Bifocal mask

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A big thank to John for all his kind comments. In spite of the humble Chinese way of thinking, I am proudly taking John’s wow, Wow, WOW on SeawiscopeEY. These were also my own feeling when I tried the first prototype. We are not alone on this. I was in Cebu (Philippines) last week and two buddies tried on the device. Very much in the same way, as soon as they exited water, they shouted out “HD !!” . (High Definition TV was recently introduced in Hong Kong.)

John commented that the device will be great for biologist and zoologist divers. I could not agree more on these. I however believe that most, if not all, divers are some sorts of biologists, keen to see creatures in actions in their natural environments. After all, the device was designed primarily for fun divers like me, not only for specialists of any kinds.

In the development of SeawiscopeEY, other than the optics, I spent considerable time on the mechanics to accommodate most masks. I believe this final version fits most modern masks. It is a bit of challenges for masks that have highly curved tops and rubbery sides for mask straps (buckles arising from the mask skirt).

mask fitting composite.jpg


Even for these, as shown in the images, they work OK. In fact, I have yet found a mask that it fails to fit. I am a bit concerned when John failed to fit the device to some of his older masks. (John, it will be great if you could send me images of those masks. There is a little trick that I do not have room to write on the instruction.)

SeawiscopeEY is for near vision, the original mask window is for distance vision, both distance and near vision are important for the fun and safety of scuba diving. Please do put your distance prescription on the mask, but bifocals will be a redundant.

John said that “people will need to adapt to”. I felt this may be a bit too heavy when one can get so much out of it in the first dive. As with any new stuff, one may need to get acquainted with its operation.

I am not saying SeawiscopeEY is perfect, and nothing is anyway. My major obstacle in marketing the device is actually its looks, the “four-eyed monster” issue. I have to live with it. I am not a product design expert and I am not well off enough to get professional assistance. I have been reminded again and again (by my wife and some dive shop operators) that I have invested too much (in hard cash) for so few (presbyopic divers). While I am not seeing the possibility to recover the costs in the near future, the biggest return is to have someone sharing my joy.

Please PM me if you want to give it a try.

SeawiscopeEY,

I was able to fit the SeawiscopeEY onto a very old mask from the 1970s, a VistaVision with a metal lens retainer and screw on top. The screw helped retain it. I was not able to fit it onto a very old (1980s) Dacor Vista-VU as it has a sloped plastic lens retainer. I have not tried it on a few other masks I have, which date back to the 1980s.

I am a vintage diver (see the Vintage Diver forum here), and collect old diving equipment. I dive a lot with the older double hose regulators. When I tested the SeawiscopeEY, I did it on the longer 64 minute dive in 67 degree water (19.4 degrees C) using a double hose regulator. The second dive the next day was with a single hose regulator. I found the SeawiscopeEY worked extremely well with both regulators, but that the small fish feeding in mid-water seemed to shy away from me when I exhaled using the single hose regulator. This did not happen with the double hose regulator. This is probably because of the closeness of the focal length, and the nearness of the bubbles. Have you used the SeawiscopeEY with either a double hose regulator or a rebreather?

Concerning the adaptation, this is normal and occurs quickly. Any new piece of equipment requires a bit of getting used to. I have learned this over the years, that even new fins require a period of adaptation. So don't be hung up on that statement.

What the SeawiscopeEY does is to open up a new world to the diver, where very interesting plants and animals can be seen very close-up, but with ease and no eye strain. While it can be used with a bifocal, corrected vision mask (which is what I did), it can also become your bifocals too. You mentioned some divers saying it was "HD" for "High Definition." It is more than that, as it is also 3D in color. The perspective is unique, and it provides a wonderful visual experience.

SeaRat
 
I just had another dive with the SeawiscopeEY, and this time I was able to fit it onto my old Dacor tri-window mask from the 1980s. It went on easily, but because of the slightly curved top surface of the metal mask holder, it was positioned slightly higher than with my regular mask. It was usable in this manner, but not quite right so I'll be going back to by mask with the bifocals in it for my next dive, probably this coming weekend.

This dive was near my work in the Columbia River, off a sand beach at Kelly's Point. It is very near where the Willamette River and the Columbia River meet, but just upstream of that junction. I saw several very small tube worms in the mud (yes, it was a mud bottom about 20 feet from shore), and some small mollusks. But I probably won't be going back there.

SeaRat
 
SeawiscopeEY,

I was able to fit the SeawiscopeEY onto a very old mask from the 1970s, a VistaVision with a metal lens retainer and screw on top. The screw helped retain it. I was not able to fit it onto a very old (1980s) Dacor Vista-VU as it has a sloped plastic lens retainer. I have not tried it on a few other masks I have, which date back to the 1980s.

I am a vintage diver (see the Vintage Diver forum here), and collect old diving equipment. I dive a lot with the older double hose regulators. When I tested the SeawiscopeEY, I did it on the longer 64 minute dive in 67 degree water (19.4 degrees C) using a double hose regulator. The second dive the next day was with a single hose regulator. I found the SeawiscopeEY worked extremely well with both regulators, but that the small fish feeding in mid-water seemed to shy away from me when I exhaled using the single hose regulator. This did not happen with the double hose regulator. This is probably because of the closeness of the focal length, and the nearness of the bubbles. Have you used the SeawiscopeEY with either a double hose regulator or a rebreather?

