Hey fellow aged Breezers,

I am now of an age where I have to wear glasses all of the time - both for reading and distance - so multi-focals. I am now noticing that when I am in the surf I have trouble focussing on the incoming waves - and it is annoying the sh!t out of me. I have never used contact lenses before as the Optometrist said I have scarring from sun damage, dry eyes and get Hayfever so I was told I not a good candidate. Plus I do worry about them getting lodged at the back of my eyeball after a dumping

What do others do other that put up with it?

Sorry mate to drop in on ya, I couldn't see ya!

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GreenTea said..
Sorry mate to drop in on ya, I couldn't see ya!

Boom-tish!!

hAv yu twied spek savzzz...?

Cheap prescription sunnies.....
Downside is you need a way to keep them reasonably attached - Ye goode olde strap-on hat shines here (but you wont).
Oakley used to see a great hydrophobic solution to keep the water mostly off... seems to have been removed from the market.
I now just use some board wax. soften it, rub it in, polish it off.

1 day contacts are the go. Dont worrie about dry eyes in the surf mate ive always kept my eyes and mouth shut when getting rag dolled so dislodgement isnt a problem. Btw never lost a contact. I Only ever need them when looking for sets, its not like im Mr magoo in the line up. Any type of glass wear is useless. Only other thing is get laser eye surgery. Goodluck.

Sounds like someone is setting up an excuse for few drop ins

Sorry Didn't see you there mate, I'm going blind.

Sit next to someone with good eyesight and do what they do, go when they go, but just do it quicker so you get the jump on them

Contacts are the go all the way mAte dry eyes or not
sounds like your optometrist is a tripper
Dry eyes not a problem just add moisture solution
i

Thanks Gents - with the contacts are they for single distance or multi-focal...? I know I am not reading books out there...just wondering what I should be looking/asking for.

Single distance for short sightedness
You can then wear reading glasses over the top if your not in the surf
contacts are awesome
In 30 years of wearing them in the surf have probably only lost 5 or 6 but they are disposable anyway so no real drama

I've said g day to blokes I don't know...ignored others that I ve known for years......but best effort was rapping myself after a wave to a bloke I thought was my son only to realise my error as I paddled a bit closer??

My experience with contacts: I was using them for fishing, to avoid paying stupid prices for quality prescription sunnies. Using what's been recommended here - 1 day contacts.
My problem was that just using them once a week, I never really got the hang of putting them in. I'd make my eyes red and sore from trying to get them in. So stopped using them.

They're a great idea, and if I could comfortably get them in at ass o'clock in the morning before going for a surf, I'd probably give them another shot.

Your optemetrist should be able to hook you up with a sample pack (used to be a weeks worth), and a lesson on getting them in.

Cannot be overstated - do not keep them in longer than recommended. My eldest son spent two weeks in hospital and nearly went blind in one eye (and has permanent scarring) from an eye infection from leaving his disposable contacts in for too long. Not good.

Thanks Gents... appreciate the advice. The new Opto I saw last time seems to be a bit more knowledgeable, so will chat to him about it.

I've had the same frustration as my eyesight has diminished over the years. I'm thinking of using one of my old pairs of prescription sunnies to give me some better clarity in the water but will need to find a way to secure them to myself and possibly use some RainX solution on the lenses.

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Jeff J said..
I've had the same frustration as my eyesight has diminished over the years. I'm thinking of using one of my old pairs of prescription sunnies to give me some better clarity in the water but will need to find a way to secure them to myself and possibly use some RainX solution on the lenses.

I'm sure I have seen Gerry Lopez surf with swimming goggles on although he did drop them down on his neck when riding the wave.

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Daneli Returns said..

Jeff J said..
I've had the same frustration as my eyesight has diminished over the years. I'm thinking of using one of my old pairs of prescription sunnies to give me some better clarity in the water but will need to find a way to secure them to myself and possibly use some RainX solution on the lenses.

I'm sure I have seen Gerry Lopez surf with swimming goggles on although he did drop them down on his neck when riding the wave.

something like this
www.zionor.com/product-tag/prescription-swimming-goggles/

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Jeff J said..
I've had the same frustration as my eyesight has diminished over the years. I'm thinking of using one of my old pairs of prescription sunnies to give me some better clarity in the water but will need to find a way to secure them to myself and possibly use some RainX solution on the lenses.

Beware using Rainex. Tried it some years ago and it washed into my eyes off the glasses. Stung like all hell and, of course, couldn't see a thing for a while. I might have applied it wrong - can't remember if you have to polish it off or not. Good tip further up about using wax - must try that. If ever I wear them now I just put up with salt on the lens - you get used to it, sort of. Or without, just paddle hard for the horizon when you see everyone around you doing it.

