe you can get them with zero corrective effect too. Only problem is you'll need a prescription.

Thanks for your input guys.
I’ve checked out all the products mentioned and there definitely are some suitable options.
Looked at the Rebel Sport, the Seadog, the Kurtis Surf goggles, the Waterjackets (which looked very much like my Seaspecs in a lot more expensive), The Fuglies (definitely the best value, just afraid they’d be like my Seaspecs there too: they’re really great for kiting, but just don’t hold on enough to remain there when smashed by a wave… Has anyone actually tested them surfing?), the Surf Goggles seem perfect even if the price’s a bit painful (but I totally agree with you Bowski : my eyes? Priceless…). Now, Captain’, I’ve looked for the ones you mentioned and they’re my favourite so far as I think that, out of the lot, they’re more likely to be the ones to remain on my head during a wipe out -unless those were precisely the ones Echostorm was urging me not to get-…. But if not, well, looking like a bee has never killed anybody! Has anyone else tried the Barz Optics? And does anyone know if there’s any other way to buy them than online? -cause I like to try before I buy... -
Thanks again for all your responses!

I have been using Oakley waterjackets (with my prescription in them) underneath a gath helmet for surfing for the last 6 years and kiting the last 3 years, had no problems and unless the gath gets physically ripped off your head, the glasses can't come off. Had the usual share of horror crashes when learning to kite and plenty of time in moderate surf (3-6ft) in order to test how solid they are, it's all been good.

Others in my line of work up here in NQ (marine ecologists) have suffered pterigia and had the painful operation - wearing the sunnies when on or in the water, no matter what, is really the only option for us now. Also worth mentioning sunspots (solar keratoses) and skin cancers too - within 18months of starting to kite my lower lip started scabbing up and developing splits which wouldn't heal. Biopsy revealed aggressive keratosis, have had it frozen off 3 times, and due to have it cut out next week.

So.

Now put the sunnies on, put a lycra hood over the top of that, then the gath over the top of the lot! Hood covers the lips and have not had burnt lips since using it. Looks like Darth Vader and you can't talk very well through it but hey - we are here to kite, not chat, right?? Anything that gets me more time on the water is all good - you can't kite while recovering from a pterigia operation nor a lip excision, and you can't kite at all if you have died from skin cancer.

have a good weekend!

Andy

Go Polarized. I surf, kite, sail and wouldn't dream of wearing something else. They’re a bit more expensive (especially when you lose them) but there a lot cheaper than trying to buy a new set eye balls (which they don't make yet).

As for UV contacts I don't know if they make them but being a contact wearer (not by choice). Contacts suck in the water especially in the surf and I'm always worried about mine falling out unfortunately I don't have a choice and I don't want someone pointing a laser at my eyes.

I've used sea specs and they worked really well, but are looking around because I seemed to have lost them in the move at the end of last summer. One thing you can do (thanks for the trick Steve) is to tie a loop of string on the head strap that can loop around your neck so when and if they get washed off your head they stay around your neck, don't use the thinnest piece of rope you can find though. Not sure how that would feel in the surf but I'm guessing it would be that pleasant although it maybe betters that losing the sunnies.

Good luck with the eyes.

An idea is to go to the markets where you can buy sunglasses REALLY cheap.
They have to have Aus certification for UV protection to be sold here.

You buy a few pairs and treat them as disposable.

Also,you can get high quality safety glasses at the hardware stores that are good.

hey em, i've had 3 pterygiums removed, 2 from one eye and 1 from the other. the longer you leave them the bigger they get and the more painful it is to get them cut off. my advice is to see an eye specialist and get it done asap.
i am yet to find sunnies that work on the water, they all either come off, fog up, or the lenses pop inwards when you stack.

Hey Em,

Have you tried looking to the left of the counter in the shop you work at?? Not bad range you'll find! Might even cut you a discount off retail!

How do you keep the glasses clean from salt spray???
Have found RainX best so far, any better products out there?

We used Rainx on our sunnies for the Warrell 1000 catamaran race in the US. It was the best thing we found. Oakely sell something similar but cost a fair whack more.

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WINDSURFnSNOW said...

Hey Em,

Have you tried looking to the left of the counter in the shop you work at?? Not bad range you'll find! Might even cut you a discount off retail!

Thanks for the offer, very kind of you...
Had a look before posting, indeed. LOL...
Too similar to my seaspecs: I've put them to the test in small surf today and they did want to come off quite often (I don't quite masterize the art of getting smashed....).
So, still looking....
Now if there's something I should have seen on the left of the counter that I didn't (which wouldn't be that surprising either... (remember, my vision's going bad! )), feel free to stick it under my nose (or in this case, on it ...).

i personal have found to be the best eye and face protection is to use the auto darking welding helmets.. great for them boosts that i get so close to the sun with..

