Are prescription masks really necessary?

[weiVA]

I'm -5.5 in one eye and -5.0 in the other. I believed uncorrected vision was fine for diving until our first ocean dive. Everyone was pointing at a shark and mantra ray, and all I saw was water, ;( The next day I hit this site for suggestions which led me to the Tusa Splendive IV (total under $200). Even my quarry experiences have been transformed.

Remember to use your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) as prescription diving masks are qualifying purchases.

 

[RonFrank]

I have worn prescription glasses since I was 4 years old and can confidently say that I am quite blind without them.
I don't dive with a prescription mask. I can read my gauges quite comfortably. 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.

Maybe include your prescription because I doubt I'd see jack if I dove without my contacts. Either you are missing a LOT of cool stuff UW because you can't see, or you see better than you think. Reading gages right in front of your face is not a problem for a near sighted individual, you just don't see anything else very well at any distance!

You should really either get a prescription mask, or dive with contacts unless your prescription is like 20/40.

 

[RonFrank]

Can you wear contacts? If so, you don't need a prescription mask.

I am wearing some strange contacts that focus one eye closer to help with my aging eyes. I don't know how it works, but it works. I can see better closer, and still see far just fine in either eye.

If you can't or don't wear contacts, you need a prescription mask for anything other than the most mild prescriptions. There are a number of places that sell these, including online, and most dive shops.

Make sure before you put out the cash for a prescription mask that it fits well, and does not leak. The Mares X-Vision is a great mask, and I thought it fit me fine. However the Atomic frameless is the only mask I've owned that gives me mask squeeze! (That is a good thing BTW, one just clears it, but it means it fits perfectly).

Don't dive blind! It makes it a lot less fun, and I dive blinds sometimes because the vis here, can suck!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I can't see without a script mask. Not much anyway. Guages are fuzzy and arms not long enough, critters get blurry, concrete block looks like a grouper. With my script mask I can literally count the tiles in the pool at 40 feet underwater and they are 1 inch tiles.

 

[Six Feet Under]

I've had a prescription mask since I was about 14, I think. It makes a world of difference, but then again, I can't see anything at arm's length without glasses and farther away is just laughable...

I would definitely get one if you think you may need it. Kind of like a good mattress, nice shoes, and comfortable pillows... there are some things in life just worth spending a little extra on.