The Bravo star's struggle with putting in his own contact lenses became a widely talked-about moment from the reality TV show.
Jason Chambers recalls the literal eye-opening experience that led him to re-evaluate and invest in his vision health.
After years of misplacing or breaking glasses, the charter captain and star of Below Deck: Down Under decided to switch to contact lenses.
And as anyone new to contacts knows, it can be a real struggle. In a much-discussed moment from the Bravo show's second season, Chambers enlisted the help of his co-star and chief stew Aesha Scott to put his lenses in for him.
"I'm tired of losing glasses. I'm tired of breaking glasses," Chambers told. "It's hard to take them on and off and do your work on the bridge. And because I'm a very active Captain, being on the deck and pulling lines and dealing with guests, putting glasses on and off and seeing far and near distances, it's unprofessional and it's a safety issue."
After his struggles with contact lenses went viral, he teamed up with Johnson & Johnson to find a brand that best served his needs.
"They gave me the best contacts you can get for my environment: The ACUVUE OASYS MAX," said Chambers, who is now a spokesperson for the brand. "It's got the most UV protection, the most blue filter protection, and for my environment on the water—spearfishing, diving, dealing with glare—they've been amazing."
Chambers says the most important first step is getting a comprehensive eye exam, something he avoided doing for years.
"I realized that it's not just about vision, it's about eye health," he explained. "One of the biggest things I learned from teaming up with Johnson & Johnson was understanding that at my age, I need to start thinking not just about my mind and body, but also my eyes. They are one of our biggest assets, and I had ignored them."
So just how old is Chambers? His age has been long speculated by viewers.
"There were rumors going around that I was 38 years old a few years ago, but I'm not," Chambers joked before setting the record straight. "I'm actually 52, and the experience that ACUVUE has given me is that I'm still able to hang out with my nine-year-old daughter. I'm making bracelets, playing Frisbee, playing ball with her."
"I can feel like a 38-year-old," he continued. "I'm not looking for my glasses. She's not waiting for me. I'm waking up for the day, putting my contacts in, and feeling young enough and useful enough to keep up with my nine-year-old."
Wearing contacts has not only enriched his experience as a father to his daughter Saskia but also his other passion: building classrooms for those in need.
"I've been living in Bali and working with some foundations building schools made out of fully recycled plastic blocks that are earthquake-resistant," Chambers explained. "I had to move my daughter to Bali because of schooling. We built a place in the Philippines, so we understand the need for, and the issues in, the environment. It fell into my life, and I couldn't think of a better thing to do."
None of this could be done without the OASYS MAX lenses, which Chambers takes with him wherever he goes. But Chambers added there's one more item he always packs.
"I always have the same picture with my daughter, which I put into my bed on every boat I'm on," he revealed. "And she knows that."
Below Deck: Down Under seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Peacock.
The Quran - Chapter Al-Mujadila : 17
Neither their wealth nor children will be of any help to them against Allah whatsoever. It is they who will be the residents of the Fire. They will be there forever.
