Diving and Contact Lenses

by Marjorie Faltz
(California)

Can I dive while wearing contact lenses? I wear soft lenses.


Hi Marjorie,

I dive while wearing soft disposable contact lenses all the time and have had no problems. That is, besides losing one or two.

I lost one while waiting to get up on the boat and a wave caught me. I now always carry a spare pair in my dive bag in case I lose one during the dives.

I wouldn't recommend diving while wearing hard lenses or wearing soft lenses that aren't disposable. I would think the risk of loss is too great and the price too high if they are regular soft contacts. It's up to you though.

The other option is to get a prescription scuba diving mask. You can get them at pretty reasonable prices and all the other concerns would go away (you can read about them on our website).

Of course, the best bet would be to consult with your eye doctor and see what's best for your situation.

Dianne