racing with contact lenses

[robotfury]

Looking for people who race with contact lenses, especially those who wear RGPS. If anyone actually has kerataconus like I do, I really need to hear from you. If you don't have kc, basically, no - I can't wear eye glasses as back ups; I can't get lasik or anything like that. It is either high maintenance monster scleral lenses or seeing the world like I have had my eyes dilated.  No in-between. Yeah, it sucks. A lot. It hasn't been a deal breaker in 3-5 day races.

However.

I am looking at a TD run and with my kerataconus, well, it would take very little for me to lose a day and in some cases have to pull the plug mid race. In fact, I am more worried about this than bears or the physical exertion of the race. It certainly ups the challenge in a way few can comprehend.

Wondering how people handle eye care on the fly and in the field?

Thanks.

[dskunk]

I wore contacts for TD 2014. Ordinary shortsightedness. It was less of an issue then I thought it was going to be. My contacts are single day disposables. The only piece of advice I can really offer is put your contacts in before you get out of your sleeping bag in the morning. Cold hands and contacts are awkward.
It's still a bit of a pain having to carry contacts, glasses, sunglasses, and reading glasses (for when I'm wearing contacts) more in terms of space taken up then anything else.

[FOG]

I have sclearl lens and they work a lot better than my old gas permeable.
I have kc and my corneas are now "droopy" so I was popping out my old permeable lens.
I have thought about TD buy my contacts and care tell me not really.  I am thinking about sleeping with the sclearl lens, which I haave done and no problems other than one eye is a little foggy in the morning.
Thanks for asking the question as I am equally interested in other replys.
Wayne

[robotfury]

Wayne,

I've tried sleeping with them in at SC400 and Dixie 200 and TDLP. Not a sustainable idea as the Scleral lenses deprive the cornea of oxygen. By the 3rd day, I found that if I removed the lenses to wash/clean the eye and clean the lenses, my eyes couldn't accept the lenses for almost 24hrs. I had a room after one race, so that was fine. i just slept. Coming back from Utah, I was lucky my friend drove as I couldn't see due to irritation.  It was rough. This happens in a race, it will be really challenging.

Now I am thinking I have to take them out at regular intervals throughout the day during a race to clean the lenses and get air into the eyes. Also, lots of drops. Lots. I also think making sure that when I fall asleep, I have removed and thoroughly cleaned the lenses. it is going to be really risky at any race over 4 days with all the dirt and grime. KC sucks, but the scleral lenses are pretty amazing considering what life was like without them. Yay science.

M

[Iowagriz]

I only have a low level vision problem, but do wear contacts.  My tour divide plan was to bring two pair. Wear for 7-8hrs and then change into 2nd pair. Having them bump around in new solution for the majority of the day would clean them.  I'd also bring another set or two for backup.  However, that is becuase I have monthly disposables. So cost is probably a lot less than yours.

[ScottM]

I have -8.5 contacts, so plenty of oxygen deprivation.  I generally sleep with them in whenever I've raced, even though I am sure it's not good for the eyes.  I can usually get 3-4 nights before I feel like I need a new pair.  The issue with taking them out while bikepacking is I can never seem to get my hands clean enough to handle them.  When I put them back in, they are more blurry than if I'd just slept in them.  I'm lucky (I guess?) that my eyes don't seem to dry out regardless, so I almost never use drops.

I always bring several spare sets.  Once a pair goes, no amount of cleaning brings it back for me.

Any time I get a hotel room, of course, I pull them. 

[FOG]

M,

You are right about KC, but we can still see.  I am forever grateful for the sclear lens.

I was thinking about going from motel room to motel room so I could take out the lens; but that will not always work.

How about when stopping where you can take them out and clean them?  When I have slept with them I took them out and cleaned them and did not have any problems.

Can you wear regular GP lens?  If so take cleaning and soaking solutions and take them out in the tent and put them in the next morning?  I can'g keep regular lens in so this is not an option for me.

I do not think you want to push it to where you have difficulty seeing be keeping them too long, as this might cause more damage to your corneas.

I am out of ideas, other than talking to your eye doc.  I know someone who knows the person who invented sclear lens, if I see her I can see if she can get any answers but we only run into each other once a year.

Wayne

[robotfury]

Wayne,

True enough. I have better sight with the scleral lenses and it is actually because of bike packing that I do. The first night of the Trans North California during the inaugural race, I broke an RGP. Rode the race with one contact. It was after that I learned I needed scleral lenses. Thank your friend of a friend. They are amazing. Unfortunately, I can't use anything else and a second pair is basically the cost of most a drivetrain. Maybe I just need to accept that this is part of the race for me and a challenge I need to deal with.

Thanks all for tips.  I hope more people comment as it is nice to know others deal with the same issue. Or similar enough issue.

[Iowagriz]

Studying the Divide route, on all but a few days, you will hit a town every day. Sometimes several times a day.  This does provide you with a sink to wash hands and clean contacts. I think that with careful planning that will help greatly.

Wyoming Basin and those 2 big spots in southern colorado, northern NM are the exceptions that I can think of.

[Trhoppe]

Not sure on the issues you have, but I've for sort of "normal" eyes but with a -4.25 script. I wear the "monthlies". Wear them for 30 days straight, including nights, and then toss em. I always carry a backup pair, even for normal trail rides, as I've gotten dirt in my eye before, but otherwise just wear them all the time.

[FOG]

All,
Robotfury and I have an eye disease called keratoconus, which is a disformation of the cornea. Glasses, and all forms of long term ware soft contacts will not correct our vision.  We both wear a special contacts called sclear lens, which are rigid gas permeable lens which covers some of the white part of the eye.  Mine are 22.5 MM in diameter.