Wax works well - but took me a couple of attempts to work out what was too much wax and and what point it was polished off too much to be ineffective.

Gotta go in for lasic surgery & new lens to be inserted next Mon. Out of the water again for a while!

"You'll Be Back"

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rattlinbones said..

Jeff J said..
I've had the same frustration as my eyesight has diminished over the years. I'm thinking of using one of my old pairs of prescription sunnies to give me some better clarity in the water but will need to find a way to secure them to myself and possibly use some RainX solution on the lenses.

Beware using Rainex. Tried it some years ago and it washed into my eyes off the glasses. Stung like all hell and, of course, couldn't see a thing for a while. I might have applied it wrong - can't remember if you have to polish it off or not. Good tip further up about using wax - must try that. If ever I wear them now I just put up with salt on the lens - you get used to it, sort of. Or without, just paddle hard for the horizon when you see everyone around you doing it.

I have an old pair of the Oakley Water Jackets with recently replaced lenses. Mine are non optic but Oakley probably made an RX (prescription) version back in the day.

I have not used them for ages (last time was wake surfing in the river) but confirming that I never had an issue with the solution getting in my eyes.

They use a different lens solution to Rainex. the one I have is branded Oakley and called Hydrophobic Lens Solution. perhaps it is Rainex in an Oakley bottle?

Application involves squeezing a little onto the microfibre'ish cloth and then rubbing the wet spot from the cloth onto the lenses (front and back). The lenses go a bit cloudy / smeary. Let the solution sit on the lenses for about 5 minutes or so before buffing the lenses with the Oakley sunglass bag. I usually do a second coat. The lenses should look clear once coated, like normal clean sunglass lenses.

The sunglasses / solution works pretty well. After a while salt build up does occur but as rattlinbones says, you kind of get used to that. And perhaps its coffee time at that stage before going out again.

This has inspired me to whack 'em on again sometime when conditions are bright.

There was a nice old guy in the surf the other day.
At times it looked like he was doing a Timeout sign which I thought was some old school trick to line up his take off spot relative to the cliffs. turns out he has poor eye sight and was checking how many crew were in the firing line.
His board is around 10' and 4" thick. wouldn't want to get hit by it, it's an absolute beast.
He didn't run over anyone.

Had the laser eye surgery to zap cataract & new lens inserted. Unreal tech, bit of pain overnight, back to eye Dr today, sat in chair looked at letters on screen read them off, Dr said nearly 20/20 !! Still sore & no surf, swim heavy exercises for 2 wks & drops 4 times/day.

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unclethirsty said..
Had the laser eye surgery to zap cataract & new lens inserted. Unreal tech, bit of pain overnight, back to eye Dr today, sat in chair looked at letters on screen read them off, Dr said nearly 20/20 !! Still sore & no surf, swim heavy exercises for 2 wks & drops 4 times/day.

Wow! Fantastic result

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surf1ng said..

unclethirsty said..
Had the laser eye surgery to zap cataract & new lens inserted. Unreal tech, bit of pain overnight, back to eye Dr today, sat in chair looked at letters on screen read them off, Dr said nearly 20/20 !! Still sore & no surf, swim heavy exercises for 2 wks & drops 4 times/day.

Wow! Fantastic result

Wow what he said

I have scaring on my eye which is now becoming a real bitch .

On the glasses thing ,I tried a few and they were all a pain in the arse

Tried a wide brimmed surf hat and the direct light away from my eyes made a massive difference for how I can see

I did see a bloke out with a gath helmet with a full tinted visor that would work a treat as well

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chrispy said..

surf1ng said..

unclethirsty said..
Had the laser eye surgery to zap cataract & new lens inserted. Unreal tech, bit of pain overnight, back to eye Dr today, sat in chair looked at letters on screen read them off, Dr said nearly 20/20 !! Still sore & no surf, swim heavy exercises for 2 wks & drops 4 times/day.

Wow! Fantastic result

Wow what he said

I have scaring on my eye which is now becoming a real bitch .

On the glasses thing ,I tried a few and they were all a pain in the arse

Tried a wide brimmed surf hat and the direct light away from my eyes made a massive difference for how I can see

I did see a bloke out with a gath helmet with a full tinted visor that would work a treat as well

Agreed on the hat. I use the wide brimmed style surf hat as my default sun protection when surfing. it works a treat. Handy in a strong offshore too.

Gaths. And look like a RoboCop bad ass, pretty cool. I'd imagine the visors would need the same kind of water beading solution as sunglasses? And possibly more prone to visual distortion because of the large curved shape?

I'm in the same boat and really struggled over the years especially on really glassy mornings.
Funny thing was though that I was renowned for my very late takeoffs which many thought was just skillful and gutsy - truth was I never saw the waves till they were on me and by then I just paddled and prayed