Eye Protection (Sun) While Surfing/Bodyboarding

I believe some guys on here use something called sea-specs? I could be wrong.

 

Eye black. For real.

 

Definitely not doing enough... that's for sure.

I typically squirt a bunch of Visine in my eyes post sesh, and leave it at that.

 

Correct, ask Valhallalla and Betty about them, inexpensive and effective from what i'm told

 

My contacts have UV protection built-in. One of several reasons I haven't done LASIK or RK.

 

by the time i develop that stuff i wont be physically able to surf anyway....

 

whale jzzz

 

I have sea specs. At first I wore them alot, now, not so much. They work, but are mildly annoying....water droplets, fogging, filling briefly after duck diving etc. A full brimmed hat with a string helps, but I look like a goofy farmer wearing it.

I developed some bumps on my eyes from years of not protecting them. Noticed it in my mid 30's. After a long morning session, it felt like I had a sty, but when I looked, it was my actual eyeball. I cant remember what it's called, but the eye doc said it's very common among island cultures (no surprise) and as long as it doesnt spread to the dark part of my eyes should be no problem. His main advice was be vigilant about wearing polarized sun glasses whenever possible, so I do.

Anyway, east coast morning sessions where you are basically staring at the sun, alternated with the offshores spraying the ocean in your eyes is pretty brutal.

On a trip to Costa a few months ago, a buddy of mine managed to keep a regular baseball cap on for 3 straight full days of surfing chest to head beachbreak. It was impressive. I tried and lost mine on the first paddle out. SO that's always an option if you have the skills.

 

I typically don't get in the water without a pair of these. Surprisingly affordable too.

http://cdn.opentip.com/Sports-Outdoors/Tyr-Lgspstd-Special-Ops-Small-Polarized-Tie-Dye-Goggles-p-5580987.html?gclid=CMWDkZbJxs4CFYdrfgodvhcPWg

 

^This

 

Yup, thats it...pingueculum. The doctor in my office at work thought it was a pterygium, but he sent me to a specialist that diagnosed it as a pingueculum.

It never went away, but as long as I'm generally careful about wearing sunglasses all the time, it doesn't flare up. I'm really careful now though and can't remember when the last time it flared up. Always rock sunglasses on land. Have a few pairs of TYR goggle style sunglasses for the pool, kayak etc. Found them on sale for like $5 a pair and bought a bunch.

When I go on a surf trip I'll bring my hat and sea specs and wear them some of the time, and sunglasses for all my time on land, and I make out fine.

 

Fishing bobber, what a great idea. Surprisingly, those sea specs don't get ripped off too easy.

 

Love my sea specs. You can also get them with prescription. I looped a pink foam floater so I can see them if I ever lose them. Only once in past four years have they fallen off. Big wave hit back of head and dislodged them,

An acquaintance, life long surfer and shaper died of eye melanoma age 50. That got my attention.

 

I wear polarized goggles..for swimming.havnt done much surfing this summer,because no waves...but I been swimming every single day.i go out for 2 hours.every single day lol.and its sunny as fuk,i take the goggles off I can barely see,i keep em on the whole time til I get back to the car.money well spent

 

I wear a ball cap every morning if its sunny too. Don't care what people think either. I have found the trucker type hats with the foam in them float the best. I have only lost one hat surfing and found it like 2 days later washed up in rocks at Ft Fisher. Lucky hat. They should really think about making polarized or tinted contacts just for surfing though.

 

But the contacts don't protect the white parts of the eye from radiation.