PDA

View Full Version : underwater vision?



mermaid.dreamer
01-04-2012, 02:17 AM
Hey guys I was wondering if any of you have any ideas about how to improve my vision underwater? It would be so embarrassing to be swimming in my tail in a pool and run into the wall because I can't see it >.< So if anyone has any ideas besides the usual goggles/diving mask I'd love to hear them! Also any tips on ocean swimming? I'm kinda nervous about how to get myself INTO it haha

Anything helps :) Oh! I'll be posting a page about my new tail soon I hope so I hope you guys take a look at it and tell me what you think :D


Love and bubbles,
Emily ^-^

cosmo
01-04-2012, 05:51 AM
Mermaid performers or actors sometimes put a drop of milk in their eyes to stop them from stinging in salt water. this may help underwater vision.

HBMermaid_Angela
01-04-2012, 12:00 PM
HI! I swim and surf in the ocean everyday! I am a lucky mer who lives literally across the street from the beach! As far as "improving" vision underwater, I think it all comes with practice if you aren't wanting to wear a mask. I don't wear a mask when I swim with my tail/monofin in the ocean and although my eyes would sting at first, they have just grown used to the saltwater. I have swam and surfed in the ocean since I was a kid and I am 30 years old now. After long periods of time (say after a couple of hours of exposing my eyes to saltwater a day) my eyes DO sting near the end of the session. For me, common eye drops help to flush and moisten them again. As far as swimming in a pool and bumping into the walls you can just put your arms our in front of you until you get so used to the pool that you can literally "sense" when the wall is coming. When it comes to seeing clear in the ocean, it really is all up to the ocean. There are days that I can see fairly far underwater and then there are days I'm lucky if I see my arms in front of me.

I hope this helps!

courtneymermaid
01-04-2012, 01:59 PM
I find the more I practice them more comfortable I get with the blurry underwater world we all live in. If you are going to do a lot of mermaiding in a specific area/pool, you can practice without your tail and teach yourself to navigate underwater without goggles until you are super familiar with your surroundings.

A fun thing to try (I've only tried this at indoor pools with lights) is to lay on your back on the pool floor (underwater of course) and look up directly at an overhead light. The light makes your pupils contract and allows you to focus your vision and in some cases you can see clearer. I like to do it when I blow bubble rings.

Just make sure that you are careful with how much time you spend with your eyes open underwater in chlorine pools. I practically lost my vision for 4 hours the day I went mermaiding for two hours... Not good times. :P

AniaR
01-04-2012, 03:41 PM
I second practising without the tail, but I also think it's good to practice with and without goggles. I started right away without goggles and couldnt swim very, well, mermaidy. Then after a few sessions with goggles when I took them off again I was much better

Mermaid Star
01-04-2012, 08:00 PM
I agree with Raina. When ever in a new environment, I use a mask to familiarize myself with my surroundings, then off come the goggles and out come the contacts so I can swim with my eyes open underwater. Pools can be harsh on the eyes, especially if they are not properly balanced chemically. I like swimming in freshwater springs. The last time I swam in one, I swam for hours with no adverse effects. So nice. When in the pool and practicing for hours, I can lose most of my sight until the next day. I just looks really foggy.

Good luck to you in your quest. This is a good topic. I will be checking back often for more tips! :)

Odette
01-04-2012, 09:50 PM
Mermaid performers or actors sometimes put a drop of milk in their eyes to stop them from stinging in salt water. this may help underwater vision.

pasteurized milk. yes

Mermaid Jewel
01-04-2012, 11:09 PM
I am able to swim without goggles in my pool (I usually do now, but I've started to use them again). It helped I was familiar with my pool but it is a lot of practice. I didn't switch back and forth when I started because when I do, the contrast of it going from sharp to blurry made it more confusing! It's really a practice thing and how clear/nice the water is. I can't open my eyes underwater in fully chlorinated pools (especially hotel pools!) though (our pool is salt water system, so part salt part chlorine). I haven't tried in ocean water though I've had issues with water leaking into my mask and stinging my eyes badly. Is that just a practice thing?

taom
01-05-2012, 12:47 AM
I have never heard of people putting milk in their eyes before! Does it feel weird?

