Conflicting info on corrective lens power

[scubaroyster]

I am myopic and wear soft disposable contacts -7.0 that require me to wear reading glasses to see up close. That happens when you get older.

I wear a -6.5 in my non-dominant eye when I dive. The lesser power allows me to see better close up to read guages and slates. When diving, I don't really notice the difference in distant vision underwater.

 

[SubMariner]

Both my husband & myself have prescription Seavision masks... bifocals, no less! They are excellent.

The big thing to remember is that there IS a difference between optics ABOVE and BELOW water. Therefore, if you are having prescription lenses put in your mask, make sure the job is done by someone who has the requisite knowledge to do it.

Meanwhile, many people dive with contact lenses. I did it until I needed bifocals.

DSDO,

~SubMariner~

 

[Lloyd]

Just get either momovision or bifocal contacts. That is the best solution.
Lloyd

 

[scubasean]

no biggie...

Your location isn't listed, so I won't bore you with the guy in San Diego...

$179 for a bifocal mask(actually, you ship him the mask and it comes back prescription)...No hassles.

 

[Rick Murchison]

lighthouse once bubbled...
How far out do I really need to worry about seeing clearly?

The view out a flat glass mask under water is equivalent to air from very close to about eight feet. That is, "infinity" under water will focus on your retina the same as an object eight feet away in air. Likewise, close objects will seem even closer.
For this reason, nearsighted folk with reasonable accomodation can use a much milder prescription under water and still see clearly. For example, my script is -2.5 left and -2.0 right, and I can see quite well under water with no corrective lenses at all, although optimum is about a -1.5 and -1.0. If I were to use the full prescription I'd have to get bifocals with plain lenses in the bottom for reading gauges, and the ability to see beyond eight feet in air would be "wasted" since there's nothing under water that's optically beyond eight feet.
The option I like the best is the Mares ESA mask with the milder prescription in the front lenses and flat glass in the bottom lenses.
Farsighted folk will need their full prescription to see clearly under water, and are even more likely to need bifocals.
Rick

 

[Dee]

I've always used Sea Vision lenses/masks. although I've been using bifocal glasses for a few years, it wasn't until I got a digital camera that I realized I also needed a bifocal mask.

I simply have my eye doctor write a presription with all the measurements and info needed and fax it Sea Vision. The know the adjustments to make for above/below water. I have never had a mask that wasn't correct. I can actually see better with my mask than I can my glasses, except for the bifocal part which only works underwater.

It's well worth the cost.