Can You Skydive With Glasses or Contact Lenses?

It’s not every day that you’re freefalling from 10,000 ft, so you’re definitely going to want to see the absolutely fabulous (and maybe once-in-a-lifetime) views when you jump out of a plane! So what are people who wear contact lenses and prescription glasses supposed to do when they go skydiving? Can you skydive with eyeglasses? The short answer is yes, you can! Here, we’ll talk about some commonly asked questions and help you clearly see what the deal is.

You absolutely can go skydiving with glasses – but if you don’t need them to see far away, or if you have a different option, it’s probably better to leave your glasses on the ground! It’s generally a good idea to not take anything up with you that you don’t want to lose, but we want to make sure that you can see.

When you skydive, you freefall at about 120mph, so wearing glasses means taking measures to keep them on. As a tandem student, you will be required to wear some sort of protection (usually goggles) over your eyes. These goggles have an adjustable strap, so they should cover your glasses and help them stay snug to your face without flying off. Eyewear retainers (also known as Croakies or eyeglass straps) can be a good backup measure to keep your glasses attached.

“Can I wear contact lenses when skydiving?” Yes! Matter of fact, if you have the option to wear glasses or contact lenses, it would be better to choose the contacts. While glasses usually stay on just fine, why take the risk of losing them if you don’t need to? Plus, it can be more comfortable to wear the goggles over contacts instead of over glasses.

Contact lenses don’t typically require any special attention, although if you’re susceptible to dry eyes, the wind from freefall can cause your contacts to fall out. Though this is quite unlikely, it might be a good idea to bring a spare pair of contacts or glasses just in case!

After you’ve healed from Lasik, there shouldn’t be any need for special accommodations regarding your eyes on the skydive. It is always a good idea to check with your doctor about healing time or any other health questions you might have. From what we’ve heard, a month after the procedure seems like the time when it may be possible to make a jump, and six months after the surgery your eyes are most likely completely healed and ready for that life-changing bird’s eye view!

If you would like to wear sunglasses on your skydive to keep the wind out of your face instead of clear goggles, then that may be an option. Some drop zones don’t allow tandem students to wear sunglasses. Either way, we would recommend wearing cheap sunglasses just in case they decide to make their own jump (… away from your face).

Sunglasses are typically bulkier than prescription eyeglasses, so it may not be very comfortable to wear them under goggles. Some people are more comfortable with sunglasses in lieu of goggles, but there are more openings for air to potentially bother your eyes (take note, contact wearers!).

Some sort of eye protection is required for the freefall portion of your jump in order to keep the wind and elements out of your eyes. But trust us, you want eyeball protection. Can you imagine trying to open your eyes and look around when you’re falling 120 mph without anything covering your eyes? Ooph. No bueno. Goggles might not seem like the coolest things ever, but honestly, they complete the look of a real skydiver.

If you’ve watched skydiving videos online, then you’ve probably seen people jumping with full-face helmets. These envelop the head and have a shield protecting the eyes, eliminating the need for goggles. Only jumpers who have earned a USPA skydiving license are permitted to wear full-face helmets. In fact, you won’t be wearing a helmet at all on your skydive. As a tandem student, you can’t wear a helmet because you are strapped to the front of a tandem instructor. Your tandem instructor needs to see over the top of your head – and doesn’t want you accidentally head butting them with a hard helmet either!

Don’t fret about wearing glasses and contact lenses on your skydive – we have people every single day who jump with both and it’s totally fine! While contacts are preferable, glasses are absolutely acceptable. Have other questions? Check out our FAQs. Ready to fly? Book your tandem skydive! We can’t wait to get sky-high with you. Blue skies!