Odette
01-05-2012, 01:15 AM
I have never heard of people putting milk in their eyes before! Does it feel weird?
i dont like it. feels cold. there is bacteria in there that im not sure is safe for the eyes. bleh!

Mermaid Photine
01-05-2012, 08:52 PM
Milk in your eyes is only for ocean water! Do not do this for a pool as it has some kind of reaction with the chlorine! Be really careful about things that con't be replaced, like eyes.

Anita Mermaid
01-05-2012, 09:54 PM
It is Probably a REALLY BAD IDEA but I wear my contacts when I'm swimming. :/ :doh:
I did my first mermaid gig and I just HAD to see those children's faces. They stayed in and I was able to see everything.
But really. I do not suggest that. AT ALL.

mermaid.dreamer
01-05-2012, 11:08 PM
Freckled Kisses, when you wore your contacts could you see clearly? I've been considering that actually...but the only thing is I don't need contacts to see out of water so I wonder how. To go about that? I've read about underwater contacts but don't know where to find some and don't know if they can be made for me?

Capt Nemo
01-06-2012, 01:10 AM
There is a company in Europe that makes contact lenses that correct for the water/water interface. The company is hard to find, and you need a prescription from your doctor first, but if you can, you will be able to see as if you were wearing a mask. They are a full eye type of contact and therefore hard to put in. Remember too that when you surface, you won't be able to see well.

ShyMer
01-06-2012, 08:33 AM
I think I remember Hannah mentioning underwater contacts. She didn't say where she got them but she said they were very expensive and fell out almost immediately.

mermaid.dreamer
01-06-2012, 06:28 PM
Capt Nemo thanks for the info! You wouldn't happen to have the name of that company would you?

Capt Nemo
01-06-2012, 10:08 PM
No I don't remember, but I think there was a link on Deeper Blue Forums.

mermaid.dreamer
01-08-2012, 01:20 AM
Oh ok thanks a ton! I'll check it out :)

Mermaid Sirena
01-08-2012, 11:09 AM
I have yet to be able to find the link of Deep Blue :( I really hope to find them as that sounds like a great idea. I think the ones Hannah had were just regular contacts, full eye ones are close to impossible to put in and sense they go under your actual lid I feel they would be difficult to come out.

Spindrift
01-08-2012, 11:12 AM
I have yet to be able to find the link of Deep Blue :( I really hope to find them as that sounds like a great idea. I think the ones Hannah had were just regular contacts, full eye ones are close to impossible to put in and sense they go under your actual lid I feel they would be difficult to come out.

http://forums.deeperblue.com/

Also, the excerpt below is straight from Hannah's website: www.hannahfraser.com

How do you see underwater?

No-one can see clearly underwater.. human eyes are not made that way. However, you can learn to be comfortable with the blurry vision and operate as best as possible within that. Salt water and chlorine water will probably sting your eyes if you are not used to it. Ocean salt water is not bad for your eyes at all. our tears are nearly the same as salt water. Salt water cleanses and flushes. However if you stay in the ocean for a long time with your eyes open, you will get sore red and possibly blurry eyes for a few hours afterwards. Your eyes will return to normal after they have settled down during the night. Chlorine is worse for your eyes., It is a chemical that is an irritant to the eyes. I have worked in a pool for 6 hours in chlorine with eyes open and been so blurry, teary and sore afterwards that I couldnt see to drive home! People have told me that you can put milk in your eyes to calm and soothe them, however i have not tried that so cant endorse it. I am sure it wouldnt hurt. I paid $1000 for specially designed underwater contact lenses that had a convex magnifying spot over the pupil to readjust the angle of vision to be able to see clearly underwater. They worked about 80% as good as a pair of goggles, however, the design seems faulty as they fell out of my eyes within 5 minutes of wearing them underwater. I followed all the instructions, tried again and the same thing happened. So I cant endorse that product.

Coradion
01-22-2012, 06:10 PM
If you want to improve underwater vision you need to be in the water constantly and get used to focusing. Some studies have been done on cultures that rely on freediving for food and found their underwater vision can be twice as good as the average person's. Further studies found while there is a genetic component this can be a trained skill. Milk in the eyes is a trick for reducing irritation after getting out of a chlorine pool.

