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Wearing Of Contact Lenses While On Duty

I also have prescription sunglasses that I can wear in the field, when permitted. So I should be OK that way. Thanks for the input.
 
For contact use in garrison, there is little or no hastle wearing them.  But when wanting to wear them in the field, I suggest that you pass the question through chain of command before time.  I am allowed to wear mine because our main role is recce, hence the reflection in prescription glasses.  It may also help if you have the 30 day 30 night kind.
 
as has been said before...
the only dumb question is the one that's not asked.........
 
Has anyone herd about new ballistic eye Ware for those of us that wear glasses in the field?

I know that there may be something in the works and my OR asked me to check my prescription soon but has anyone seen the style they are planning on?

Thanks
 
haven't seen em but am told that there are prescription inserts that fit into/onto the balistic glasses. not due for a new prescription till next summer but I know the fella who has the contract to produce prescription lenses for the CF in the LFQA. Will have to ask him
 
I got the form the other night. If you need ballistic lenses corrected for distance, they'll do it for you, but only for that. The message is Forces wide, including the procedure to follow, check your OR.
 
I wear disposable contacts a lot at my civilian job. They are a lot more practical in my line of work, as they don't fog when going from one temperature extreme to another. Also, I can wear normal safety glasses instead of the big, honking ones that go over the glasses, and I can buy cheaper sunglasses to destroy at work, instead of shelling out $200 for prescription ones. They are a pain in the six when they get dust or other irritants behind them, and mine tend to dry out often, requiring frequent trips to the solution bath. Overall, I still prefer them to wearing glasses.
 
I were my contacts in the field; I have never had a problem with them. I wore them for 14 days of a 16 day field ex in gagetown (last summer in the dust) and never had a problem. The WO told me if I had a problem to pull over and take them out (I was employed as a driver). I find most are understanding, and depending what you are doing they may accommodate you especially if you have one that wears contacts too.

You can still distroy your contacts in garson (done it before, had the lecture from the Mcpl) .
 
i've had glasses for the past 2 years. my prescription isn't very serious, and i don't even wear them most of the time. i'll put them on if i'm going to a hockey game, or watching tv from a distance, or trying to see a powerpoint presentation (love those) from far away.  i've noticed on a couple ex's that i definitely should have been wearing my glasses to help me see the 'enemy'.  i just hate wearing glasses though. i find them to be a hassle, they are uncomfortable, they fog up, etc.

i've been thinking about getting contacts. i'm going to afghanistan in less than a month and am wondering how they will fare in the desert.  some guys here said they were fine last time they went, but i didn't get enough opinions and now i'm home on leave. i'm in the infantry so cleaning and care of contacts/eyes might not be as easy as some other trades.

thanks for your input
 
I have worn contacts in the field.  Not A'stan exactly - Gagetown in the summer - and when you are the last vehicle in a convoy on a dry Summer day you can eat a lot of dust.  A reasonable emulation of a desert I guess.  Now mind you I would try to take them out from time to time, but it was not uncommon for me to leave them in for a week at a time.  I didn't seem to have any issues.  This was, of course, before I got involved in the health care field and before I became a bit older and wiser.

So where am I going with this?  You could pull it off and use contacts, but if you glasses are not that strong and you can 'almost' get by with them off then just wear them.  If they get knocked off or something then you should be able to still function.  It is better than getting some nasty eye infection or something like that.

 
I had contacts when I first joined as an infanteer....after my first RV (dust); winter ex (cold)...I went back to glasses for any exercises. Kept a spare pair in a hard case in my upper left pocket or elsewhere in my kit. Contacts (for me) were a pain in the butt on ex: dusty, cold, and hard to clean / change when you are constantly pepper poddding up & down the Matawa Plains or the Lawfield corrider for days on end.
 
It is not a pretty sight to see troops wearing contacts AND suddenly being exposed to teargas or some other irritant.  The particles can lodge themselves under the lens itself & scratch the cornea.... not a pretty sight.

Also, check with your OR, there are regulations on their use in the field.
 
I used mine extensively both in Kabul and outside the wire in Kandahar.  They are fine, but dust is always an issue...not to mention you are always dirty so putting them into your eyes isn't really recommended.  Best bet if your an outside the wire guy use your ballistic inserts, less hassle even though dust build up sucks.  If you never leave the wire go for it, as you'll never encounter conditions that preclude their usage.
 
If it were me, I would stick to glasses. You can put them on easily and take them off without the hassle of worrying about taking the time to treat the contacts with the chemicals and stuff if you don't have the time, plus if you get tired you can just take the glasses off easily and sleep when you get a chance, rather than worrying about fooling around with cleaning the the contacts, etc.

I have been wearing glasses for 5 yrs (almost 6) and don't know if I'll ever use contacts or not. I'm so terribly busy that I'd probably fall asleep with them on, and I don't know if I could ever bring myself to stick something in my eye anyways, I'm happy with them  8)

Rebecca
 
I'm so terribly busy that I'd probably fall asleep with them on, Hell, Proudnurse, before LOTPing to medic, while as an infanteer I did fall asleep during PROPAT2; was an RCR battle school week long advance-to-contact ex during TQ3 (showing my age) training. We were given a few hours sleep between scenarios. Woke up red eye, 'living in a fog' so to speak. Took 'em out, tried cleaning as best could be done in the dirt and minimal time before deploying, and went back to glasses. Never looked backed since (no pun intended) during field exercises anyway.
 
xo31, I think the problem for me also, is I'm slightly forgetful at times....this would definately put me at risk for falling asleep with them in too, I think they call that "sometimers"  ;D

~Rebecca~
 
I've merged a few of these contact lens threads into the now larger thread above.
Another good thread is:
Contact lenses on the flightline.
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/43227.0.html

 
I wear glasses to and my prescription is kinda weak. On a winter ex they fogged up so bad and I ditched them, first time taking cover and they turned into a few pieces. Is lasic surgery a good alternative for contacts or glasses if you're in (or going to shortly)  the infantry?
 
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