Corrective Lenses

[Knavey]

Could I get some feedback on putting corrective lenses in a scuba mask?

I normally dive with contact lenses, and my wife is thinking of getting lenses put into her mask.

My thoughts are that it is a good thing, especially were I to lose a lens while diving. Of course, if you lose the mask, you are in just as much trouble.

Any links to information would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[scubasean]

I'm about ready to get bifocal lenses put into my mask...

www.prescriptiondivemasks.com

$179 for bifocals....less cost for single vision lenses...

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I have dove with contacts for 18 years and never had a problem.

My son however wears glasses and I installed corrective lenses in the mask.

You can find masks that are designed to use standard correcting lenses that pop in and replace the standard glass lens in the mask. They are available in I think 1/4 dipoter increments and are primarily available for people who are near sighted. They are normally stocked by the dive shop and you can pop them in the mask and test drive them in the store.

You can obtain a simple stick on lens to assist you in reading your guages if you are farsighted and if you have any significant astigmatisim your best bet is contacts or custom lenses.

Many local opticans can grind lenses and install them in your mask (usually by bonding them to the existing lens). This obviously increases your choice of masks and allows you to use one that actually fits or one that you already have. Ask around a tthe local dive shop - they will know what opticians in the area provide this service.

 

[Knavey]

When they install lenses in the mask, how do they account for the fact that the lenses are now sitting farther away from your eyes than they do with glasses on?

 

[scubasean]

Knavey once bubbled...
When they install lenses in the mask, how do they account for the fact that the lenses are now sitting farther away from your eyes than they do with glasses on?

Take your glasses off, and move them out in front of you a foot or two...There should be only a very little change in what you can see through the lens.

--Sean

 

[Charlie99]

Knavey once bubbled...
When they install lenses in the mask, how do they account for the fact that the lenses are now sitting farther away from your eyes than they do with glasses on?

Linda, at the prescription dive masks link that Scubasean posted, can fill you in on that. She was very helpful when I made a request for a bit less than full strength -- kind of splitting the difference between my far vision and near vision prescriptions.

IIRC, she mentioned that she already reduces the typical precription by about 1/2 diopter to account for lens-to-eye distance, and she called to confirm that what I wanted was in addition to that reduction. She then went to the additional trouble of calling my optometrist and getting a prescription rewritten to reflect my request. Customer service above and beyond the norm!

What I'd really like in a mask is a progressive (no-line) bifocal. Linda explained why that is not possible, but I forget the details.

 

[kingprawn]

They cut my astigmatism into my mask. Great job! Makes all the difference.

 

[rickyd]

I recently got a new mask, and had lenses bonded with my bi-focal/astigmtism perscription. It was done through my LDS, but I'm pretty sure it was the San Diego outfit.

What a difference!!!! I can finally see all the small critters, and even now read the numbers on my compass!!!!!. I was using a "standard" pop-in lens; that was OK - I could see fine, but had lots of trouble close up. I'm about a -5.5, so the bonded lenses are pretty thick and somewhat heavy; they don't use the high index light weight stuff I have on my progressive glasses; but, this hasn't posed any problems for me. Don't notice it under water.

Go for a full custom perscription. Get the bi-focals ( if you need ). Well worth the cost!

 

[budgy]

Its always that precious mask that gets crowned. I lost one acting as the casulty in a simulated rescue, the prescription lenses fell out of the next one. Last year my favourite was a beautiful Posidon, it was the only mask I've really liked the fit of, then someone stepped on it. I had bi-focals fitted to a Scuba Pro Crystal View mask this year then the side lens shattered. I'm saving up for an Aga, but I need something bullet proof like a Kirby Morgan

 

[rickyd]

I always always always ( did I say ALWAYS? ) put my mask in a mask box, and store it away from any equipment. That means not ON the boat bench, where other divers will drop tanks and weights on it; not under the bench, where it will be kicked out and stepped on, etc... I do occaisionally, based on the boat, take a plastic crate and place it under the bench, to store all my miscellaneous stuff in, including my mask - of course in its container! That work great.

Did I say NEVER leave the mask out of its box ( unless its on your face ), and near anything that can fall, step, crush it???