Prescription mask?

[CEWayfarer]

I pretty much only snorkel when we're on vacation. Often, they'll have prescrition masks available, which is great, but sometimes they don't.

I'm considering buying my own; is it like buying glasses at the market? Can you walk into a sporting good/dive shop and say, "I need a snokel with a distance correction" and you can try them until you find one that works? I don't want to spend a bundle on a 'personalized' mask that I'll only use one or two weeks a year...

Thanks!

[celebfan1966]

Bodyglove make one cheep (around $65) for distance problem. It come in a plastic package in the shap of a face so you can try it out in the store.

 

I got mine at sportmart 4 years ago and only use it a couple time a year, but considered it a great investment

 

Dan

[drdaddy]

The general rule of thumb is deduct 20% from your prescription if you are near-sighted. If you are a -5.00, then you would choose a -4.00. If you a -1.00, don't bother. If you have astigmatism, you could let me know your Rx and I could give you a ballpark figure but it would only be a guesstimate. It depends on how much astigmatism you have. Now, if you are into bifocals, things change a little. If you are under 50, then you probably don't have to do anything else. Over 50, if you want to use an underwater digital camera, you would need to decrease the non-dominant eye some more. I had to do just that to see the screen on my camera.

 

If you are far-sighted, I am not sure of the rule. There is a magnification effect of the salt water and I might assume you would need to ADD a bit more power to your Rx but I have not heard of this.

 

The lenses you buy in the dive shops are made specifically for the masks and they fit great. I think I paid $60 for the pair. An optical could not even make you a full lense that would work. They don't come big enough. Some shops can actually grind a lense and cement it to the inside of your mask. That is real specialty work. But for that astigmatism, could be necessary.

 

Pretty simple, eh?

[John Y]

I love my perscription lenses in my mask. I am very near sighted (-10) and found contacts a bit of a pain. Although I didn't buy mine there, I have been very happy with the quality of the other products I have bought from Scuba Toys. They have masks at http://www.scubatoys.com/store/Scuba_Masks.asp .

 

Looks like you can get one with lenses for about $100. Well worth the money, IMO. Just remember that fit is very important so check your local dive shop first to try it on.

[CEWayfarer]

Not so simple, Dr. Daddy!

I think I'll pay a visit to my local dive shop this weekend and see what they've got.

Thanks for the tips!

[drdaddy]

CE, didn't you see my tongue sticking way into my cheek? The dive shop guys should be able to help for sure.

[DANofNORTH]

I have one & so does my wife. We both like them.

 

The price is reasonable too!

 

http://www.snorkel-mart.com/

[tada]

I have one & so does my wife. We both like them.

 

The price is reasonable too!

 

http://www.snorkel-mart.com/

 

I second snorkel-mart. I have astigmatism and wear a bifocal. They can custom grind lenses for $169, but I used their calculator and bought stock lenses. I think the whole mask ran me less than $79 with lenses. I can see beautifully underwater (nice for someone who never has), but I can't read a contract underwater with them.

[3boyzmom]

Talk to someone at scubatoys.com. They are VERY helpful, and can make a recommendation for you.

 

A well-fitting mask that you can actually see out of makes a huge difference in how much you enjoy the snorkeling!

[satxdiver]

I bought a prescription mask made for me. My eye doctor gave me a modified prescription. The cost was around $100 and worth every penny IMO. I only SCUBA dive. I do dive with my contacts and a regular mask and often switch off during the day between dives. My doctor advised me to blow air into the mask about every ten minutes or so when wearing contacts (gas rigid).

 

Fish, coral, etc., will appear larger under water than they actually are due to the magnification of the water. If you eye sight is not too bad, you may not have a problem just taking off your glasses. Unfortunately not an option for me since I can't even see the big E on the chart! Luckily it is corrected to 20/20.

[CEWayfarer]

The general rule of thumb is deduct 20% from your prescription if you are near-sighted. If you are a -5.00, then you would choose a -4.00. If you a -1.00, don't bother. If you have astigmatism, you could let me know your Rx and I could give you a ballpark figure but it would only be a guesstimate. It depends on how much astigmatism you have. Now, if you are into bifocals, things change a little. If you are under 50, then you probably don't have to do anything else. Over 50, if you want to use an underwater digital camera, you would need to decrease the non-dominant eye some more. I had to do just that to see the screen on my camera.

 

Pretty simple, eh?

 

OK, lets complicate things a little more...

Right eye -2

Left eye -4.25

Over 50, will use a camera.

 

What do you think I should order?

[drdaddy]

Actually, that's pretty easy and money saving.

 

You can leave the right lens as zero (the original lens in the mask) for your camera work and get a left lens at -3.50 Diopters. If it is not available in .50 steps then go with a -3.00. Should work great for this even if your right eye is dominant.

 

Make sure your mask is the type that has replaceable lenses. And I didn't even try to change the lenses. The fellow in the dive shop did it for me. It did look a bit involved.

[CEWayfarer]

Actually, that's pretty easy and money saving.

