FINALLY I CAN SEE!!!

[spottedcatfish]

I have a goal of getting SCUBA Certified hopefully in February. I also had another goal / dream, to be able to see clearly, with 20-20 vision underwater. I have terrible eyesight and in the past even with goggles or a diving mask, I was still seeing things very fuzzy. I tried contacts, but I had issues with being comfortable when wearing contacts.

So I finally decided enough was enough, and as I have a few goals in mind with SCUBA diving, and going to Hawaii, and other mermaid-y events, last month I ordered a prescription dive mask. There were a few issues with the order, and it ended up taking a whole month to get to me. But I finally got it today, and took it for a test swim.

OMG! My eyes were opened to a whole new world where I can finally see clearly in!!!! I'm wondering why I did not do this before! All I have to say is that the experience was amazing!! For those of you who take your senses for granted, let me tell you this: I first got glasses when I was in grade 6. I was 11 years old. That was 13 years ago and my eyesight will get worse while I am still in school,and hopefully will even out when I'm in my 30's. I am also a bit deaf... But I make do with what I have, and try to improve upon it.

Since getting that first pair of glasses, I tried contacts for a little while but they became annoying and more of a hindrance, as I had troubles with putting them in. It always seemed like a 25% chance that they would "settle" and feel like nothing was there on the first try with putting contacts in. Later I would get dry eyes from them, even if they fit right the first time. Forget about using them when snorkeling or with a dive mask on as they seemed to always dry up, and my vision would get fuzzy or one would fall out. I had trouble with focusing. Seeing underwater is very different from above the water even if you have perfect 20/20 vision.

Tonight was a night to remember. I probably had a similar experience as someone who was partially blind for all of their life, and then they could see (except for me, underwater). I tried the mask out at the pool, and while I could not see well, when going from the locker room to the pool deck tonight, what a miracle when I put my mask on. Even though I swam like normal the experience was soo different! I was finally able to see depth properly, the opposite end of the pool, and everywhere I looked it was all crystal clear! I am really looking forward to my trip to Hawaii now, and hopefully going to have some crystal clear underwater memories!! I can't wait!!

[Winged Mermaid]

So awesome! Congrats!

And for anyone who has an extra or old (but close enough prescription to still use) glasses around, take a look at this! Instructables: Make your own prescription swimming goggles

I'mma try this with my hubby's old glasses Dry w/o glasses he can see blobs ("I see that you're there..." lol) and underwater he's a lost cause :P

[Usagi]

Oh my gosh! How awesome!:-) I went without glasses until about tenth grade, so I was used to seeing the world blurry. I also made the mistake during my eye test of figuring out what the letter was rather than just saying I didn't know. I ended up with glasses that still left things a little blurry for me. But maybe I'll get some new ones soon. Or maybe even contacts! That'd be a hoot. Anyway, this is about you, not me! When are you going to Hawaii? Imagine scuba diving with the nice bright sun shining through the water...and you'd be able to see everything! Ah, what a beautiful sight it will be! This is probably a stupid question, but do you need to know how to swim/be a strong swimmer to scuba/snorkel?

[spottedcatfish]

Syd: I'll be going to Hawaii for Christmas, and as for your second question, that depends on where you go snorkeling or diving. However, you generally don't need to be a strong swimmer, but you do need to know how to swim, and be comfortable in the water.

When are you going to Hawaii? Imagine scuba diving with the nice bright sun shining through the water...and you'd be able to see everything! Ah, what a beautiful sight it will be! This is probably a stupid question, but do you need to know how to swim/be a strong swimmer to scuba/snorkel?

[MermaidBrandie]

i have to wear glasses, but oddly enough when I'm underwater with regular goggles, the water refracts just right that I can see practically perscription perfect. Way cool though, I know that would bug me too.

[Ariel-Starfish]

I have -16 glasses, tunnel sight and my depth view is 2/10, but luckly I can see clearly underwater with normal goggles.

[AniaR]

So happy for you. I didn't even realize this could be an issue for people!

[Mermaid Dottie]

That is So awesome! I'm excited for you
That might be something to look into, but I think once I'm a little older I'm going to see if I'm a candidate for Lasik. Until then, my swedish goggles have been amazing. and should still be. (I hope.)

[Theobromine]

That's so great that you can see so well now!! I think I will have to look into getting a prescription dive mask.

As a side note, Dottie, I had also been thinking for quite a while about getting Lasik because contacts and glasses both really annoy me. But I was just talking with my friend who had Lasik done a couple years back, and she said that since having it done her eyes are a lot more sensitive to smoke, and to water. She said it's just a little too uncomfortable to open her eyes underwater now. So that is making me reconsider.

[Mermaid Dottie]

That's so great that you can see so well now!! I think I will have to look into getting a prescription dive mask.

As a side note, Dottie, I had also been thinking for quite a while about getting Lasik because contacts and glasses both really annoy me. But I was just talking with my friend who had Lasik done a couple years back, and she said that since having it done her eyes are a lot more sensitive to smoke, and to water. She said it's just a little too uncomfortable to open her eyes underwater now. So that is making me reconsider.

Ah.... bummer.... maybe I'll just train my pupils to constrict when in water. XD

[lasserine]

That's so great that you can see so well now!! I think I will have to look into getting a prescription dive mask.

As a side note, Dottie, I had also been thinking for quite a while about getting Lasik because contacts and glasses both really annoy me. But I was just talking with my friend who had Lasik done a couple years back, and she said that since having it done her eyes are a lot more sensitive to smoke, and to water. She said it's just a little too uncomfortable to open her eyes underwater now. So that is making me reconsider.

I had it done, used to be -5 in each eye. Before and after I was sensitive to sunlight etc. Did notice my vision is worse underwater, but with goggles I can see amazing. Now, I just deal with dry eyes.

[AptaMer]

Umm . . . I wish I didn't have to say this, but anyone thinking about Lasik should do a search on "lasik complications" or "lasik side effects" and look at some of the info that comes up.

Not wanting to be a killjoy, but I know 3 people who had it done, one person is completely happy, 2 say they have wierd night vision, get dry eyes, and aren't that happy.

http://www.lasikcomplications.com/

[Echidna]

If you consider Lasik- as amazing as it is-, it has major drawbacks.
The cornea has its given thickness for a reason.
It is not suppopsed to be thinned in order to correct your debility of sight.

I know better than most people how much it sucks to be almost blind without glasses,
but when I learned of the sideeffects, and that a big number of patients do not have optimal results after Lasik,
I decided to not do it, and just deal with needing glasses and contacts.

It's fine for underwater btw if you are nearsighted

[spottedcatfish]

If you consider Lasik- as amazing as it is-, it has major drawbacks.
The cornea has its given thickness for a reason.
It is not suppopsed to be thinned in order to correct your debility of sight.

I know better than most people how much it sucks to be almost blind without glasses,
but when I learned of the sideeffects, and that a big number of patients do not have optimal results after Lasik,
I decided to not do it, and just deal with needing glasses and contacts.

It's fine for underwater btw if you are nearsighted

I am nearsighted... I have considered lasik in the past, but no matter how screwy and out of focus my vision is, I kind of like it that way. It helps me take a step back, and really see the world for how it is. However, I didn't notice that much o a difference in my eyesight (with goggles), underwater, as opposed to above the water. I guess my eyesight gets a bit better underwater, but nothing like it is with an actual prescription lens. I an truly see 20/20 now underwater! I'll be going to La Jolla Shores on Monday to try it out there... been waiting all year to do this!