Contacts / Glasses

[skip 0]

I’m sure this is a topic that has been discussed over and over here and over on .rec, however I’ve only been lurking around for a few months and have never seen it. Basically I am starting AFP soon, and I’m freaking really blind. I can’t function without my contacts in or glasses on. Now I have been on 4 tandem jumps and had no problems with my contacts, however I just wanted to hear other opinions on the matter. Glasses under goggles, contacts under goggles, prescription goggles, what about contacts under goggles with a back up pair of glasses tucked away somewhere? So lets hear from all the blind people!!!!
Thanks.
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[FallinWoman 1]

I wear contact under my goggles every jump. never had a problem. I made sure that my goggles sealed pretty tightly around my eyes, though!

[freaksister 0]

I wear contacts under my goggles...I too make sure they are nice and tight. I think I had a contact in backwards one day because it popped out during freefall and stuck to the inside of the goggle! hehe I didn't have any major problems or anything.
I have seen a few people wear glasses under their goggles and a fewer number who wear prescription goggles.
Whatever your decision, try to keep a backup of *something*...I take a pair of glasses in case, but I have not tried wearing them under goggles; they are an old prescription and I don't like them.
On another note, as most of you know, I am having LASIK surgery soon so I am incredibly thrilled about that! It will be sooo nice.
No worries, bro, lots of people jump who can't see without glasses or contacts so you're not alone! You can even learn to skydive if you are legally blind, but let's hope we don't have to go there!
How "really freaking blind" are you anyway? I am told I am somewhere around a -5.50 with a double astigmatism...or approximately 20/400 as a conservative estimate. I just know I can't even read a book without my contacts unless its RIGHT in front of my face!
Cheers and good luck in your jump training! You'll do fine.
Sis
I lust for the ultimate rush...

[Slowfaller 0]

Contacts are never a problem.
When I wear my glasses I use the Flexivision Monster goggles and they work fine. If you take you goggles off for canopy flight be careful. I was taking off my goggles once and the strap caught my glasses and knocked off. I caught 'em in mid air and just about crapped my pants for almost losing my glasses. One of those straps is a really good idea to keep your glasses on you noggin'
CHris
" You're having the time of my life, and I think you've got it right" Jets to Brazil

[Michele 1]

Hey, Sis

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somewhere around a -5.50 with a double astigmatism...

I was -5.50 (left) and -5.75 (right), double astigmatism, as well. After lasik, I am 20/20, no astigmatism. And I paid more for it than the average, too. There's something about getting a doctor you trust to cut on your eyes that's most important.
Good luck on your surgery, and hope the job interview went well...
ciels-
M
"What of the dreams that never die? Turn to your left at the end of the sky".
~e e cummings~

[btvr 0]

I also wear contacts and I've never had a problem either. I wear the flexvision googles and they are fine. Todays soft contacts like to stay in your eyes. I would even ride a motorcycle with the visor up, going around 40 mph or so, granted it's not 120 as in freefall but they wouldn't budge. Some times I even forget I have them in. So any decent pair of googles should suffice. I should keep an extra pair (contacts) in the car. I think I'll start. Also, even if one came out, the other eye would be enough to land. If glasses fall off for whatever reason then both eyes are screwed... Blue skies

[freaksister 0]

Thanks, Michele! That's sweet!
I think the interview went well...I'll know in a few days.
I agree that you should feel good about the Dr. doing the surgery too.
Off to fill out the financing form!
Hugs,
Sis
I lust for the ultimate rush...

[Zennie 0]

I've worn contacts under my goggles, but I hate contacts so now I just wear my glasses in my Z1.
Only problem I've had with glasses is that they fog up right when I get under canopy so I need to flip up my visor.
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Zennie
"I know the pieces fit. 'Cause I watched them fall away..."
--Tool

[mouth 0]

I wear contacts often under my helmet (full face). Most of the time I don't have a problem but every now and then one blows out never to be seen or heard from again. Keep a spare pair just in case.

[Brokeneagle 0]

I used to wear over-the-glasses goggles over me specs--still do when I want my face to be seen for a specialty jump photo op or something like that. I also have a Z-1 fullface helmet that I wear my glasses under. I've never had much of a fogging problem with either, in winter the fullface is GREAT-- in summer the wind feels wonderful, but you have to make sure your goggles are tight enough to stay on in freefall-- 's tough as hell to catch goggles or glasses that fly off yer face!
Brokeneagle.
I'm really very gentle, no matter what my kung-fu teacher says...

