Contacts and Surfing

comments [ 7 ]September 18, 2008 at 02:50 PM

votes [ 1 ]posted by drmikemorton under Surfing

Many of us are caught in the dilemma of having to wear contact lenses while surfing.  All of your eye doctors will tell you to throw away your contacts after surfing due to the fact that the lenses have become contaminated with a wide variety of pathogens.  These pathogens are opportunistic and when given the opportunity can cause vision threatening eye infections.  So what do you do?  You are caught in a dilemma of throwing away about ten dollars every time I surf or take the risk and continue wearing the lenses.   The better option is to let your eye care professional know you surf and want to try a daily contact lens.  There are several brands that you can try all excellent. Focus Dailies and Acuvue Moist lenses are the two big players in the market and both equally good.  The lenses can be disposed of immediately after a session and fresh pathogen free lenses can be applied.  There are some limitations to the prescriptions in terms of the amount of prescription (i.e. astigmatism); however they will be able to cover most prescriptions. 

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Comments

September 20, 2008 at 10:02 PM lvtowns

Thats great advice, and you can use that 10 bucks to pay for parking, or some good breakfast after an early morning surf session.

September 20, 2008 at 10:07 PM anonymous

I live in Orange County, CA. Could you recommend a good optomitrist in the area with contact information?

September 24, 2008 at 10:19 AM drmikemorton1

Which part of OC.  I know many good docs in the area. 

September 26, 2008 at 10:00 AM anonymous

I've been using soft monthly contact lenses in water for more than 10 years and somtimes weeks in row and every day. To my experience, the fit is much better and they stay much cleaner (expecially in salt water). I can wear them much longer.

Unless you swim in wastewater, I don't think that the risk is any higher than when wearing them on the street.

September 26, 2008 at 10:35 AM drmikemorton1

That’s great you have not had any problems with your contacts.  The recommendations I have made, and will be made by anyone of your doctors, will be to discard the lenses after any encounter with water.  Having seen the complications of contact lens abuse first hand I will never say it is okay to wear lenses as you have described.  The risks certainly outweigh the benefits.  There are organisms such as Acanthamoeba, an amoeba commonly found in fresh and salt water, which can cause serious infections of the cornea permanently scarring the cornea and permanently decreasing your vision.  And in regard to your comment about waste water, unfortunately that is exactly where our waste is dumped.  Although the sewage is treated many organism are still present in the water when it leaves the sewage treatment plant.   For more information regarding your local beach in California go to the following website; healthebay.org       

September 29, 2008 at 06:55 PM drmikemorton1

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