Try blueye squid or tadpole (blueye.com.au) good value sunglasses.

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em said...

WINDSURFnSNOW said...

Hey Em,

Have you tried looking to the left of the counter in the shop you work at?? Not bad range you'll find! Might even cut you a discount off retail!

Thanks for the offer, very kind of you...
Had a look before posting, indeed. LOL...
Too similar to my seaspecs: I've put them to the test in small surf today and they did want to come off quite often (I don't quite masterize the art of getting smashed....).
So, still looking....
Now if there's something I should have seen on the left of the counter that I didn't (which wouldn't be that surprising either... (remember, my vision's going bad! )), feel free to stick it under my nose (or in this case, on it ...).

You could try tieing them with a line to your wetsuit or add a key float so if they do come off you can retrieve them. I don't think anything will always stay on during big surfing crashes so maybe you just have to accept that if it does come off you may have to retrieve it.

Thought I'd throw that one back in cause happy endings rock...
Shortly after posting this topic, it got determined I had two lesions on my eye, one of them looking serious. I was told to follow an eye drop treatment, while avoiding sun exposure, and if by my next appointment the ulcere was still the same, I'd have to get sample taken to determine how threatening it was.
I really paid attention at that point, so on top of religiously putting my eye drops, I made sure I was wearing sunglasses even when driving or walking around (never used to), kept on wearing my seaspecs at all times when kiting and, not finding suitable sunglasses for the task, even gave up surfing for 6 weeks (thought it could be wise to give my eyes a chance to heal while doing the treatment...).
I had my appointment yesterday.
The diagnosis I got was the last one I expected (I had prepared myself psychologically to hear all sorts of apocalyptic news...).
After only 2 months of treatment, the main lesion is gone, the pterygium has considerably reduced and seems to be on his way to completely disappear...
It's so weird as I had read that there isn't really a way to get rid of them other than through surgery. Obviously wrong (unless I'm that one case in a million!).
It seems that if noticed early enough and looked after properly, it is possible to get a pterygium to heal and disappear...
Thought that was some news worth sharing!
I hope this will encourage more people to get checked, whether it's for their eyes or their skin. We all tend to assume we're not at risk until something actually goes wrong, when a bit of sunscreen and a good pair of sunglasses go a long way....

See you all out there (through polarized lenses... )
Em

Hi Em

Thats excellent news. Maybe the body can heal itself of many things we are told it cannot? I suspect thats the case, but always get proper advice for sure (and more than one opinion before submitting to an op)

My eyes improved amazingly, after I stopped smoking! ( I did not stop for that reason) Maybe you don't smoke anymore, I have no idea, and only wanting to help, so many things with my health improved after I stopped smoking, I just wanted to pass the info on?
In my case I was having to wear prescription lenses for driving and now I don't.

I was told that the eyes are one of the worst affected organs in the body by toxins and poisons, which are commonly found in smoke.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

I wear contacts - have always worn sunnies to stop that splash lense removal trick found lurking in the odd wave.
In approx 2002 I bought LAVA Aqua Shades. Wrap around shape, soft frame etc went water skiing (Big stacks) / kiting / bboarding - eventually wore out - (frame split across bridge). They came with the usual water spec strap and also a priest collar - = 2 cm wide elastic strap with a little plastic clip sewn in - comfy fit around neck not abrasive - When in water attached strap to collar they rarely came off my face when they did, the collar earned its keep.
The reason they lasted so long - they did not have a hinge on the arms & the strap was integrated into the arm not stuck on as an after thought.

I think LAVA went belly up - but I still use the collar on others bought since - currently fairly happy with Dirty Dog aqua's dare I mention them (http://www.kitepower.com.au/catalog/category_318_Wetsuits__Eyewear.html) great service - I stop fogging with AquaSeal Sea Drops (www.mcnett.com) picked up in a dive shop locally. - needs regular application.

So try wraps - make/buy an elastic collar (S&M shop probably has a great range!!) get a small plastic clip to easily attach specs strap to collar - if U knock that lot off U probably need the helmet option for head protection!!

Yeah I've got pterygium" and for years my doctor said the same..tried most of them. The goggles are a waste of time if your doing a long downwinder..I'm getting some of the fugglies after trying on someone elses.
In the meantime I'll just keep squinting and looking downwards at the glare.