Tasha Mermaid
04-26-2012, 03:35 AM
I have never been able to swim with goggles even as a young id, they hurt, they are uncomfortable and they fill with water making my eyes feel like they are in a fish tank.... i also can't NOT open my eyes underwater either chlorine or salt, maybe I'm just lucky but i have never had an issue with pain in my eyes or unable to see underwater.....is that strange :S ....my eyes are photophobic so normal house lights, or sun or even just outdoors hurt my eyes and i have to wear strong uv repellent sunglasses made t block out most of the light to be able to see properly even indoors, that being said i see really well in the dark and like i said also underwater..... i suppose I'm just really odd :S

Manfred
04-28-2012, 04:17 PM
I remember that also...if only you coud channel frogs as well as mermaids, then you might have success!

malinghi
06-24-2012, 03:15 PM
Hey guys, I just spent a little while searching online for everything I could find on contact lenses to enable underwater vision. For one thing, here is the thread on deeperblue.org that Nemo was talking about, and here is the company that makes underwater lenses:
http://forums.deeperblue.com/freediving-training-techniques/50653-underwater-vision-2.html
http://www.otticarocchi.com/ENG/home_ENG.htm



That Italian company, Ottica Rocchi, was the only company I could find that makes contacts for underwater vision, so I assume those are what Hannah Frasier was talking about when she mentioned underwater contact lenses in here FAQ:

"I paid $1000 for specially designed underwater contact lenses that had a convex magnifying spot over the pupil to readjust the angle of vision to be able to see clearly underwater. They worked about 80% as good as a pair of goggles, however, the design seems faulty as they fell out of my eyes within 5 minutes of wearing them underwater. I followed all the instructions, tried again and the same thing happened. So I cant endorse that product."

Assuming she's talking about Ottica Rocchi, not only does the quote reveal that they cost $1000, but also that they kept falling out for her. This is kinda discouraging, but I have some other leads.
Here is a patent for an underwater contact lens design filed in 1996. It has some links to related patents, that might lead us to some other companies that make underwater lenses, if there are any out there.
http://www.google.com/patents/US5831713



Also, here's an article from 2007 in the magazine Contact Lens Spectrum on underwater vision. The important part of the article is right here, where it suggests that underwater vision contacts might be possible just by recreating extreme nearsightedness!!

"In lieu of extraordinary accommodation, could an extremely nearsighted individual see underwater with the naked eye? While there are potential physiological implications of chemical and microbial contamination of the ocular surface, the short answer is yes. This makes extreme myopia advantageous for seeing underwater, which brings up a unique proposition: could contact lenses lend individuals who don't have extreme myopia good vision underwater?
With a high enough amount of plus power, it's surely possible if the contact lens stays on the eye. To be sure, the on-eye stability of a GP lens underwater is suspect, especially with an interpalpebral fit. Yet by comparison, the eyelid stabilizes soft and hybrid contact lenses over the superior and inferior lens edges. Additionally, work by Diefenbach (1988) indicates that when soft hydrogel lenses are exposed to swimming pool water and hypotonic solution, the contact lenses adhere to the cornea and stop moving."
http://www.clspectrum.com/articleviewer.aspx?articleid=100720

I don't want to get my hopes up, but if that's true (and its extremely hard to believe), underwater vision could be achieved using regular contact lenses with a particular prescription!

Guys, help me look into this further. I really wish I could see underwater without goggles. It would quite literally be a dream come true.

Mermaid Fenicia
06-24-2012, 03:42 PM
As I need to wear contacts during the day, I also wear them for swimming and most of the time they stay on my eyes. I keep and use my 'old' monthly contacts for swimming instead of trowing them a way at the end of the month (my eyedocter know about it and do the same, he's a diver). I train to see underwater by diving up those diving-sticks that children use but then in the deep end of the pool (3m50).

malinghi
06-25-2012, 02:12 PM
Update on this- so I called some optometrists today to find out if what the article in Contact Lens Spectrum said is true- that any optometrist can get you off the shelf contact lenses for underwater vision- its just a matter of finding the correct prescription.

