Contact lenses or corrective lenses?

[buddhasummer]

I turned 40 a couple of years ago and like clock work my near sighted vision started to take a nose dive. I was diving yesterday and to my horror found I was having great difficulty reading my compass. Reading my computer has also been getting progressively more difficult, I've found I have to hold it out further and further from my eyes and have now run out of arm length.

Im not sure what the best course of action is, either to just wear contact lenses or get some corrective lenses. I wear an Atomic frameless in medium which I love but assume correcting lenses cannot be put into this mask. I was thinking maybe contact lenses would be the easiest but then got to wondering if it would be very easy to lose them if mixed with water. I note the Atomic Sub Frame comes in a medium and can be fitted with corrective lenses.

I saw an optometrist about 6 months ago who told me, and I quote, "your eyes are dying" he went onto say its an aging thing and will only get worse and said at some stage I would need glasses or contacts. I decided to wait until things got more noticeable, well as of yesterday it became more noticeable. I have no experience with glasses or contacts and diving so any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

 

[graham_s]

I use contacts while diving without any problems.

 

[stano]

I have worn contacts for almost 30 years. I have zero issues with them. Some people can't wear them too long. I would ask your doc for a trial pair and try them. They do make bifocal contacts which I don't fully understand but I am told they work. I am not too far from going that route. Good luck.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I've been diving with contacts for 27 plus years and have never lost one. I do however wear a mask with corrective lenses if mask removal is required as they can float out if you swim around under water without a mask and with your eyes open.

Generally speaking fresh water will cause soft contacts to contract and lift off your eye, while salt water causes them to expand and get loose. But in a short term exposure, such as flooding and clearing a mask it's not a problem, especially with your eyes closed.

At 48 I also have a need for reading glasses, but I've found my predator is still easy to read, and even though I use small 1.5" SPGs I don't have issues reading them, mostly as I can see the needle and the major hash marks and interpolate the fuzzy smaller hash marks.

I've tried the hydro optics magnifiers in my mask, and they worked very well but both of them floated out.

Your best option is probably to get lenses ground or bonded in your mask.

 

[buddhasummer]

Appreciate the advice thank you.

DA Aquamaster, when you sound "ground" or "bonded" does this mean they can fit something into or onto my existing mask? Again this is all new to me so have zero understanding. Cheers.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Like many others, I'm sure, I have been diving with contact lenses for years with no problem. Occasional splashes of salt water don't harm most contacts or cause them to fall out. However, I wouldn't recommend opening your eyes underwater intentionally. (That said, I've heard at least one story of someone doing that and finding that his lenses stayed in place just fine.) I bring a spare pair with me and leave them on the boat, just in case I need them.

I tried a mask with corrective lenses, but because my correction was so strong the thick lenses were very annoying and distorted everything. I know some people prefer a mask with corrective lenses over contacts, but I do not.

 

[Kilili]

Like others, haven't lost one yet. Besides, they're cheap.
Can always wear just one, for closeup. Works fine.

 

[buddhasummer]

Thanks again for taking the time to reply. Im off to the optometrist later in the week, think Ill give contact lens a go, Id hate to have to sell my 2 Atomic frameless masks and have to look for a new mask, it took over 10 years and a lot of money to finally find a mask that I really like.

 

[Crush]

I use disposable contact lenses for diving. I order three month's worth, which lasts me over a year since I rarely use them. If my prescription were to change I could order the next pack in a different strength.

 

[diveprof]

I find that contacts work very well for me too. However, if you do decide that they are not for you, this company can make prescription lenses to fit your Atomics:
Prescription Scuba Diving Masks - Snorkeling Masks - SeaVisionUSA