Eyes, don't fail me now

[LostPatriot]

My most recent mask, ordered through my LDS who has a company in California as their source, is prescription mask with bifocals. It cost me about $225.00. It took some getting used to just as my first dry land bifocals did, but I can see everything and read my gauges and see my video view finder. Scuba is a visully intensive sport. Don't go cheap on being able to enjoy the visual aspect fully. check our prescription divemasks.com. An investment well worth the money.
DivemasterDennis

Great point. At this time, I am going to try a few alternative solutions prior to purchasing specialty lens. This decision is based primarily not wanting to change out the factory glass or otherwise altering my current masks. There is something about that German glass that is hard to beat.

Interesting comments re LiquiVision Computers as I am researching what I may go to for my next upgrade. As I consider changing over to either a BP/W or SideMount configuration (leaning towards SM as the physics appear to be better on the back), I hope to upgrade almost my entire kit. I'll leave that discussion for another thread.

Take care all. And I am hopeful that I may have the pleasure of diving with some of you in the future.

Rob

 

[merxlin]

Great point. At this time, I am going to try a few alternative solutions prior to purchasing specialty lens. This decision is based primarily not wanting to change out the factory glass or otherwise altering my current masks. There is something about that German glass that is hard to beat..................

Prescription Dive Masks fuses the lenses to your current mask. You can have that great German glass and still see clearly.

 

[101recon]

There are 2 current threads concerning vision so I will post this in both.
I guess I've been lucky so far but at the young age of 53 I've noticed my guages are starting to get a bit hard to read due to presbyopia. Up until now the magnification caused by just being under water has been enough that I could read my guages clearly. I've needed reading glasses to see them above water for a few years now. But lately I've noticed my arms were getting a bit shorter,especially in low light/vis. I've been following this thread and others looking for an inexspensive solution to the problem. A ready made prescription mask would be ideal but finding one that fits well could be a problem. Having the lenses changed in a good fitting mask would also work. But both of these solutions are a bit pricey, especially when you consider losing a mask or wanting to have a back up. So I've come up with an idea that I'm going to try.
Welders have been using "cheater" lenses for years. They are nothing more than a polycarbonate 2" X 4 1/4" lens ranging from .75 diopter to 2.50 diopter in 0.25 increments. They can easily be cut to a desired size and shape with a band saw. The white edges left from cutting can be buffed out on a buffing wheel or heated with a lighter. (Buffing works much better.) Since they are flat they should adhere well to the mask lens using Aquaseal or clear aquarium glass cement. The best part is that they are only $4.79 each and I think I can get 4 pieces out of each lens, enough for 2 masks. I haven't tryed it yet but will post my results.
This link is to Staples where they have both polycarbonate and ground glass lenses. I'll be trying the poly lenses as they are lighter and much easier to cut.
http://www.staples.com/Magnifiers/directory_Magnifiers?fids=4214929661&sby=1&rpp=24&pn=1&sr=true

 

[101recon]

Update. I finished my masks using the welding lenses and it worked great. I was able to get 4 lenses out of each welding lens. Enough for 2 masks. I used the left over scrap pieces to test my adhesive before applying the lenses to my mask. I used Permatex Clear RTV Silicone Adhesive Sealant #66B. It dried perfectly clear. After drying I soaked my test piece in water for 3 hrs. It held solid. Total cost for two masks was $4.79 for welding lens, $5.99 for Permatex, and about 1 1/2 hours labor cutting to shape and buffing edges.

 

[spc751]

I opted for contact lens after struggling to read my computer in a dark mine. I couldn't be happier. I'd recommend contacts over the stick-ons as your field of vision is full. There's no comparison.

I use contacts when diving already, but may go to just one. Unfortunately my vision has deteriorated to the point where correction is required in both eyes for sharp vision.

Have you tried bifocal contact lens? I wear them and they are pretty good. I have one day disposable and turf them at the end of the day. It is almost like being 40 again.

