Can you dive with contacts, after LASIK or with glaucoma? DAN recommends soft lenses only.
Retinal detachment, operated cataracts, swollen eyeball after a dive, and blurred vision upon surfacing are topics that generate frequent consultations. Divers with recent eye surgery or pre-existing conditions want to know whether hydrostatic pressure can worsen their situation, what waiting time is necessary, and whether wearing contact lenses inside the mask poses any risk.
DAN exclusively recommends soft lenses underwater, as rigid lenses allow gas bubbles to form between the cornea and the lens. Those who have undergone LASIK can dive approximately two weeks afterward; however, those who had radial keratotomy must wait at least three months. Glaucoma does not generally contraindicate diving, but some medications such as timolol reduce heart rate and may mask symptoms of decompression sickness, so the diver should inform their diving physician.