HydroOptix Mega-4.5dd Rx Mask

[Bicster]

My eyeglass Rx is approx -4.75 diopter with -1.25 diopter astigmatism which makes me a "naked eye user" for this mask. When I tried it in the pool it was simply amazing. It does not have corrective lenses in it; Unlike a flat mask, it has domes which shape the surrounding water into the lens.

With this mask I see better underwater, with a wider field-of-vision, than I do on land. Think about that for a moment!

The Mega is not for everyone. It's high volume (though it does have two purge valves). And if you have 20/20 vision, you'll need to wear contact lenses in order to see underwater. HydroOptix claims many people do just that, in order to enjoy the wide field of view. Their website has a chart which will allow you to determine whether you're a naked eye match for it.

It even comes with a clip-on that (sort-of) corrects vision above the surface, as well as a monacle.

I paid $199+tax for it at an LDS. It's also available directly from HydroOptix if there is no dealer in your area. For comparison, my wife's custom Rx flat mask (based on a Tusa Splendive II) cost $189+s/h.

I am not certified yet and I have not tried this mask in open water, but I see no reason why it would not perform just as well.

 

[Canadian_Diver]

I am not certified yet and I have not tried this mask in open water, but I see no reason why it would not perform just as well.

Bicster, glad to hear you made the switch!!

I have 20/20 eyesight and just recently made the switch a few months back. I couldn't believe it. No distortion, everything was the correct size and distance, and the increased field of view is amazing!

I had to get contacts to use the mask, but, it was well worth it in the end. My benefits ended up covering the expense for the contacts.

Check out the review I did in this forum ... I did a full test / analysis on it.

Needless to say, I will never go back to a conventional flat mask.

 

[Bicster]

I searched the board for HydroOptix earlier and found nothing. Now lots of hits. I must be going crazy

I read your review and it is spot-on. Sadly, HydroOptix sent a sample mask to my LDS and they gave it away because they thought it looked too large. I wish I'd been in the room at the time! I went to another LDS and they said they've been selling briskly.

I can't believe my nearsightedness is actually working in my favor, for once!

 

[H2Andy]

i ain't wearing no mask i can't pronounce

 

[kidspot]

My vision and astigmatism both fall outside the range for it, but I'd still love to try one as having peripheral vision while diving sounds like a wonderful way to increase my team awareness...

Canadian Diver - I too read your review and it was very good - thanks.

Aloha, Tim

 

[Tom Winters]

I'm down to just one Hydrooptix mask now. I was going to eBay it, but doing digital photography, I cannot see the screen for beans even with my SeaVision mask with the -2.0 readers ground in.
So I'm going to try it again. I have great close-up vision since i"m so mearsighted. No way I'm using the clip-on Predator lenses though - it's the monocle and fumbling blindly.
So now, to do this right, I got a pair of -2.0 contacts for my lousy eyesight. This gives me 20/20 underwater with the mask. Then, on the surface, I have to get a pair of glasses 2 diopters weaker than my current presciption UNLESS i change out the -2.0 contacts for my regular stronger contacts.
Perhaps this does not sound confusing to you, but it sure is to me, and I reasoned all this out. Canadian Diver - I am awestruck that you would voluntarily put up with contacts to use this mask.

 

[Canadian_Diver]

Canadian Diver - I am awestruck that you would voluntarily put up with contacts to use this mask.

Hey Tom. It's not such a big ordeal as we make it out to be. I like to think of it similar to drysuits. They're a pain to have to put on, take off, wear thermals, etc .... but yet, we do it to further enjoy our sport.

Human nature is to resist something new that is not within our normal / comfortable routine. However, once incorporated, these (at first) awkward procedures eventually become second nature, hence, a non-issue. :14:

 

[Tom Winters]

Well, I wouldn't equate it with putting on a drysuit. I'd rather crawl into a drysuit on the second or third dive instead of a wet wetsuit any day of the week. I see it more along the lines of the movie "A Clockwork Orange" where they put the clamps on Alex's eyes to keep them open. But I tried the mask again today since I can't see the camera viewfinder any other way, and it worked just fine. The fishies were happy and I was happy.

 

[kidspot]

Looks like it's still having some fogging issues Tom... or was that just in the photo?

Seems like the reports from folks say they fog a lot more. Is this because it's a high volume mask or because of the material used to manufacture the lens?

Tim

 

[Tom Winters]

It's a problem with that mask. Part of the problem is the huge interior area of the polycarbonste lens and part of it is the fact that the twin purge valves keep it too dry to keep a little slosh water in there. The second dive I followed the instructions on the McNett Sea Gold and things were unfogged. The fact that the water was 83° didn't help either.