After giving it quite a bit of thought, you probably could sleep in motels and when you can't then you will need to clean your lens at the next location where you can wash your hands and clean the lens and reinsert them.  The more I wear them the easier it is for me to tell if I get a bubble without looking in a mirror.  Going too long and getting major discomfort seems very risky to damage your cornea, or this is the way I am looking at it.

From my experience dust and wind bother my eyes a lot lot less with the sclear lens, which is told is the same experience with other wears.

Wayne

[robotfury]

Yup, KC. I didn't even know it existed until I was diagnosed. It seems only people with it, know it exists at all. Ain't a lot of options, but the sclera lenses work great. Very large, like a dime... maybe bigger.  I think of them as prosthetics. It is just the removing, cleaning and inserting part that provides danger zones while in the field. Ulcerations will put an end to the race. Better than my old RGPS, though, which hurt like hell if any wind hit them. Mud still ins't my friend.

As advised above, I think I will just factor in motels more than I had initially planned. I already ditched the bivy strategy. Annotate maps for eye doctors along the way just in case. Take advantage of any meals/gas stations to have access to a sink and clean enough conditions. Good advice. Things get bad, well, what can I do other than take a day off and eat and rest the eyes. This is just my price of admission. It is not like I am going to win. I would just like to put in a strong, solid effort.

Just good to know someone else is dealing with KC and trying to keep at the sport.

Thanks everyone for your input.

[Yagi]

I have keratoconus as well, and it definitely adds another level of potential difficulty to any bike ride.  I still wear the smaller RGP lenses, but they can turn a 1 minute ride to the grocery store into a pain festival if some dust kicks up.  I've been riding with them for years, but have never done any long distance multi-day races in them - just endurance races like the Growler, CB100, Breck, etc.  That being said, I have done the CT, Kokopelli(this was the real test - lots of dust), Coconino, and other nice big multi-day rides.  None were supported, and I always just found that having enough water to make sure I could clean up well made all the difference in the world.  I'm really not interested in getting corneal ulcers, so I try to make sure I can get them out and soaked for at least 4 hours.

I will say, despite the low points I've had with these contacts(mostly in the desert), I consider them a damn miracle.  Life kinda sucked before I got these lenses, especially driving at night.  Like others before have mentioned, we with KC have to have special lenses that reshape our eyes, not glasses or a soft contact that shape to our eyes. 

I think strategic motels in the dry sections is a great plan.

I've never tried the scleral lenses, but may have to try if I can't take it with these lenses at some point.  Are they as expensive as my RGPs?  Probably more, I reckon.

Good luck out there!

Steve

[robotfury]

Yagi,

So great to hear there is another KC person out there. Dude, you NEED to check out the scleral lenses. Massive difference. Dust is no longer an issue like I had with the smaller RGPs. I had to dramatically stop and pull to the side of trails in a number of races when a speck of dust got in there. Unbelievable pain.  No longer an issue with the scleral. They can still dry out, but they cover so much of the eye that dust isn't the same. Still an issue, but far more treatable and zero agony. When they are in, they are solid. Still, I use Oakley racing jacket's with a gasket the company sells. If it is raining or muddy, that makes a difference. Gonna get their transition lenses to minimize removing the glasses. That said, i have heard of guys using straight up ski or DH goggles during 12 and 24 hr races.

get the Scleral.  Life changing if you have KC. 

M

[Yagi]

Well, that's a hell of an endorsement for the scleral, robotfury.  I've been partial to the WileyX safety glasses with the removable foam goggle-ish attachment, but I'll have to look into the Oakley set.  I used to race dirtbikes in hare scrambles and enduros, and considered bringing my dirtbike goggles on the Kokopelli.  Glad I didn't.  The worst part was actually the road down into Moab - why does the world need to to have so many UTVs and side-by-sides?

I know exactly what you mean about having to stop dramatically during races.  It's effing crippling when something gets behind my lenses.  The world does not matter until it's out!!!  Maybe scleral is the answer... for now???

Thanks for the insight!

Steve

[spruceboy]

I wear "normal" contacts, and just take them out at night when I race (or bike pack, or backpack).   Dirty hands have never been an issue for me - so long as my hands are not covered in chain lube (or bear spray ) I take them out when I sleep without worrying too much, and put them back in when I get up.  Most of my multi day racing is in the winter (Iditarod Trail Invitational) and I do all of that inside my sleeping bag. I asked my eye doc about it, and he told me not to worry do much about it. Works for me.

For non-racing, like bikepacking, touring, or backpacking, I bring a small container of baby shampoo, and wash my hands before taking them out.  The baby shampoo gets your hands clean, but doesn't hurt to get in your eyes if you don't get your hands completely free of soap.  If I was doing the tour divide, I would go that route, just washing my hands before taking them out with whatever water I had.

Good luck! 

[robotfury]

baby shampoo! great idea. never thought of that.

[FOG]

Not a bad idea but getting any soap or typical wetting solution under ascearl lens can cause burning in your eye.  But it sure sounds like it is worth a try.

Rinsing your hands would work but would take up water.

I have thought about rinsing with Unsiol 4 too

Thanks
Wayne

[robotfury]

I am just going to bring a bottle of Unisol. Too important not to have. Stuff it in my frame bag.  That way i can avoid using water.  In fact, for something like the TD I am just going to have a veritable eye care center somewhere on the bike. No other choice. Drops (theratears, blink wetting drops) Saline, Soap (lens and hand), Comfort Solution, Plungers for removing and inserting. The standard kerataconus accouterments .  Its ridiculous, but the only way.  the baby soap may be a smart addition.

[FOG]

Yep, that sounds like a good plan. 
Good luck,
Wayne