Prescription Mask Advice

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laughsandpaths

New
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
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Location
Moalboal
# of dives
100 - 199
Hi,

I am looking into purchasing a prescription mask, however I have seen advice online from professional sources for both reducing the power for my lenses (because of refraction) and increasing the power for my lenses (because the mask is further away from my eyes than my glasses).

Are there any qualified opticians and divers that can clarify this for me?

Thanks
 
I'm not an optician. My partner has a prescription mask and is very happy with them. The lenses are set to her prescription exactly.

She had to go into the lens specialist with her chosen mask. They then measured the distance between the mask and her eye so that they could make the lens just right. Check with your dive shop about whether they do this. If they think they can get you the right lens without carrying out that measurement then go somewhere else.
 
I'm not an optician either, but do wear a prescription mask. My first mask was purchased at an optometrist office. It was all magic. They knew my prescription and ordered one. I didn't do any research. Before the very first dive, a part popped off but lucky my instructor found it on the deck and all was good. Over time, it served me well, until I left it in a gear bag without the hard case and it eventually broke upon entry. (I suspected it was going to happen, so had the DM bring an extra one, non-presciption, that I swapped in.) The dive was blurry and I thought it would be the end of my dives on the trip. Thankfully the dive shop had some prescription ones lying around and one was close enough.

What I learned:

1. The brand, Hilco, my optometrist had access to isn't a well known brand in the dive world; that is, they only made masks so dive shops, who get bulk packages, would rarely have spares or parts.
2. The dive shop had Cressi equipment and that's the brand mask I was loaned.
3. Of the brands, I only found Cressi to be making prescription lenses. They have two models, Focus 2 and Big Eyes, that accept lenses. I would prefer the Big Eyes (wider view), but Focus 2 is more available at dive shops, thus more availability of parts.
4. Prescription lenses come in half increments, like -3, then -3.5, then -4, etc. That works well enough and from what I've read, you want the lower value, to reduce eye fatigue. Also, if you're getting up there in age, you won't struggle as much reading things that are up close.
5. There are many generic brands available that you can get for about $40-50. Value is good, but you run the risk of available parts if you're traveling. Of course, you could always get spares.
6. The Cressi Focus 2 has clones that are cheaper, but I've yet to buy one.
 
Just get a mask that fits you and send it with your Rx to Prescription Dive Masks. This is not rocket science. Have your optician or LDS mark your pupils on the mask or measure your P.D. PDM takes care of everything else.

If you have a competent LDS, they can do all of this for you.

www.prescriptiondivemasks.com
 
Last edited:
+! on Prescription Dive Masks http://rxdivemask.com/ Bought a new mask in the exact style I wanted, sent it to them with my prescription and pupil measurement and got back the perfect lenses in the perfect mask. Can't be beat.
 
When I first started diving my dive shop sent my mask and my prescription from my eye doctor in. Custom lenses were made and they were fused to the original mask - fairly expensive. As luck would have about 6 dive trips after I dropped it on the floor of the liveaboard and it shattered. I did some shopping around and TUSA made a mask that fit extremely well and they had lenses you could buy and pop right in, my dive shop carried the mask and the lenses. I went this route because if my prescription changes I can just change one or both of the lenses without replacing the mask. Big bonus - much less expensive to go this route as well.
 
Contact the folks at Welcome to Prescription Dive Masks 1-800-538-2878. They can answer your question. I am pretty sure when you get a mask from them, they take that into account.....my 3rd mask in on the way to them now. I have used them for a lot of years and have been very happy with their mask....I send my own to the because I use a specific mask that fits me.
 
however I have seen advice online from professional sources for both reducing the power for my lenses (because of refraction) and increasing the power for my lenses (because the mask is further away from my eyes than my glasses).

I am not a licensed optometrist, but I have some professional experience in a related field and I dive prescription masks myself.

Answer to your exact original question: Both of these effects are true. They actually even out each other pretty much, so it is often a good compromise to use the exact prescription used for your eyeglasses. This usually also gives good vision on surface, also very important especially with stronger prescriptions.

Are you planning to buy stock prescription lenses available in dive shops or are you considering custom lenses? What is your prescription?
 
I am not a licensed optometrist, but I have some professional experience in a related field and I dive prescription masks myself.

Answer to your exact original question: Both of these effects are true. They actually even out each other pretty much, so it is often a good compromise to use the exact prescription used for your eyeglasses. This usually also gives good vision on surface, also very important especially with stronger prescriptions.

Are you planning to buy stock prescription lenses available in dive shops or are you considering custom lenses? What is your prescription?

I am planning on buying stock lenses at the moment as I am in country with no access to custom made lenses.
 
I have been using a mask from Dive Gear Express which comes with lens for 50 USD and am very happy with it. If you know someone coming over from the US your might think about seeing if they could bring one to you. Previously I had always followed the advise to 'upsize' from a non stocked fractional value to the stocked sizes carried I.E. for a -2.75 increase to a -3.0. After speaking to an optometrist who was also a diver he explained that the increase should be in a positive manner so a -2.75 would be 'upsized' to -2.5. I did this on my last mask and found I had better vision under water.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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