Contacts or prescription mask?

[Jersey]

Contacts plus stick ons (inside the mask) for close ups and reading gauges at night. Old eyes! As others said be sure to include a spare pair or 2, solution, and case in save a dive kit. On trips, bring even more pairs. Some where on SB... maybe under dive medicine...Eye Doc posted good ideas for contact wearers and diving - things like cleaning lenses daily cause the water can have nasties. I have developed conjunctivitis post dive in the local quarry.

 

[spectrum]

lommnb,

Since you are already adapted to contacts I would give them a spin underwater with the guidance provided in prior posts.

The fallback is a script mask. If atigmatism correction is less that cylinder=1 you can ignore it and use a modular mask with pop in lenses. Other wise go for a mask that is a proven good fit and add bonded inlays.

I wouldn't bother with plastic stickies if you are serious about this.

The oly real downside with the custom mask for me has been lack of freedom in messing around with other masks. I do OK uncorrected but I'm more comfortable, especially in low light with correction.

Pete

 

[ProfessorAronnax]

Holy smokes, I would go insane if I had to do that! I'd imagine your myopia must be fairly mild as I can't imagine a dioptral difference of 3 or so between the two eyes.

It's hard to explain but you really get used to it-I actually do the one contact method all the time now except for driving(a car-not diving) at night-that gets a little screwy

 

[TMHeimer]

No one's asked, but have you tried diving without any prescription- just a normal mask? I snorkelled my whole life and due to the refraction, I could see perfectly underwater despite my nearsightedness. Now, after the lazer surgery I see perfectly topside, but underwater reading the instruments is a bit fuzzy. Depends on your prescription, I think.

 

[diver 85]

CTLs without a doubt......

 

[seaducer]

Unless you know for a fact you are going to need to open your eyes underwater, there is no reason not to wear contacts.

I have used both and prefer the contacts.

 

[Osric]

I prefer my prescription mask on the basis that there's less to go wrong. But I see I'm well in the minority.

has anyone tried these? Diving Mask -- Welcome To HydroOptix

Osric

 

[Doc Harry]

@Doc Harry: I don't doubt that the guy does nice work. Out of curiosity, how much does he charge for custom ground prescription lenses (both eyes) fitted to a scuba mask?

I got lenses with bifocals for about $130

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I got lenses with bifocals for about $130

That's a reasonable price for custom ground lenses, with bifocals no less.
Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

I've seen a mate lose his prescription mask overboard, which pretty much screwed the rest of the trip for him. Moreover, I'm in my mid-thirties, where my prescription (I am very short-sighted) is probably going to start 'reversing' to a degree...my optometrist cautioned me that I, like many people, will become more long-sighted as I age. It's bad enough changing my prescription for contacts and eyeglasses, let along the added expense of a prescription mask. Each to their own, of coruse, but I have other scuba toys I'd rather spend the money on!

Contacts are no worries, even if you remove your mask and open your eyes underwater. The trick is close your eyes just before you replace your mask and while you're purging it. Then you can open your eyes, and nothing will have moved. That said, I always travel with spare pairs of contacts - one set stays in my dive bag, and the others in my hotel room/at home/whatever. I've never lost a contact while diving, but redundancy is a beautiful thing.

Happy diving.