In this discussion about sailors wearing contact lenses I'm quite surprised
that nobody has mentioned the extended use soft lens. I use Focus Night &
Day and wear them for about six weeks at a time.

I'm also over 50 so reading glasses are the norm for someone like me. I use
a system called monovision which means one eye can read the chart or the
hand bearing compass and the other is for distance. Its an excellent system
for sailors but saline eye drops are a must a couple of time a day to
prevent lens sticking or falling out.

"Garland Gray II" wrote in message
news:WW5of.39791$ih5.23827@dukeread11...
I assume you are recommending also against lasik. I have been considering
that for a couple of years, but I hesitate because there's no going back.
However I did try a new technique called CRT. Corneal Refractive Therapy.
You wear special gas perms at night, don't need them during the day, for
up to 3 days after 1 night's use. It's amazing, but my vision (quite bad)
is right at the limit they can usually correct, and it just couldn't quite
give me the vision I need. So I've beenwearing them just like regular
contacts, and when they are removed, I have much better vision "naked"
than I ever did before.As I said, it is amazing.

"rhys" wrote in message
...

Must be soft contacts. I have gas-permeable "Boston II" lenses, which
are semi-rigid and pop off into one's palm once the eyelid tugging
maneuver has been mastered. Soft contact wearers have complained to me
that their lenses can "roll up" under the eyelid or get badly "glued"
if they fall asleep in them (not, obviously, the type that are meant
to be worn constantly for a week and then changed).

While not everyone finds gas-permeable lenses comfortable, I do, and I
find the durability (they can last 10 years if your prescription is
stable), ease of cleaning (just rub them under running water or even
use a mild soap and thorough rinse) and the fact they are easy to find
if you drop them to be well worth their extra cost.

One thing I would NOT recommend for the sailor is laser keratomy or
other forms of corrective surgery. Fellow sailors report that while
near-sightedness is almost always "cured' in such procedures, it is
not uncommon to have astigmatism *induced* and to lose a portion of
one's night vision acuity, necessitating glasses in the dark!

Not a good trade off when contacts or glasses suffice. If one lived in
an exclusively urban environment, maybe, but my (corrected) night
vision is good, and I own a sextant...the last thing I want is
compromised night vision.

Sorry for the tangent...

R.