Experiences of climbing with hard contact lenses (RPGs)

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Lotte_Charlie

Trad climber
Amsterdam
Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 20, 2019 - 09:07am PT
I have a fierce astigmatism (-12/-14), and I'm currently on a trial to wear RPG/hard contact lenses instead of my beloved soft contact lenses. I'm curious to know what your experiences have been wearing such lenses while climbing, because I'm mildly worried about losing my lenses halfway up a multi pitch...
So if you have RPGs:
 Did you ever lose them?
 Do you have problems with dust/chalk getting under the contacts?
 Do you wear sports glasses not to lose your contacts?
 Any other precautions or tips?

Looking forward to your advice:
Bethesda

Trad climber
Bethesda
Mar 20, 2019 - 10:19am PT
Got rock dust under my hard contact lenses with a resultant scratch to the cornea. Neccessitated an ER visit so the cornea could be treated to prevent infection. Luckily the hospital wasn't too far away and it was W. Va. so there was no long wait in the ER.

I never had a problem with them coming out. I always carried a pair of glasses in my pack, however, just in case. If you do that, you should be OK. Good luck.
Bethesda

Trad climber
Bethesda
Mar 20, 2019 - 10:25am PT
I read somewhere that when Theodore Roosevelt led the Rough Riders during the Spanish American War he was so concerned about losing his glasses that he carried six pairs distributed around his body. That way, he figured, at least one pair would survive if he fell off or was shot off his horse.
JC Marin

Trad climber
CA
Mar 20, 2019 - 11:19am PT
I've had RGP's for about 10 years. It's pretty rare I lose one, but will usually have a spare in the car (or on me if out overnight or longer). It can be irritating when you get a piece of dust in one, but just part of the deal. The vision can be remarkable and I believe they are healthier for your eyes. I've also surfed in them and found it's much easier to lose in the water (so I always carry a spare with me). At one point I did have a soft lens with an RGP center--have you looked into those? I do wear sun glasses when windy to help keep dust out, but that's about it.

Lorenzo

Trad climber
Portland Oregon
Mar 20, 2019 - 11:22am PT
My partner wore contacts except on multi pitch climbs. Then he wore glasses just for the rock dust issue. I think he figured on single pitch he could just lower. On sunny days he just wore prescription sunglasses. Also it’s pretty hard to be clean enough to deal it’s contacts climbing.

I worked as a carpenter, so I never wore contacts because of dust at work and when climbing.


The glasses I always wore climbing were wire rim with hook temples. They are pretty hard to find now in mall stores, but if you hunt they are still available. Just google it. On walls I went belt and braces and added a strap. Get them as small as will fit your face and you won’t bump them so much.

And there was always at least one extra pair in th day bag and/or the haul bag.

I did loose them once, and it was a minor epic until I got the spares.

But old age has its recompence. With cataract surgery I have new implant lenses, so now I just need glasses to read. Medicare paid for most of mine ( and for retina surgery in one eye) I think ones for astigmatism cost more. Talk to your opthalmologist.
fear

Ice climber
hartford, ct
Mar 20, 2019 - 11:45am PT
Trending off-topic but contacts never worked for me doing anything remotely active...

Flexon Frames with tri-vex lens material (if you prescription allows). I've never managed to break a single pair climbing/rock/ice/alpine... Great stuff.

neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Mar 20, 2019 - 12:39pm PT
hey there say...

okay, the ' mommy ' here...

as to this quote:
I never had a problem with them coming out. I always carried a pair of glasses in my pack, however, just in case. If you do that, you should be OK. Good luck.

adhere to this...


i don't climb, but i wear hard contacts... and, have had a variety of
experiences, that were hard... as to 'dust in eye', and serious 'oh no' stuff...


the worse, of course-- DRIVING and having a sudden, you eye is in
pain and it closes, and thus you can't see well, :O
as the other one almost 'reacts' similar...



for climbling-- you need to consider 'that as a possible emergency situation'... the body does goofy things, when it gets a sudden PAIN...


ask youself... while or if, similar things happen at home, from winds, etc...


    do you instinctively grab your eye, or not... (most of us, do not) ...

