Do bifocal lenses work in a mask ?

[Stargazer]

Looking for advice - I am nearsighted and wear glasses with progressive lenses (version of bifocals). I had lenses for distance vision glued into my mask, which work fine. But I can't focus on small things which are very close, because I don't have the bottom half of the bifocal lenses in my mask. What is the best solution - is it to have the same type of progressive bifocal lenses in the mask, or is there another way ? I could wear contacts, but those also do not permit near vision without reading glasses. I assume I am not the first person with this common vision problem who wants to see both near and far underwater. Any suggestions ?

 

[DennisS]

I never noticed the problem until I had survey sheets to fill out under water. I have prescription lenses in my mask and couldn't read them.

My soulution on land before I got progressive glasses was to just remove my glasses to read, obviously not a solution underwater.

The solution-stick on magnifiers that go on the lower part of the lens- 29.95. Voila undewater bi focals, and instantly identifiable as an ol fogie diver. Divers Direct and Leisure Pro have them, check your local shop.

 

[scubasean]

Stargazer once bubbled...
Looking for advice - I am nearsighted and wear glasses with progressive lenses (version of bifocals). I had lenses for distance vision glued into my mask, which work fine. But I can't focus on small things which are very close, because I don't have the bottom half of the bifocal lenses in my mask. What is the best solution - is it to have the same type of progressive bifocal lenses in the mask, or is there another way ? I could wear contacts, but those also do not permit near vision without reading glasses. I assume I am not the first person with this common vision problem who wants to see both near and far underwater. Any suggestions ?

I have prescription bifocal lenses right in my mask.

Prescriptiondivemasks.com takes your prescription, modifys it slightly to compensate for the magnification of water (as opposed to air) and then makes lenses that they glue right into your mask.

They certainly cost more than Dennis's solution, but I got what the optomitrist prescribed.

Good luck!

Sean

 

[Grajan]

We both need reading glasses now but no fancy prescriptions. We recently bought Seavision Gauge Readers. They have a fixed +2 bifocal lens area.

They are wonderful. You simply don't notice them under the water which is strange because I cannot use bifocals in air....

We can highly recommend this approach.

 

[MsParamedic]

I use the stick-on bifocal (magnification) lense made by Dive Optik. One suggestion--only put the lense in the left side of your mask (for reading gauges). This way you have an extra "just in case" lense.

 

[Tavi]

MsParamedic once bubbled...
I use the stick-on bifocal (magnification) lense made by Dive Optik. One suggestion--only put the lense in the left side of your mask (for reading gauges). This way you have an extra "just in case" lense.

I use these too! But, I put them both in. That way I know where the other one is, and if I did lose the left lens, I can still read my guages with my right eye (redundancy).

 

[rickyd]

Stargazer - I was in the identical situation as you. I had the generic ( I think -5.5 and -5.0 ) lenses for a year. Was great for normal distance, but I couldn't see anything close up, and the small stuff was too small to see well from a few feet away. I've been wearing progressives for about 7 years now.

I've tried the stick-on's, and they didn't work well for me. They may be better with a single lens faceplace/mask.

I went to a full perscription mask, w/bi-focals and astigmatic correction, and it's wonderful. It did not take any time to get used to the "line" where the bi-focal starts. I can see my compass headings now, as well as get right on top of the little stuff.

Expensive - yes; but, why do we dive, if not for the visuals!!!!!!

 

[Stargazer]

Thanks to all of you who responded to my question - I'm sure that one or another option will work for me....will have to check out the sources and see what each costs....rickyd has a point that seeing is what it's all about, and I've spent a lot on other kinds of glasses and contacts for above-water wear. Why should diving be any cheaper ? Maybe hydrooptix will change everything anyway.

 

[cdiver2]

I also went to seavision after chasing the stick on"s all over the place, seavision was a 100% improvement in what I could see and they dont move.

 

[Stargazer]

FYI, since my original query, I got a prescription for daily disposable contacts (Focus dailies) which include astigmatic correction, bought a new mask (XS Scuba) and had Prescriptiondivemasks.com install gauge readers in the lower portion. I just returned from a week of diving off Provo with this set up. Results were everything I hoped for. Wearing the contacts allowed me to see equally well with the mask on or off, and (I think) better than through the optically corrected mask which I used before. I don't have to constantly switch between mask and glasses. Using daily disposable contacts minimized the risk of eye infections. The gauge readers allowed me to read my Mosquito (which is watch-style and has small numbers) easily. I would recommend this solution to anyone who has the same problem.