Stick on reading lenses for dive mask

[TSandM]

The stickonbifocals site appears to be a land version of Dive Optix. It's the water-adhesion idea that doesn't work all that well in a dive mask. If you flood your mask, you're likely to lose your lenses. And if you don't flood your mask, well, you rinse the defog out of it, don't you?

 

[TMHeimer]

Are you talking about the Dive Optix? I have used them and have never been successful in keeping them in my mask for very long. I think the record was about twenty dives or so -- and as expensive as they are, by the time you've replaced them a couple of times, you could have permanent bifocal inserts put in, and a lot less aggravation.

If you're talking about the ones you simply use warm water between them and mask and let sit for a while, I also have lost at least two. One in the ocean and one while hanging my mask on my arm in the pool during Rescue class. Too costly to keep replacing them. I had the laser eye surgery and don't see as well underwater (as on land) up close anymore, thus I use reading glasses topside. But my underwater vision isn't too bad. I can read my SPG OK. The only thing I can't really read is the little temperature gauge, so I make a big mark where 50 degrees is and that does the trick. Maybe some marks on the gauges is an answer for the OP. I have also thought of just gluing on the stick on bifocals to the mask. If I ever decide to do this, I think I would just stick on one, and read gauges with that eye--two of them never seemed to work well together anyway.

 

[carlcz]

Below is a site where you can get a MASK + Bifocal lenses (I have the same "my arms are not LONG enough to read my computer underwater problems") for about $70.00:


Wintech scuba and snorkeling masks

 

[SCUBASailor]

I bought the OPTX 20/20 brand on Amazon for $7.50 a year ago. I have 20 dives on them and they haven't budged an inch from their original placement. I am quite surprised to hear that other divers are not happy with them. I love mine. I even bought a pair to put on my sunglasses.

If you allow them to dry properly on the lens when applying them, you practically need a crowbar to get them off. I do take care not to push my luck when applying anti-fog or when cleaning, but that's all the special care they get from me.

I checked the price on them a couple of days ago, and I they are now going for $15 per pair on Amazon. IMHO it's a bargain.

 

[redacted]

A couple of other ideas to consider are:

Awaps bungeed dollar store magnifying glass. The Master attached a small magnifying glass to his hp hose near the SPG.

And here’s a trick an Old Mossback I used to dive with used. He took a piece of black electrical tape, poked a small pinhole in it, and taped it to the outside of his mask in the lower left corner to use the pinhole effect to read his gauges. It worked for him, but as I’m just now nearing that period in my life where I might be able to personally verify it’s worth, I'm not there just yet. However, I would be interested to hear if others have tried this with any success.

c

That is not my rig. I do have a magnifying glass on a snap link that I use for looking at smaller stuff but my eyes are still good enough to read gauges. At least something still works.

My wife did have problems reading her gauges and seeing clearly at distance. We tried the stick on diveoptix and they worked fine for reading gauges for a year or so. No problem getting them to stay on. But after a year they started fogging and no amount of mask prep stopped it. The rest of the mask was fine. I believe the plastic surface of the lenses deteriorated with age to the point where fogging could not be prevented. We finally broke down and went with prescription lenses and she has been a happy diver with them for about 5 years now. They are expensive but well worth it. I bought up 3 extra masks that fit her lenses so as not to lose the prescription to a mask failure (one down so far). With mask models changing so quickly these days, you do need to consider that.

 

[jcfahy]

I use a Tusa Platina mask with optional lens bought separately with the reading magnification required. The lens looks like bifocals. They work well if your sight problem is just a bit of aging.

 

[HenrikBP]

I've used the Dive Optix lenses on about 20 dives now. I was skeptical at first after reading reviews. But having just lost a mask on a back-roll in NC, I figured I'd try out the bifocal thing first.

So, as per instructions, I thoroughly scrubbed the mask lenses, and also gave the stick-on a light buff using dishwashing detergent and Magic Eraser. I then attached the lenses using clean water and making sure the correct side of the stick-on was facing the lens. Then plenty of drying time.

The lenses are still on there - I stuck one in the right side of each of my masks.

I had a bear of a time trying to keep the stick-n lenses from fogging up though. Finally, the cleaning scrub and Sea Vision defog works. I tried spit, baby shampoo, Sea Drops (I like that stuff) and Sea Drops Gold, and could get none of those to keep the stick-on fog free.

But now I can see my gauges - yay And I may at some point get a "real" bifocal lens permanently installed. But for now the Stick-on works for me.

Henrik

 

[sambolino44]

Put the word "Dive" in front of your product and you can automatically charge 100% more. I bought the regular Optix stick-ons (OPTX 20/20), for about $10 a pair. The regular ones are larger than the dive ones. They do fall off after a while, and I'm on my second pair now, but they stay on long enough, and cost low enough, and work well enough to be my favored solution.

 

[HenrikBP]

It was my impression that the Diveoptx lenses are bigger (and much more expensive ) than the standard ones:

DiveOptx® Stick-on Lenses for Divers (Large)

Henrik

 

[DET]

I have what I believe is the Dive Optix product, also. Just some water adhesion with alittle pressure and allowed to dry properly. I've had them in place since Jan of 09. Over the last two seasons I've been in salt, fresh and pool water. And in water temps of 40 to 70 plus degrees. I defog using either commercial or natural defogger with medium pressure. They haven't moved, yet.

FYI, I had to place mine with the straight edge against the taper of the nose piece for the best fit on my lense.