Poster: A snowHead
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Levi215 wrote: |
I haven't read all responses but my experience seems to differ from most. I've been skiing 4 years and got glasses last year, skied with contacts a couple of weeks ago for the first time. I have an astigmatism so the contacts aren't bang on and are weighted to avoid rotation so maybe not a typical lens user. That said, I found that I lost a lens pretty much every day and during runs the lens would rotate so my vision would blur (plenty of blinking required to get it back). I think the lenses dried and came out (soft dailies) so the last couple of days I skied without. Had goggles on for all of it. |
Sounds like they're drying out. I have astigmatism but there isn't a daily lens on the market afaik that corrects both the astigmatism and the dry eye problem. For me, being able to wear contacts is more important than having perfect vision, so I use Total 1 lenses that stay moist. I have never lost a lens since switching to these. Vision is still very good, but text can be harder to read than with my glasses. It's not really a problem when skiing.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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For those who have mentioned reading map issues with lenses, I agree but I do carry a pair of very slim reading glasses they are 12mm in height and fit into a cigar size case and fit into a pocket easily.. think they cost me £10 online.. rule of thumb if your lenses are -2.00 buy +2.00 reading lenses.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Skied for many years with soft contact lenses. Never had a problem.
Now I only use the lenses in heavy snow, I wear prescription sunglasses the rest of the time.
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After 30 odd years of glasses (and a very short try of contacts in the 90's) I skied in daily contacts for the first time last March. Don't know why I didn't try them before!
Sure beats messing around with steamed up goggles and glasses.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Anyone who has struggled with contact lenses in the past, I would suggest try new contact lenses, the technology has moved on recently and the lenses are thinner, softer and let more oxygen through. Great for skiing and all sports except swimming, as you need to wear goggles so they don't get pushed out the eyes which looks a bit stupid when you're sunbathing in some exotic location.
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Gas perm lenses for me. Much better overall vision than softs, easier if also astygmatic. Worn them for many a year. Literal pain if you get bits in them, but fortunately rare ( get to be an expert at cl extract, wash with tiny cl solution pocket bottle & reinsrt whilst in snowy hoolie!)
Only real issue I have is that they dry and get uncomfy once I stop and go indoors into a warmer environment, e.g. shop or hotel room; OK once remove, clean & reinsert.
Wear goggles, sunnies maybe: but usually find wind in eyes makes them water just due to skiing at normal recreational speeds.
No problems at any temp or weather conditions - but agree with the suncream (+sweat) issue.
These days, being older, the reading glasses are in an accessible pocket. (Apparently, you can get varifocal contacts now.)
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Wed 17-05-17 17:28; edited 1 time in total
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@Grizzler, gas perm is rather old hat on the lens front...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@under a new name, I went to Specsavers recently, wanting to get some softs. Optician basically refused, saying GPs were much superior, especially in vision quality, and that she wouldn't offer softs to someone already wearing GPs as I'd be mightily disappointed.
Yes they may be a tad more faff to put in and settle (tho' with luck about by 30 secs at the moment) - but Specsavers got me a really comfy, well-fitting pair and I'm very happy with them, superb distance vision (the rest is age anyway). Did try softs about 5 years ago & couldn't get anywhere near the same quality of distance vision in them, nor as good a correction for the astigmatism.
Wouldn't therefore discount them at all as yesterday's news.
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I ski with one contact lens in my right eye. I find this waters more than my left eye (cannot definitively blame this on the contact lens of course). The effect for me is slightly worse with sunnies (wrap around) than goggles - which much diminish but not eradicate the problem entirely. While it can sometimes blear (is this a word? ) the vision when skiing fast the effect it is not that big a deal. Non of this is a deal breaker. I won't contemplate glasses under googles, all that misting up etc. until I absolutely have to. On the upside is that the lens tends to be well enough lubricated that it lasts for a couple of apres-ski beers without drying out. I carry drops though for later in the evening or change to glasses. It is inside not outside that drys out the eyes on ski trips - at least again for me.
Id give it a go - everyone's eyes are different but chances are you'll be fine. Good tip re spares (although I can't actually recall having to bother using it). Unless your contact lens are bog standard i.e. just prescription and not customised for astygmatism or something the I'd be wary of relying on the local supermarket to stock what you need. In some countries they won't even give you contact lens - they insist on you having an eye test whilst others do indeed sell them in the supermarket. Best to take you own surplus supply - I do - or at least find out before you go.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Grizzler, maybe it's to do with the astigmatism?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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MogulMonkey wrote: |
For those who have mentioned reading map issues with lenses, I agree but I do carry a pair of very slim reading glasses they are 12mm in height and fit into a cigar size case and fit into a pocket easily.. think they cost me £10 online.. rule of thumb if your lenses are -2.00 buy +2.00 reading lenses. |
Interesting. I took a small magnifying glass on a trekking holiday for similar issue.. Worked a treat and now plan to take it on ski trips. Fits in pocket nicely. Much easier than squinting...
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@under a new name, certainly, historically, GPs were much easier/better for correcting astigmatism ( 'toric' lenses); though they offer this in softs too. They also seemed to last longer as useable good vision lenses if your glasses prescription kept changing (in my case getting more and more short sighted). Finally they do just technically give clearer overall vision, apparently.
All to do with them riding on a 'tear film' over the corneas rather than right on it as softs do.
