sunblock / sore eyes solution?

[benjl]

Hey guys

First Question: I once saw a kook wearing goggles and thought it seemed a bit OTT but recently my eyes have been getting scorched by a combination of trying to get past the break when there's a lot of whitewash and when there's a strong on-shore wind that just blows the salty water straight in to my eyes.

Are there any solutions or things that can protect your eyes from this without having to look silly wearing goggles? Do any of you wear them or have suffered from similar troubles? Sometimes

Second question: Due to similar wave / weather conditions- when I have to do heaps of duckdiving to make it past the break and getting continuously smashed by whitewash and rubbing my face to get the water out of my eyes, my sunblock always seems to come off.
As it's coming in to summer now I don't want to get burned everytime I go out which happens in NZ with our useless Ozone layer!!

Have any of you guys experienced this or found a way / brand of sunblock with will stay on and provide proetction for hours despite any face rubbing or white-wash pounding?

Cheers

[oldmansurfer]

I don't know of a solution to spray blowing in your eyes from strong winds. I bought goggles and they are some where in the ocean now since they worked fine for the spray but not the pounding from the waves. I currently use a variety of sunblock that is easy on my eyes. Have to get home to look at the brand. I am working now......well I should be working......got to hide this from the boss....just kidding I am the boss.

[drowningbitbybit]

I tried the goggles for a while, but they were hopeless - just fogged up on the inside and loads of water droplets on the outside. Couldn't see a thing

As for sunblock, I found the ones labelled for "work" (rather than sports) are best - really thick and gloopy, but stays on your skin in the water. Also - try putting it on half-hour before you go out.
Anything touted as being "light on your skin" or "oil free" is just pointless - rubs off, and really stings your eyes.

[benjl]

Yeah I think i've got some 'sport' one at the moment that is spf 30+ and water resistant for two hours but even after putting it on 30mins in advance I feel my eyes stinging for the first 15minutes or so of duckdiving. I guess this is just coming off then and burning my face from then on!

Would you think that some form of contact lense would work to stop the wind, sun and salty water from scorching someones eyes? I've read a couple of articles on sufers eye and really don't want that to happen a few years down the track!

[dtc]

I've found that invisible zinc (or visible zinc if you prefer) works best at not getting in your eyes.

As to wind and the rest, close your eyes.... Actualy, there are some surfing sunglasses you can buy, I don't know if these are the same as the goggles you are talking about. I researched them once and most are fairly expensive but I recall there was a cheaper brand that had some ok reviews, just can't remember the name. But you should be able to find it. No idea if they actually work

A final possibility is a surfing hat, bucket or with a brim. Give some sun protection for your eyes at least.

[waikikikichan]

After I had Lasik surgery I bought a surf hat to protect the investment in my eyes. I use a FCS bucket hat that has a chin strap. Now and then it gets blown back, but most of the time it stay on even duck diving. The brim allows you to still use your peripheral vision as its blocking the windy salt air. My wears a trucker baseball cap during longboarding. Use a hat, that's my advice from personal experience.

[jaffa1949]

I'm a ranga, I have had a skin cancer or two removed. I wear surf hats, either ca cap with ear covers (site of many skin cancers) and paddle gloves, I have a full brim hat too each hat has a leash , I hav e UV Google with a clip to rashly, it fogs but I use commercial diving anti fog. Works for me!
I had a Gath at one stage with a visor. Big fail, misting and warped peripheral vision .