[Milo 0]

I always wore glasses while jumping until today. I've jumped 42 student jumps. (21 jumps in 1997 and 21 this year)
With goggles over glasses I had problems twice. Once when my goggles flew up and my glasses got disloged and I grabbed them and put them in my pocket so I wouldn't lose them. The spot was fine and I could roughly see the peas, I don't remember the landing but it wasn't off the dz.
The other I had a bad body position when I opened, my arm hit my helmet and one of the lenses of my glasses popped out and fell to the bottom of my goggles. I had to land with only one eye. It screwed up my depth perception and I flared high and ended up with grass stains on my knees. It shouldn't have been traumatic, but it was. I decided then to get rid of the glasses.
The next day I made my appointment to be evaluated for LASIK. I have enough to worry about while skydiving. Vision doesn't have to be one of them.
I hope folks with contacts do better than I did with glasses, but I don't know, I never jumped with contacts.
I made my first jump, post LASIK, today. I flared high but that was my own fault, I think.
Milo

[Geoff 0]

I've worn soft contacts on all of my 500+ jumps, and I'm reasonably blind without them (-4.50 prescription).
Lost a couple in freefall with goggles on, both in my first 30-40 jumps. Maybe my eyes were bulging with tension or fear then! but I've had no problem since.
Once I accidentally flicked a lens out while putting my goggles on in the plane. Jumped one-eyed and landed fine.
I've also had my goggles come off in freefall a couple of times and continued the jump with screwed-up eyes. Perhaps surprisingly, I kept my lenses no problem.
I always have some spares at the DZ just in case (mainly so I can drive home safely afterwards).
Overall, it seems a lot less hassle than goggles-over-glasses or prescription goggles.
Hope this helps
Geoff

[Merrick 0]

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"Overall, it seems a lot less hassle than goggles-over-glasses or prescription goggles."

I hear ya Geoff, I've worn glasses for about 13 years, just never bothered to get contacts.... that is, until I started skydiving. I did my first 20 jumps or so with goggles over my glasses, and while I didn't really have any problems with that set up... it was annoying as hell! They'd fog up if the weather was even remotely cold, the speed in freefall makes them 'jiggle' around making it harder to see your altimeter & even enjoy the experience, and it's just simply uncomfortable (I'd always end up taking the goggles off under canopy). I decided after I was done with my student progression that I would get lasik or contacts.... well, contacts are cheaper so that's what I have now. I love 'em, haven't had a bit of trouble with them in my Z1 or in just plain goggles, they haven't popped out yet.... even had one jump where I forgot to close my face shield on my helmet & they still didn't come out (f'd that one up, struggled for half the dive trying to get my face shield closed lol).
Anyway, either are fine, but I definitely prefer my contacts to glasses when jumping!
"If words were wisdom, I'd be talkin' even more.."

[SkydiveMonkey 0]

I used to wear contacts, but now I just settle with my glasses - never had a problem with either of them. As long as you wear goggles that'll fit nicely over the glasses, you'll be fine !!
Don't pull low - unless you are !!
http:// www.skydiveupsc.com

[Tee 0]

I am not completely blind (-2.5) but I still wouldn't attempt to land without my glasses. (though it may provide some good entertainment for the spectators) Generally I wear my glasses or sun glasses under my full face helmet but I have also worn my contacts under some good tight fitting goggles and have never had a problem.
Tee

[mountainman 0]

I have been wearing contacts ever since I started and have not had much of a problem with them. Only, I get stuff in them a lot which makes a problem when you are on jump run, but it normally comes out. Also, on my AFF VI, my goggles came off in freefall and I was lookin at my alti. I couldn't believe it, but my contacts didn't come out or move in my eye. They were really DRY though.
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Boogie pics coming!!!

[GrumpySmurf 0]

Heh, funny you should ask - had the left lens pop in freefall (am -6.5/-7.0) during AFP - still managed to read the alti, pull at the right altitude and landed fine - kind of funny to see the lens glued to the inside of the goggles and knowing there is nothing you can do about it until after you land. Bring spares if you got disposables and invest in a good pair of goggles (ones that will fit snug, but are not uncomfortable) - I use a pair of mirrored Soarz - seem to work fine for me *shrug*.

[skymama 35]

I wear glasses under my full face helmet. The only time I ever had a problem was when I went through some industrial haze, and they fogged up really badly. I'm not as blind as some of you are, so I was able to tilt my head so I could look through the visor without looking through the glasses and landed fine.
Andrea
The brave may not live forever, but the timid may not live at all.

[favaks 0]

I was on a quest to find the best solution, goggles over glasses, prescription goggles, goggles over contacts, ect.. I even considered refractive surgery, but it scared me away. My vision is about where Tee is, between -2.5 to -3.0. The best and cheapest goggles to wear over contacts is Flexon. I taped all the holes and never had any problem when doing relative work. Seldomly, if I put the goggles on wrong and do some really funky freeflying moves, then one of the two contacts gets blown off. I'm using daily disposable contacts so I just replace it on the next jump if I have to--these are relatively cheap, I got 90 pairs for $120.
-favaks

[jacksonwr 0]

I have been jumping for a couple of years now and have had problems with my contacts a few times. If my goggles are not tight enough during a track, the goggles will lift and a lens will blow off my eye. I have gone to a full face helmet and haven't had any problems. Regardless if I'm waring goggles or my full face I always have a back up, either glasses or spare contacts
The majority of the people I know that where glasses wear them under goggles. I only know one person that has perscription goggles.
Good luck
Randy