Prescription Masks - advice please

Phil_C · Oct 18, 2011

I wonder if anyone who has had a prescription mask made can offer any advice - I suffer a degree of short sightedness, I can read instruments etc. fine with a normal mask, but things over 6-8 foot get a little blurry.

I would have a problem reading instruments with a full prescription so guess I will need a bi-focal with a clear area at the bottom.

What has worked for other people?

Any advice on what to look for/what to avoid would be gratefully received.

Many thanks - Phil

ScubaBB · Oct 18, 2011

There are also multifocal glasses, where you have slowly change from up to down, or the other way around.

tridacna · Oct 18, 2011

I have the exact same problem as you. I had "look unders" made for me by prescription dive masks, Welcome to Prescription Dive Masks 1-800-538-2878. Ask for Linda. They are AWESOME. They have made over three masks for me; Their service is fantastic and their attitude even better.

Phil_C · Oct 18, 2011

Thanks BB - I wear graduated varifocals for daily use, but don't really need them for diving as I won't be doing middle distance reading - just gauges close up and critters a bit further away.

Cheers Tridacna - hadn't seen that website or their 'look-unders' they looks ideal - will see if anything similar is available in the UK or Med and if not give Linda a ring and see if they will ship. - P

Mossman · Oct 18, 2011

Phil_C:
Cheers Tridacna - hadn't seen that website or their 'look-unders' they looks ideal - will see if anything similar is available in the UK or Med and if not give Linda a ring and see if they will ship. - P

Their website does quote "international shipping" at $50, so that's certainly an option if you can't find anything local. J has purchased three masks to date from them and we've been to their old location twice, it's a small custom shop with very personal service and they stand by their work. Linda is an avid diver.

MSltr · Oct 18, 2011

I am near-sighted as well. I did not get bifocals, and instead got what is sometimes referred to as "duck under" lenses installed. The lenses are fitted for my far sighted prescripition. To check my gauges I just lower my eyes below the corrective lenses. It is cheaper than bifocals. You will need to make sure your mask lenses are large enough to leave space for you to look under; or it will be an akward especially at night to check your gauges.

Phil_C · Oct 18, 2011

Thanks all - I have found a company that will manufacture lenses and offer bi-focals which they will fit with a clear lower section. They have alist of about a dozen masks they can supply with lenses.

Optical & prescription diving masks to help you see while diving or snorkelling

We have the national dive show at Birmingham this weekend so I will try to look at the masks they list and see what I think of them before ordering one.

Seems like options from them are Tusa Spendive IV, Unidive or Seac Extreme as a bi-focal, they don't seem to do a 'look under'.

Cheers - P

Max Speed · Oct 18, 2011

I use a $30 off the shelf lens which is close to my distance prescription for my dominant eye and a clear lens for gauge reading on my non-dominant eye. On land i use bifocals but i stole the near/far lens idea from a friend who wears contacts. Works great at minimal cost.

Sent from my SPH-P100 using Tapatalk

Thalassamania · Oct 18, 2011

Here's the website for the guy who invented prescription masks. I just use "reader/cheaters" so I've never used him, but hundreds of my students have ... he is, without doubt, the absolute best: Prescription Dive Masks

Phil_C · Oct 19, 2011

Hi Thalasamia, yep - looks like what he calls cut offs are what I want - I'll send him an e-mail with my prescription and see what response I get, so far no response from the two UK companies I have approached. Cheers P

Prescription Masks - advice please

Please register or login

Phil_C

Contributor

ScubaBB

Contributor

tridacna

ScubaBoard Supporter

Phil_C

Contributor

Mossman

Contributor

MSltr

Contributor

Phil_C

Contributor

Max Speed

Contributor

Thalassamania

Diving Polymath

Phil_C

Contributor

Similar threads