The optometrist that I spoke to said that, yes, it would be possible to get contact lenses that corrected vision underwater provided you could find the correct prescription. However, he strongly discouraged wearing contact lenses underwater due to the high risk of a bacterial infection.

I wonder if it might be possible to reduce the risk of an infection by using hard contact lenses or swimming in chlorinated water... obviously I don't want to take any chances with my eyes, but if we could find a safe way to do this it would be awesome.

Of course, there is an alternative to contact lenses for vision correction- eyeglasses. Do you guys think that that defeats the purpose cause you may as well be wearing goggles? Personally I think a mermaid with glasses looks cool. Here's a picture of Freckled Kisses at the WMAs:
http://mernetwork.com/index/attachment.php?attachmentid=1628&d=1328414449

Oh, also if you wanted to have clear vision underwater without any mask or glasses, I assume you could get LASIK surgery to give you perfect vision underwater, but of course you'd need corrective lenses whenever you were out of the water.

Winged Mermaid
06-26-2012, 01:53 AM
In terms of bacterial infection, you could use drops before and rinse immediately after with saline to cut down on it. If you're really paranoid you could use a disinfecting drop. You probably have to have a prescription for the medical eye drops though. I have an "eye wash tea" that has eyebright and goldenseal as well as a few other things, that disinfects, soothes, and heals without harming and speed heals the eyes when you have an eye injury (like rust or porcelain flakes as one person used it for). Goldenseal is an antimicrobial (natural antibiotic basically, but only kills the bad bacteria) so that'd be the key point here. You just use the herbs to make a tea, then strain it out super well then use a tincture dropper to drop the tea in your eyes. Just thought I'd throw that out there :)

spottedcatfish
06-27-2012, 03:48 AM
Personally, for the amount I rely on my glasses on a day to-day situation, I would not feel good about submerging them in a pool of any kind of water, salt or chlorine, unless my life depended on it. It could ruin the coating on the lenses of the glasses, and / or the frame, if kept under for an extended period of time. Plus your eyes are still going to get blurred due to the watery surroundings. I'm not sure it wearing eyeglasses would even help, as there is no seal to protect your eyes from getting affected to the water.

MermaidNerenia
07-05-2012, 02:49 PM
I wear acuvue (sp?) contacts and I was in a pool for almost two hours doing my photoshoot, eyes open most of the time and not once did my contacts pop out. I wear mine for about 3 months solid so maybe they stick to my eyes better than most contacts. Did this the other day for an afternoon at the pool and didnt have any troubles either.

malinghi
07-05-2012, 03:08 PM
I don't know if this is the consensus among all eyecare professionals, but the optometrist I spoke to for information said that opening your eyes underwater while wearing contact lenses is much more dangerous that opening your eyes underwater normally. I don't know how likely it is to get an eye infection, but the consequences can be incredibly serious. He said there are kinds of bacteria that can cause permanent blindness within 24 hours of exposure. Basically a lens touching your eye is worse than having you eye exposed directly to the water since normally blinking can offer a lot of protection against an infection, but if bacteria gets under the contact then blinking won't help.

Again, this is just what he told me. If someone can find someone who says otherwise I'd consider that great news, cause I was discouraged to hear what this optometrist said.

Thalassa
07-07-2012, 01:25 PM
Bummer...I'm pretty nearsighted (-5 and -6), tried submerging today without my vision-correcting contacts...and the panorama was just as blurry as it was with contacts. I swam around for 10 minutes hoping it would adjust. It didn't, so I put my contacts in so I could at least see OUT of the water. :-(

Maybe I'm TOO nearsighted? :-S *confused*

Lyna
07-10-2012, 02:22 PM
infection or not, i'm tempted to wear my contacts anyway because i'm blind as a bat. being underwater doesnt have the greatest visual distance or clarity...but coming up above water im worried about depth perception and disorientation.
i do caution though: infections are serious. i have watched my best friend go thru intense eye ulcers covering large percentages of her corneas twice! if you have never seen this...you dont want to. each time had her in bed curtains drawin crying around the clock from pain for 2 months each bout, in the hospitals for quick expiring custom made prescription drops, and it left horrible scars on her eyes. you dont want that.

