Are prescription masks really necessary?

[pardsie]

Please do not shoot the questioner. I am currently 2 weeks away from certification. The question of prescription lenses or not never crossed my mind. I wear bifocal glasses and am now wondering if others in the same boat so to speak can share their experience regarding the ability or inability to see clearly while under the water. I just foolishly assumed that everything being magnified would be ok. I have a Mares Nemo wide computer which should be readable. My question is regarding seeing clearly at some distance. Any experiences would be appreciated. Love this site as I have been helped regarding BCs vs BP/W and all other queries I have posed. Great friendly people who never seem to put down us newbies. Should I opt for prescription lenses in a mask. I have looked at the Mares X Vision but have not yet decided.

 

[mig_diver]

I have worn prescription glasses since I was 4 years old and can confidently say that I am quite blind without them. I can walk around and drive (during the day) without my glasses but simple things like reading the plate number of the car in front of me, are out of reach.

I don't dive with a prescription mask. I can read my gauges quite comfortably, if someone write something on their slate too small though, I often have to pull that slate right up to my mask. Seeing life underwater though is fine. For all I know though, I may be missing a lot of the little critters.

Hope my info helps.

 

[almitywife]

diving for over 10yrs and my hubby always said he could see ok with a mask... but.. on his first dive with a prescription mask i could hear him underwater yelling at me "i can see!!!"

hes has had it for a few months now and he still comments on what an improvement its made to his diving

down here we use OzBob Flash Page

 

[spectrum]

You are right that underwater here is some magnification, it's said to be about 1 diopter worth.

What you bought for instruments will have a lot to do with how well you can see what you must see. Dim light and low visibility will make it harder regardless.

I use a prescription mask and did spend a good spell with a plain one after a mishap. I was fine diving but as soon as I was out of the water my eyes were very weary. When surfacing offshore it was apparent that my vision back to the beach was not as good I'd like in the case of an emergency.

All in all considering your investment in diving I'd seriously consider spending the extra $100 - $150 to do it right. I have a few more details here.

Pete

 

[Diver Dennis]

Mares X-Vision is also available with drop in lenses, which are what I use.

 

[wreckchick]

It really depends on how bad your eyesight is. We tell people that -2.0 or better and you'll probably be fine with a regular mask but anything more than that needs correction. You can opt to dive with contacts, or a get a prescription mask.

I opted for Lasik, but that's a bit much for most people although I do highly recommend it!

Rachel

 

[Web Monkey]

Please do not shoot the questioner. I am currently 2 weeks away from certification. The question of prescription lenses or not never crossed my mind. I wear bifocal glasses and am now wondering if others in the same boat so to speak can share their experience regarding the ability or inability to see clearly while under the water. I just foolishly assumed that everything being magnified would be ok. I have a Mares Nemo wide computer which should be readable. My question is regarding seeing clearly at some distance. Any experiences would be appreciated. Love this site as I have been helped regarding BCs vs BP/W and all other queries I have posed. Great friendly people who never seem to put down us newbies. Should I opt for prescription lenses in a mask. I have looked at the Mares X Vision but have not yet decided.

Contacts work nicely.

If you need bifocals, some divers have success with a "distance" lens in one eye and a "reading" lens in the other, or distance lenses in both, and a stick-on reading lens in the mask: Optx 20/20 Dive Optx Reading Lenses

Terry

 

[fdog]

I wear my contacts under my mask. They're disposables, so no loss if I wash one out, and I carry spares in my gear.

It's easy to tell contact wearers underwater: they keep their eyes squeezed shut while the mask is off the face when underwater, about the only disadvantage I've encountered.

I have had my scrip in my mask in the past; I found their disadvantage is that when not wearing the mask, you need to have a pair of prescription sunglasses around, and I prefer to keep a pair of cheap WalMart sunglasses with me on the boat (lest they get squished).

Optically, for me, having my true prescription placed into the mask (not an approximation such as the off-the-shelf diopter masks) is a bit better performing than wearing contacts.


All the best, James

 

[MeiLing]

If you have to ask, you probably don't need them!

If you're like me and you need help finding your glasses when you wake up, I'd skip the prescription mask and opt for contacts. Otherwise, I'd have to wear my mask from the moment I took off my glasses!

 

[Aussie scuba chick]

I wear contacts also. Firstly, I'm cheap! If my goggles die, then I can get another set just as easily.

When I don't wear my contacts, I find that I can actually see quite well under water (above water I am very short-sighted). I'm not sure why this is.