How a Viral Moment from “Below Deck: Down Under” Led Captain Jason Chambers to Invest in His Eye Health (Exclusive)

The Bravo star's inability to put in his own contact lenses became a much-discussed moment from the reality TV show

Jason Chambers recalls the literal eye-opening moment that led him to re-evaluate and invest in his vision health.

After struggling with misplacing or breaking glasses for years, the charter captain and star of Below Deck: Down Under, made the switch to contact lenses.

And as any person 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 costar/chief stew Aesha Scott to put his lenses in for him.

"I'm sick of losing glasses. I'm sick of breaking glasses," Chambers told PEOPLE recently in an interview. "It's hard to take them on and off and do your work on the bridge. And because I'm a very active Captain, to be on the deck and pulling lines and dealing with guests, putting glasses on and off and seeing far distances and close 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 from my environment on the water — spearfishing, diving, going out and coming back in the glare — they've been amazing."

Related: Below Deck's Aesha on Her Shippable 'Chemistry' with Captain Jason — Who's 'Still Struggling' with His Contacts (Exclusive)

Chambers says the most important first step is getting a comprehensive eye exam, something he avoided doing for years.

"I really realized that it's not just about vision, it's about eye health," he explained. "One of the biggest things that teaming up with Johnson & Johnson was giving me the understanding that at my age, I need to start thinking not just my mind and my body. It's actually about my eyes and it is probably one of the biggest assets we've got. And I had ignored them."

So just how old is Chambers? His age has been long-speculated by viewers.

"There was 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 giving me is that I'm still I'm hanging out with my nine-year-old daughter. I'm making bracelets, I'm playing Frisbee. I'm 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 and putting my contacts on 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 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 old fully recycled plastic blocks that are earthquake-resistant," Chambers explained. "I had to move my daughter to Bali because of schooling. And you know, we built a place in the Philippines so we understand the need for, and the issues that are in, the environment. It fell in my life and I couldn't think of a better thing to do."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Related: Jill Zarin Defends Below Deck Appearance: 'I Was Right'

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 every every boat I'm on," he revealed. "And she knows that."

Below Deck: Down Under seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Peacock.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.