Bellasea
07-10-2012, 02:24 PM
I wear my contacts while swimming, but I don't open my eyes under water because I'm worried my contacts will get flushed out.

Mermaid Sirena
07-16-2012, 05:04 PM
I found out this weekend while at the beach that swimming with glasses (ok they were sunglasses) were really helpful. Not because it helped with clarity but because while I was moving through the water I didn't have the constant stream of water moving over my eye (which has always been an irritant and discomfort). It was like a windshield for my eyes ^_^ Not sure if you can say this fits into this topic but I thought it was worth a though and that this was the best bet of a place to post it.

Lyna
07-16-2012, 05:11 PM
that sounds like a good idea. your eyes can adjust to the concentration of things in the w ater with it being berrated by it with force, and eventually ditch the sunglasses as your eyes will be more tolerant. :)

Mermaid Kuruyami
07-21-2012, 01:29 AM
I'm a little scared of putting things in my eyes. Would it be a good idea to just stick to goggles or is it worth it to swim without them? My eyes are kind of sensitive...I'm really nervous/scared when it comes to safety things like this. :)

Mermaid Lira
07-31-2012, 03:30 PM
Notice that before, people who holded their breath to go depper (before the glasses for scuba dive) put olive oil in their eyes. I tried this yesterday and it works ! It really helps me cause my eyes can't stand chlorine water (a little problem for a mermaid, huh ?)

Mermaid Saphira
07-31-2012, 03:32 PM
I have heard of the h2o girls putting milk in their eyes? Has anyone tried this? does it help?

Mermaid Lira
07-31-2012, 03:53 PM
I don't know but I think it's not "oily" enough. It may be clean by water very quickly. But I know that in a lot of films, they use special lenses to see underwater. My father wanted to buy some but it's so expensive that he renounced.... I think it was 300-400€ for the 2 lenses...

Mermaid Saphira
07-31-2012, 03:55 PM
geeezzz! I might try olive oil but I hate putting drops in my eyes O.o

Mermaid Lira
07-31-2012, 04:03 PM
Me too but I found the technic (yeah, I know, I'm the boss :lol: *big joke*) : put some oil into a plate, a little mug or....something little wich can keep oil :rolleyes: then, put your fingers into the oil and with them, apply gently an oil cover on your eyes. It's a bit strange when it begins but then, all is right. When you're swimming, try to not swim too fast 'cause it could wash the oil on your eyes. Do some tries (two or three) and then, the cover is normally perfectly fitted on your eyes ;)

Mermaid Saphira
07-31-2012, 04:05 PM
mayb I'll just stick with the dropper! touch my eye *shivers* sounds gross LOL

Arella
07-31-2012, 08:58 PM
I have this problem when I play water polo, I wear dailies so they don't stay in my eyes even if just a drop gets in them. But then I can't see ANYTHING obviously a problem when playing a sport :) as for mermaiding, just grin and fake it!

Sirenata
08-13-2015, 10:32 AM
I thought you could find this interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIKm3Pq9U8M

Very interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSDvxLN0Ee0

Mermaid Adrienne
05-07-2017, 01:34 AM
Its probably a really stupid thing.... but I did some research and found a doctor who uses KY jelly for eye operations. I tested this myself and found that... it stops any pain, but it really doesn't help much with blurry-ness.... it is slightly better though. I have this thing where Im uncomfortable with not wearing goggles under the water and I'm trying to shake that. without the jelly or gel eyedrops I can see clear enough to see my hands etc but it just burns my eyes.

Mermaid Salty
05-07-2017, 04:52 AM
Aha the milk thing! I've been wondering whether to mention that in regards to soothing eyeballs after swimming. I thought it was maybe just a weird thing my parents did for us.

I swam daily without goggles with my brother as a child and teenager and my parents trick was to drip two drops of milk into our eyes afterwards. Your vision is milky (literally) for a like, 15 or 20 minutes, but then all good. It pretty much immediately takes the sting of chlorine away. I will mention I am in Australia an all the milk is pasturised.

We swam both in pools and in the ocean regularly. It was only ever chlorine that made me need the milk drops. I've definitely spent hours in the ocean with my eyes open but apart from irritation from sun glare, I honestly haven't noticed any adverse effects on my eyeballs.