They also, historically, allowed more oxygen to the eye than softs. I have extra blood vessels in my eye because of over use of old softs many years ago, and they still see this as a potential issue, I gather, even with much better softs these days.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Grizzler, i wear GPs day to day but for sports always use dailies, found them much better.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Lenses are great! Completely changed the way I see things when skiing - can't believe that I waited so long to use them. I use soft dailies.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Grizzler, I had the same problem with branchimg about 25 years ago and found that while soft lenses might be making me blind, gas permeables felt like it. Working with horses was a nightmare as every bit of dust feels like a shovel full of gravel on your eye. Soft lenses are now much more permeable and the toric monthly disposables are fantastic.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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When I skied wearing daily disposable contact lenses they sometimes blew right off my eye, even when I was wearing goggles. Fortunately I never lost two simultaneously. I used to ski with eyes half shut to keep the lenses in place.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Jehu, that shouldn't happen. There are lots of different daily lenses these days, so if you have a problem talk to your optician and try a different brand/material that suits you better.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Jehu, you can't be serious, although I am sure you are.
Weird. Should not happen!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Like many people have said on here, I ski in soft daily disposable contact lenses and never give it a second thought. I don't even take spares up the mountain with me, although maybe I should think about that.
Again, like many people have said, I always wear sunglasses and I hate goggles, so I only wear goggles when it's actually snowing quite hard.
All I can really add is that I buy saftety sunglasses, because they are cheap, so I don't care if I lose them and they give 99.9% UV protection. Because they are wraparound they keep the wind out of my eyes nicely. These are the ones I use normally:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-reinforcer-fire-mirror-lens-safety-specs/2356g
But, the real reason for my post, though, is that if there is no sun, or flat light, or if it's snowing gently, I use these:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-reinforcer-indoor-outdoor-lens-safety-specs/9281g
They are basically the same as the groovy mirrored ones, but have only a very light tint and a bit of a mirror finish. They also afford 99.9% UV protection, and keep the wind out of your eyes.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Regarding different types of lenses, I'm not sure of the distinction between Gas Permeable and daily lenses. I was under the impression that dailies are very gas permeable and have a very high water content, which is why they are disposable. I think I may have been labouring under a misconception there.
But anyway, I, too, carry a pair of folding reading glasses, but mainly for menus in the mountain eateries. I have varifocal contact lenses (I kid you not!) which project a number of images with differing focal lengths onto the retina, and the brain, bless it, works out which one to pay attention to. They're not perfect for close-up, but they are a good enough compromise to enable piste maps to be read. I'd recommend them to anyone of advancing years!
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@Screaming Dave, Wow, those Screwfix glasses seem like a really good idea at those prices!
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@CaravanSkier Yes, they are really good. I run a marquee hire company and wear them all summer, because a day spent working on a bright white marquee in full sun results in something akin to snowblindness. Then I take them skiing with me. I usually take a few pairs just in case of loss or accidents (to be honest, it's mostly my wife who loses her nice (expensive) stylish ones, then nicks a pair of mine) but I never use them all. They're also super light and flexible so they're comfortable to wear all day.
Also, tbh, Screwfix probably isn't the best place to get them. I'm sure you could find them cheaper online. In fact I just found a place selling them for £3.90 + VAT! Looks like I'll be putting in an order there!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Quote: |
@Jehu, you can't be serious, although I am sure you are.
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Yes - my optician was baffled. He just said it shouldn't happen, but it did for several years. Luckily I have since had cataract surgery so no longer need contact lenses.
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@Screaming Dave, Thanks for the tip!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Grizzler wrote: |
... historically, GPs were much easier/better for correcting astigmatism.... They also seemed to last longer as.... they do just technically give clearer overall vision, apparently. ....They also, historically, allowed more oxygen to the eye than softs. ... |
I used Gas Permeable lenses for I think 30 years, maybe more, before getting lasered. All of those things were my rationale, although I'm not sure about the last. Over the years the permeability got better. I would typically wash them in tap water, wear them for 36 hour stretches, generally give them abuse. I liked them because they just worked.
The distinction for me was that these were cheap and lasted years per pair.
As someone said dust resistance wasn't great, but not an issue in snow. I used swimming goggles when doing dusty tasks (ripping down old ceilings, drilling holes in old walls..).
After the 30 years my "wear time" started reducing - I could no longer wear them first-to-last thing, and my optician suggested supplementary glasses. I'd never worn glasses, and to me this was no solution, hence I switched to lasered eyeballs which are great for me.
--
Oh, builder's sun glasses - that's a great idea, I hate paying for all that marketing expense of sunglasses.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@philwig, pretty much the same for me - hard lenses for more than 40 years, but eventually my tolerance of them started to wane. I was able to go from gp lenses straight to lens replacement (cataract surgery, though my cataracts were at a very early stage) which was handy, as I was too astigmatic for laser surgery. I too used to clean my lenses with tap water or, in emergencies, saliva!
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@Hurtle, Excellent, I didn't mention the saliva but that was pretty much the default option for me and worked a treat. They were always so prissy about what you could do, but my approach was to do what I wanted until it started not to work... and it all worked.
For what it's worth, lasers were way, way, way less invasive than learning to use contact lenses. Sticking stuff into your eyes is hard to learn; having someone cut a flap in them is easy.
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You know it makes sense.
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My mate used to come home pissed and stick his GPLs in his shoes overnight I've worn them for 30 years with no problems but do use Dailies for half the year these days.
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