 

[Svidas]

If anyone ever needs cataract surgery make sure the new lens for one eye is set for near vision and then you will have good close and distance vision.

 

[raftingtigger]

I added glass half circle readers glued with Locktite glass glue. Make sure you glue flat side to flat side and on the INSIDE of the mask. You can glue them on the outside but you need to approximately triple the strength. I did that since I was adding readers into a strong prescription single vision mask. The glues don't work if there is any space between the lenses, but work fantastically if there is no gap. With one lens mounted inside (>100 dives) and another mounted on the outside (>50 dives) the glue holds up well. If you need to remove it AND your lenses are glass, acetone works well. If your reader is polycarbonate then the acetone dissolves the lens as well as the glue.

You can make a half circle reader lens from a circular plano-convex lens and scoring a line and snapping it there. You can get inexpensive lenses in many sizes/strength inexpensively from SurplusShed.com. Or I have a unused 3 diopter kit (2 lenses and glue) for sale for a reasonable price (I paid $30). Just PM me.

 

[tajkd]

Have you tried bifocal contact lens? I wear them and they are pretty good. I have one day disposable and turf them at the end of the day. It is almost like being 40 again.

I also use bifocal contacts. They are terrific (also feel like 40 again).

 

[Capnhook]

I'm not sure what the reluctance to go to a prescription mask is all about. There seems to be tons of DIY options posted here, but many seem like a lot of work and likely to require re-work and upkeep. I'm lucky enough to have better than 20/20 vision, but my wife is not. She is still a non-diver at this point but has taken to snorkeling the last couple trips. It wasn't until we got home after the the first time and I was watching her struggle so badly one morning without her glasses that it dawned on me that she was snorkeling without them as well. Sometimes I wish she would speak up once in a while, but I'm getting way off topic. Anyway, I bought her a prescription mask prior to our last trip. When you factor in what a decent mask costs, the difference to getting one with prescription lenses is really not that much. If I recall correctly, I think the total for mask and lenses was about $200. The look on her face when she got out of the water the first time she got to use them was worth 10 times that. She went from poking around and basically seeing colorful fish-shaped blobs to seeing everything on the reef the way she should. She had no idea what was she was missing until then. So why not spend the few extra dollars, get the right mask with the right lenses and forget messing around with all this extra time and effort? That's just my opinion, I suppose some people like to fiddle around and come up with DIY fixes. Whatever "floats your boat" I guess.

 

[spc751]

I'm not suholdhat the reluctance to go to a prescription mask is all about. There seems to be tons of DIY options posted here, but many seem like a lot of work and likely to require re-work and upkeep. I'm lucky enough to have better than 20/20 vision, but my wife is not. She is still a non-diver at this point but has taken to snorkeling the last couple trips. It wasn't until we got home after the the first time and I was watching her struggle so badly one morning without her glasses that it dawned on me that she was snorkeling without them as well. Sometimes I wish she would speak up once in a while, but I'm getting way off topic. Anyway, I bought her a prescription mask prior to our last trip. When you factor in what a decent mask costs, the difference to getting one with prescription lenses is really not that much. If I recall correctly, I think the total for mask and lenses was about $200. The look on her face when she got out of the water the first time she got to use them was worth 10 times that. She went from poking around and basically seeing colorful fish-shaped blobs to seeing everything on the reef the way she should. She had no idea what was she was missing until then. So why not spend the few extra dollars, get the right mask with the right lenses and forget messing around with all this extra time and effort? That's just my opinion, I suppose some people like to fiddle around and come up with DIY fixes. Whatever "floats your boat" I guess.

I have had a prescription mask for many years that I got from my lds. It works great but I worry about losing it so I carry a spare mask and disposal contacts.
By the way. For those of you that hold your computer at arms length so you can see it be aware this may not work in low visibility. There have been a few times where I have had to hold my computer against my mask to be able to see it in the dirty water.