 

You can leave the right lens as zero (the original lens in the mask) for your camera work and get a left lens at -3.50 Diopters. If it is not available in .50 steps then go with a -3.00. Should work great for this even if your right eye is dominant.

 

Make sure your mask is the type that has replaceable lenses. And I didn't even try to change the lenses. The fellow in the dive shop did it for me. It did look a bit involved.

 

Thanks! Oddly, my left eye is dominant with a correction, but I'm also an alternator. I'm just a complicated woman!

[drdaddy]

So, making the left the distance Rx is even better. You should do just fine. This is the way we figure for monovision CL. Doesn't work as well with glasses but bellieve it or not, I know some Optometrists who have done this with some success. With the snorkle masks, it IS no problem. I have done the same thing and I am a royal pain and it works for me.

[CEWayfarer]

Thanks again for all the great advice!

[hawaii6o]

Dont know if anyone can help on this one, but ya never know. My dd who is 12 is a congenital cateract patient. Had lenses removed at 4mths right eye, 2 yrs left eye, and and has no implants in either eyes. She is a +20 and +21, she does also have a bifocal too, but she can deal with close up a little better than not seeing at all for distance. She wears contacts in the prescription above. What is the highest prescription that you can get for the masks?

 

Thanks for you help

 

Jeanne

[Woodsmaster]

If you are seriously considering a prescription mask, you have several options. The first thing is what is your visual problem. Are you near sighted, farsighted, etc.?

 

I have three members of my family who have prescription masks. My business partner also wears glasses and he uses two systems.

 

I wear bifocal glasses. I have a mask that has bonded lenses in it that are bifocal. They are the same prescription that I wear on dry land. I have seen a lot of people tell you to reduce your prescription from the normal script by anything from .25 to 1 power ( I think this is refered to as a diopter). Don't do it. Use your normal prescription. Water density and its ability to increase your power varies from place to place and from salt to fresh water. I have my normal scripts in my mask as does my wife and son.... We are all happy with them.

 

My wife and son only had near sighted problems. They bought masks and had the mask companies prescription lenses put into the masks and they work fine for them.

 

My business partner has a prescription mask with "factory" lenses in it and he is now buying one and having bonded lenses put into it. Bonded lenses work fine, but they do add more weight to your mask and seem a bit heavy at first.

 

He also wears contact lenses with a normal mask and has no problems with this.

 

I had to laugh when I first read your post as your "snorkel" will be hard to put any type of lense in it that will help you with diving. lol.

 

I have read several dive articles about lenses and power in diving. The latest all remark that you should use yor normal prescription. I am fixing to need a new mask and it will again be bonded lenses with my normal prescription.

 

Several places to check out:

 

http://www.safevision.net/divinglead.html

http://www.prescriptiondivemasks.com/

http://www.rx-safety.com/Scuba-Masks/index.htm

http://www.leisurepro.com/Catalog.aspx?op=CatDisplay&CategoryID=958&Context=954&gclid=CNXbl6eWypQCFQyfnAodw1wmqg

http://www.joediveramerica.com/page/JDA/PROD/Corrective

 

What are the best contact lenses to wear underwater?

 

Divers who wish to wear contact lenses while diving should ask their ophthalmologists or optometrists to prescribe "soft" contact lenses. "Hard" lenses or rigid gas-permeable lenses, the other two commonly prescribed types of lenses, have been found to sometimes cause symptoms of eye pain and blurred vision during and after dives, in which the diver accumulates a significant inert gas load. These symptoms occur as a result of gas bubbles forming between the cornea and the contact lens. http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/article.asp?articleid=16

[drdaddy]

Jeanne, unfortunately the generic lenses for masks don't come anywhere close to what your DD needs. The lenses would be ridiculously thick and weigh a ton. I doubt if you could find anything larger than +5 or so. If she is going to really get into it, lenses bonded to the mask would be the ticket.

[paracelsus]

I just got my mask last year and love it. I've been out many times, but basically I didn't really see anything until I got the pictures. I figure that I am spending all that money to get someplace, it's worth a few more dollars to be able to see it when I get there.

[hawaii6o]

Thanks drdaddy for your response, I didnt think that they would make such a high prescription in a mask, but ya never know until ya ask. We are leaving on friday for our cruise on LOS. She will wear her contacts under her mask and hope for the best. She does where goggles over contacts in a pool so hopefully she will be fine. I just worry about leaking masks and salt water. She will have to deal the best she can. Hopefully one day there will be a fix to her congenital cateract problem and she wont need glasses in such a high prescription, until then we make due with what she has. Keep your fingers crossed for a fix to her vision in the future

 

Jeanne

[CEWayfarer]

I am now the proud owner of a prescription mask!

I went to my local dive shop (Sport Chalet) and told them what drdaddy had suggested regarding the correction and they agreed 100%.

I picked up the mask this past week. I wore it while in the pool and it is absolutely perfect. I could see all of the distance stuff with the corrected lens and was still able to see up close with the uncorrected.

I couldn't be happier (well, I probably could be if I were diving somewhere other than a swimming pool!!).

Thanks again drdaddy!