Concerning the adaptation, this is normal and occurs quickly. Any new piece of equipment requires a bit of getting used to. I have learned this over the years, that even new fins require a period of adaptation. So don't be hung up on that statement.

What the SeawiscopeEY does is to open up a new world to the diver, where very interesting plants and animals can be seen very close-up, but with ease and no eye strain. While it can be used with a bifocal, corrected vision mask (which is what I did), it can also become your bifocals too. You mentioned some divers saying it was "HD" for "High Definition." It is more than that, as it is also 3D in color. The perspective is unique, and it provides a wonderful visual experience.

SeaRat

John,
I have not tried (not even seen) a double hose regulator or rebreather. I guess you really need to be very senior in scuba diving before you may have all these experience. This makes me even more proud of my SeawiscopeEY when a widely exposed diver speaks so much of it.

Of course, you may fit SeawiscopeEY to a prescription mask, including bifocals. I think bifocal masks are mistakes. The reduced quality lower visual field (for distance vision) through the reading segments does not usually cause much problems in daily living on dry-land. We are more or less lying flat in water in scuba diving, this lower field becomes the forward field and is important for the fun (and safety) of diving. The segments sit on odd positions, making comfortable (in postural and visual terms) critical near vision impossible. Furthermore, the mask nose piece blocks part of the near segment visual field. This makes 3D vision not likely with a bifocal dive mask. I think it is why they are called “gauge reader”, not near visual aids for scuba divers.

Yes, “3D in color” is more appropriate to describe our experience with SeawiscopeEY. I am looking forward for more beautiful words when you have more dives with SeawiscopeEY.

Thanks again.
 
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I just had another dive with the SeawiscopeEY, and this time I was able to fit it onto my old Dacor tri-window mask from the 1980s. It went on easily, but because of the slightly curved top surface of the metal mask holder, it was positioned slightly higher than with my regular mask. It was usable in this manner, but not quite right so I'll be going back to by mask with the bifocals in it for my next dive, probably this coming weekend.

This dive was near my work in the Columbia River, off a sand beach at Kelly's Point. It is very near where the Willamette River and the Columbia River meet, but just upstream of that junction. I saw several very small tube worms in the mud (yes, it was a mud bottom about 20 feet from shore), and some small mollusks. But I probably won't be going back there.

SeaRat

John,
There are two cushioning blocks under the main base of SeawiscopeEY. You may force open the base slightly to remove them. This sets the lenses down by about 6 mm in front of the mask window. The blocks can be re-inserted for another mask after use.
 
SeawiscopeEY,

I see the two cushioning blocks, but haven't taken them out yet. I found several other masks to fit the SeawiscopeEY onto, but will probably dive tomorrow with the SeawiscopeEY on my regular mask. I'll be diving a double hose regulator, as this is really nice with the SeawiscopeEY. I also hope to take some macro photos.

SeaRat
 
SeawiscopeEY,

I see the two cushioning blocks, but haven't taken them out yet. I found several other masks to fit the SeawiscopeEY onto, but will probably dive tomorrow with the SeawiscopeEY on my regular mask. I'll be diving a double hose regulator, as this is really nice with the SeawiscopeEY. I also hope to take some macro photos.

SeaRat

If you are not the kind of photographer who uses the camera viewport but the LCD screen, you will find SeawiscopeEY wonderful again. With it, you will be able to see and select the proper marco setting and frame your target. Have fun.

We just had a press release on SeawiscopeEY last Friday (3rd Sept). It was well covered by most major newspapers. There was also an online TV news clip. While you are there, double click the clip (which is at the top position of the right hand panel at this moment) having two poor quality pictures showing people using SeawiscopeEY for distance vision.
Sorry that it is in Chinese. You will be seeing me demonstrating the unit there.

I really want to know how long it takes to convince presbyopic divers that SeawiscopeEY is the true near vision aid for them and they will be having so much more fun in diving with it.
 
If you are not the kind of photographer who uses the camera viewport but the LCD screen, you will find SeawiscopeEY wonderful again. With it, you will be able to see and select the proper marco setting and frame your target. Have fun.

We just had a press release on SeawiscopeEY last Friday (3rd Sept). It was well covered by most major newspapers. There was also an online TV news clip. While you are there, double click the clip (which is at the top position of the right hand panel at this moment) having two poor quality pictures showing people using SeawiscopeEY for distance vision.
Sorry that it is in Chinese. You will be seeing me demonstrating the unit there.

I really want to know how long it takes to convince presbyopic divers that SeawiscopeEY is the true near vision aid for them and they will be having so much more fun in diving with it.

Wouldn't that scare the fish?
 
Wouldn't that scare the fish?
Fish bites if you get too close.
You may consider to get a double hose as previously suggested. I am working OK with an ordinary regulator, may have to hold the breath a bit. Going back to the Pacific, feathery appendices around the mouth of scorpion fish are pretty and so are the different types of pipe fish when they are seen in a closer distance. Besides fish, miniatures can be very interesting.
 
Wouldn't that scare the fish?

I have just uploaded a video in Youtube: SeawiscopeEY in action The video shows the operation of a SeawiscopeEY for distance and near vision. From the video, you will see exactly how close one needs to see at near. You may need to hold your breath a bit to avoid disturbing the fish. The working distance is perfectly OK if you are seeing something more stationary.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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