--does your body jerk, or shack for second (most of us, don't, though,
we have been wearing these for 40 years (we, speaking as to the 60'ish
ages, on my part) ...

--if you rub it-- which you are NOT supposed to do -- and the lense falls
out, can you still see, as to DEPTH perception??

if you get side-tracked in any ways, as to the contacts and the pain issues of dust specks, you may not want to climb with them...
or-- practice 'emergencies techniques' so you know what you 'might be up again' ...



and-- take sports-wear glasses, along, as backup...
but, even then:

however, what if you can't 'get the glasses on' or, get the eye'pain issue
settled, while 'stuck on a crack' ??


would clear sports goggles help??
to keep dust from contacts, or, would this SWEAT INSIDE... :o



HARD stuff to think on, but very serious...
as, if it happens at a crucial moment...

other-wise, like for me-- we roll with the punches, and get by
with grace of experiences...


(driving with windows open, and outdoor trails, boating, biking, climbing, etc, are the 'ooops' that you never want to go through) ...


ps-- i actually SWAM with mine on, but, in family pools...
was good-- i'd warn folks, hee hee, "you splashing games with me-- contacts
are on" i was fortunate to be among those with mercy... buying another pair, would have been an awful hardship... they were good to me) ...

:)


best wishes, and hope you 'get a feel for what will be as safe as possible, for you'...


edit:
forgot to say:

yes, in all these 40, well, actually 45 years, i have lost them
3 times...

the reason-- there was dust or something that triggered the 'irritation'
pain, and they simply BLINKED out of my eye... (this can happen) ...

then-- the other lost issues, were just from putting them in, and they
did not sit right, immediatly, and fell to the floor, or, the sink...
(make SURE you cover drains) ...

and, yes--
dust is the main issue... even so small, just from winds...
the eye will feel the irritations...
just driving with my window open, has done that, ...


neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Mar 20, 2019 - 12:40pm PT
hey there say, fear...

as to your quote:

Mar 20, 2019 - 11:45am PT
Trending off-topic but contacts never worked for me doing anything remotely active...

Flexon Frames with tri-vex lens material (if you prescription allows). I've never managed to break a single pair climbing/rock/ice/alpine... Great stuff.


sounds, good, and perhaps best... instead of going through the hard way...
Lotte_Charlie

Trad climber
Amsterdam
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 20, 2019 - 03:08pm PT
Thanks!
Your responses have been superuseful.

I’ll definitely be as safe & prepared as can be.will bring (or just wear) my glasses and I’ll see how regular life with hard contacts goes. (Those hard/softcombi’s are crazy expensive with my particular subscription/cylinder). Unfortunately, with a high prescription, wearing glasses warps stuff (and shrinks my feet by about two sizes), so for me they’re a backup option & will never be my standard option.
If it doesn’t work with rpgs, I guess I’ll spend €200 for climbing holidays on an extra pair of my toric soft lenses for as long as they make them. Probably more convenient than being stuck in a crack with an eye that hurts like hell.

More experiences & advice are always welcome!!






fear

Ice climber
hartford, ct
Mar 20, 2019 - 05:53pm PT
It might seem dorky but a good kayaking friend of mine would wear snorkeling goggles when wearing contacts (he was blind without them). They prevented him losing the contacts and kept debris out when getting chundered whilst upside down in frothy brown flood waters.

So maybe some kind of non-corrected protective eyewear on top to keep those goddamn black lichen pieces out....
Larry

Trad climber
Bisbee
Mar 21, 2019 - 05:55pm PT
I wear glasses only now, because of dry eyes. But since they were first invented until a decade ago (30 years?) I wore rigid gas permeables. The only problem was at Owens River Gorge, where the dust was especially scratchy. Sports glasses over the top solved that. I did lose them to mere blinking once in a long while. Off-center can be a problem too. Did I mention that I was a carpenter for much of that time?
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