SummitPost.org

See recent thread
contacts-and-mountaineering-t57710.html

peripheral, but gives some other options.

Lasik is the best answer.


Here's some information on prescription sunglasses:

http://www.larsonweb.com/backcountryeyewear/id1.html

No, the altitude problem is not for Lasik -- read this:
http://www.la-sight.com/los-angeles-las ... mbing.aspx

For high G:
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforce ... tlasik.htm
http://www.la-sight.com/los-angeles-las ... rvice.aspx

Shane Rathbun wrote:Obviously wearing contacts for an extended period of time in the backcountry is just not feasible.

My wife wears her contacts on both Denali and Aconcagua for weeks at a time just like she does at home taking them out every evening.

Shane Rathbun wrote:Anyone have any recommendations for prescription glacier or sun glasses?

My wife had her optometrist install dark prescription lenses in her glacier glasses as a back up and they work fine. Cost was about $90 here in Canada.

one day disposable contacts

I've got worse than -5 in each eye but very little astigmatism. I wear Acuvue(sp?) Oasis soft contacts that are rated for up to a week without taking them out. They get a little dry after 2 weeks but no other problems.

There are also extended wear contact lenses that you can wear for up to 30 days without removing them. A couple years ago I used Air Optix Night & Day Aqua contact lenses while climbing down in Peru. It felt a little strange the first time I went to bed wearing contacts, but I got used to it really quick.

If you do decide to go this route, I would recommend trying out a pair in advance to ensure that you don't have a reaction to the lenses being in for such a long period of time.

I never had any issues with them. However, I didn't keep them in for the entire 30 days.

ill occasionally use contacts for overnight trips and stuff at or below 14K. Any higher or longer i use my prescription glacier glasses. taking contacts in an out every night seems like a hassle to me. plus i really dont want to carry the extra solution.
I also read an article on contacts and mountaineering at high altitudes for extended amounts of time causing retinal hemorrhaging and id really like to stay away from that.

For goggles.. i made a stupid choice.. i got an insert for my zeal goggles.. while the insert is made greatly.. i didnt take into account my -4.75 prescription and things get a little warped. so i ended up just buying a pair of OTG goggles and those rock.






I have a pair of Adidas glacier glasses with the snap in insert and LOVE them.

something ive been doing recently for day trips and as back ups for big trips are sunglasses designed to fit over eye glasses. YES, like old people wear. i have a pair of Navigator Fitovers with a mirrored lens and they work great!
http://www.fitovers.com
http://www.liveeyewear.com

Contacts and altitude
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1017528/

That article seems a little dated. I'm sure contact lens technology has changed since 1975. I've been wearing contacts for over 15 years and I have never had one fall out. Regardless, I think leaving contacts in for more than a week is asking for trouble. Plus if you're going on a big expedition, why take the risk of HARH. Get some prescription glacier glasses. Seems like less hassles to me.

Some more info here (scroll down to Contact Lenses in Mountaineering)
http://www.basecampmd.com/expguide/snowblind.shtml

.

deuder wrote:That article seems a little dated. I'm sure contact lens technology has changed since 1975. I've been wearing contacts for over 15 years and I have never had one fall out. Regardless, I think leaving contacts in for more than a week is asking for trouble. Plus if you're going on a big expedition, why take the risk of HARH. Get some prescription glacier glasses. Seems like less hassles to me.

That was the point. Even in 1975 contacts were advanced enough to be worn to 25000'. And it was a peer-reviewed medical study.

When your prescription is strong, the distortion from eyeglasses can be pretty severe; the thickness and weight of the lenses alone is a problem.

Shane Rathbun wrote:Just found http://www.opticus.com/

+1 these guys were great

AdamsKerr wrote:so i ended up just buying a pair of OTG goggles and those rock.

searching through old threads, as I also wear glasses. OTG goggles are the way to go. Too many cold mornings putting a frosty contact in my eye to go back to that. For sunny/warmer days, I'm looking at getting these sunglasses that fit over glasses, similar to the ones you posted: https://www.otg-goggles.com/sunglasses-over-glasses/ Does anyone following this thread have experience with Solarshields? Are they too massive? Fight the snow glare enough?

Otherwise I might look at what fisherman use for fitovers, those tend to be the most polarized glasses I come across on the market.