What should I bring on BMQ, Contact lense or glasses ?

[erik.hillis]

Some dude on facebook mentioned this:

I was told by the doctor when i went for my medical downtown toronto that im not allowed to wear contacts for bmq. reason being you have a high chance to get dirt and crap in your eye and that would really irrate your eyes. I dont own a pair of glasses so i had to get a prescription for glasses and get paper work filled for them. He told me i have to show up with glasses.

True/false?
I don't want to bore anyone with my life story, but I got into contacts 9 years ago specifically for playing baseball (with lots of dust... and sweat), and I never had a problem... and was never big on lens hygiene. These days I put them in and take them out in seconds, without a mirror... but anyways, picked up two boxes of 30 day extended wear contacts just for BMQ/soldiering, and currently only have 1/2 a pair of glasses (need a lens replaced), so if anyone can shoot down or confirm this scuttlebut, that would be swell.

I'll probably get the lens replaced anyways, for backup, but I used glasses for reading the chalkboard at school... and stationary activities.

 

[PMedMoe]

Bring both.  Too easy, right?  I guarantee you won't want to wear contacts in the gas hut.

 

[Neolithium]

Bring both.  Too easy, right?  I guarantee you won't want to wear contacts in the gas hut.

I would think the inconvenience of glasses is much preferred over walking around with CS basically stuck to your eyeballs.  I consider my glasses to be a pain in the backside as well, but they seem to be a bit better of an option when time is of the essence.

 

[Roy Harding]

Glasses are a pain in the butt - no doubt about it.  I've been wearing them since I was 12.  For reasons I don't understand (not that I've ever researched it in any way - I just took the word of the various optometrists and opthamologists I've seen over the years), contact lenses are not a choice for me.

As was pointed out earlier - contact lenses are a REALLY bad idea in the gas hut (IE - it's probably forbidden to wear them there), and based on what I've heard from contact wearers over the years, they aren't great in extreme dusty and dirty (IE - normal field) conditions either.

One tip that I've found useful.  Get one of those elastic straps that hold your glasses on your face.  They are priceless.  They make you look "geeky", for sure - but who gives a damn?  I STILL use them in my shop - having to push your glasses back up while making a cut on a table saw is a bad idea, and I'm LONG past caring if I look like a geek.

Good luck to you.

 

[Neolithium]

One tip that I've found useful.  Get one of those elastic straps that hold your glasses on your face.  They are priceless.  They make you look "geeky", for sure - but who gives a damn?  I STILL use them in my shop - having to push your glasses back up while making a cut on a table saw is a bad idea, and I'm LONG past caring if I look like a geek.

In defense of the little elastic strap, I think looking like a geek is far better than getting yelled at by instructors because your glasses keep falling off, or you can't see at all because they fell off as you were going over a wall on the obstacle course and met the bottom of your combat boots.

 

[Flasbang]

Laser eye surgery. I can't imagine fumbling around with glasses or contact lenses for all the training and it's not like you stop once all your basic and trade training is done.

 

[Roy Harding]

Laser eye surgery. I can't imagine fumbling around with glasses or contact lenses for all the training and it's not like you stop once all your basic and trade training is done.

Not always an option.  And EXPENSIVE.

People have been "fumbling around" with glasses for centuries now.

 

[Neolithium]

I've looked into laser eye surgery as well, I'm probably going to keep it on the shelf for sometime in the future, but pre-BMQ, I nearly needed to change my shorts when I saw the cost.  Some of the potential complications that I've read about as well, can be an instant career killer (Assuming someone does end up with worst case scenario of course).

 

[josh54243]

I wore my glasses during my training. For the range, they just sent me to the optomitrist and issued me some ballistic eyewear

 

[PMedMoe]

I wore my glasses during my training. For the range, they just sent me to the optomitrist and issued me some ballistic eyewear

Yes, there are inserts for the ballistic glasses as well as for the gas mask.

 

[Neolithium]

Well, since my glasses met an unfortunate fate this weekend while playing at the park with my son, I decided to swing by my Optometrist and get a copy of my prescription...I'll have to wait of course until my application moves along to the medical...but I think I might have to prepare myself for the possibility of being V4.  That's of course just a guess based on peeking at my prescription and only the Medical staff at the CFRC can make the real judgement, but I figure that I might as well consider laser eye surgery just in case.

I knew I should have eaten more carrots as a kid.  :rofl:

 

[Vince910]

Laser eye surgery. I can't imagine fumbling around with glasses or contact lenses for all the training and it's not like you stop once all your basic and trade training is done.

If you can afford to get laser eye surgery I highly recommend it. I just got it last December and it was completely worth it! I was wearing glasses for 10 years and its a great feeling when you "dont have to put on your eyes in the morning". I switched to contacts but they would often bug me (I wore the dailies and the monthlies). I can rub my eyes if something get in them and I don't have to worry about them coming out anymore.

I'm joining the armed forces when as soon as my school is done and I used to have to worry about the gas hut and what not, but not anymore.

Just my opinion