hydrooptix mask

[simonk999]

For those of you unfamiliar with this mask, check out http://www.hydrooptix.com. I am unaffiliated with them, other than being someone who has been 3+ years on their waiting list. They have started shipping, and I received mine recently.

The quick introduction is this: their mask lens is curved for each eye to make it such that there is no refraction underwater, thereby increasing the field of vision, purportedly 3.5x compared to a normal flat lensed mask, and without the magnifying effect of a flat lens. The downside of this is that the curved shape acts as a negative power lens underwater, acting as an equivalent -4.5 diopters. Hydrooptix is making an effort to convince 20/20 divers that wearing contacts to counteract the effect of the lens is worthwhile, given the resulting huge field of vision. For me, it's a non-issue because I'm nearsighted anyway, and this is roughly my prescription.

Anyway, I haven't tested it underwater yet. I plan to first do a swimming pool test just to make sure it's not leaking, etc, and also, since my LDS carries the TUSA Visualator mentioned in another thread, to do an A-B-C test between the Hydrooptix, Tusa, and my flat lens prescription mask.

First impressions are: it's light (polycarbonate lens, hard plastic frame), not too big, fits ok. But, it has a lot of screws holding it together and I wonder about their longevity

I will report back after I've looked through it underwater...

-Simon

 

[SubMariner]

This company has HUGE full colour ads in several dive industry mags. They are really pushing to get their product out there!

Hydrooptix is making an effort to convince 20/20 divers that wearing contacts to counteract the effect of the lens is worthwhile, given the resulting huge field of vision. For me, it's a non-issue because I'm nearsighted anyway, and this is roughly my prescription

There are many people with less than 20-20 vision out there. The problem is that this such a huge variable, that they cannot really handle EVERYONE. What are you going to do for people who have other prescriptive needs?? And what about people who can't or don't want to wear contacts?

Kind of rhetorical questions, but I had to put them out there.

I may wind up eating crow on this, but I think their idea is ridiculous.

~SubMariner~

 

[DSJ]

Basically for anyone not close to a -4.5 and for anyone with astigmatism they advocate contacts. I've been on the waiting list for a few months now and just ordered mine. I've got -5.25 in one eye and -4.75 in the other with a fair amount of astimgatism so I got low power contacts perscribed.

I switched from glasses to soft toric contact lenses years ago and haven't looked back. I love the peripherial vision, not fogging up, and not getting knocked off and broken in sports.

With the new soft lenses I would say there are few people who could not wear them. It's more a matter of how much effort you perceive it to be. Since I wear contacts anyway, it is a non issue. Well, I will have to wear 4.5 diopter glasses on the surface, but I can deal with that.

What I am excited about is the peripherial vision UW. I dive to see stuff, and this would give me quite a bit better view. I think it will also make keeping track of your buddy that much easier. I notice with my side window mask that my buddy would disapear at the corner. I would have to turn my head a fair bit to bring them into view either on the side or in front. I could be wrong, but I'm guessing that after I try it I will won't want to go back to flat masks.

I figured it was worth the experiment for me. I'll post my thoughts as well after I get a chance to try it in the pool.

 

[simonk999]

DSJ,

When you get yours, take a look at the optical quality of the lens. I don't know if it's going to be a big problem, but mine is subtly rippled in area, causing some slight distortions. What I mean is this: if you look through the mask at a fixed point, and then swivel the mask, you might notice some areas of distortion passing by. These are ripples or waviness in the polycarbonate lenses. In my mask, it's not severe, but noticeable if you're looking for it. I am wondering whether this is an aberration, or otherwise, what range of distortions are considered manufacturing tolerances. I've written to their customer service, but have yet to get a reply. Please let me know what you find with yours.

I think for me, it won't be a problem in practise, because the lens isn't going to give me 20/20 vision underwater because my eyes are a worse than -4.5, and I don't plan to wear further correction (i.e. contacts), and so things'll be slightly blurry anyway.

-Simon

 

[DSJ]

Ok, I'll check when it arrives. I'm expecting it in a day or so. Let me know what you are told by customer service. I have full correction (including astigmatism) via contacts so if it is noticable UW I will detect it. I'm planning on a trip to the not quite LDS soon, and I will try to get some time in their pool to check it out. I should see about creating some form of test chart to use.

 

[simonk999]

Hydrooptix customer service replied to me today (in fact, the President of the company called me). The short story is that the lens distortions are a manufacturing defect, and they're going to send me another one (I'm to send mine back so that they can analyse its problems).

So, DSJ, your mask, if it's ok, should have no discernable distortions in it at all.

-Simon

 

[simonk999]

I received a replacement mask, and one side of the lens is perfect, but the other side seemed still to have some distortions. I wrote back to them and was subsequently contacted by phone and told that because the distortions were created by slight unevenness in the hardness coating applied to the outside of the lens, the distortions would disappear underwater. After further testing (in the sink), this indeed is the case.

So, DSJ, your mask, if viewed through in air, might show some distortions, but won't affect vision underwater.

-Simon

 

[docmartin]

amazing product although i first thought this was some kind of belated april fools prank. however, i doubt it will catch on in a major way. i for one got lasik to get rid of the need for any vision enhancements and now i'd have to wear contacts again? i don't think so. i'll rather keep turning my head a little more and thereby make up for my limited field of vision.

 

[cisdiver]

I received mine here in Hawaii yesterday. I tried it out and it does live up to its expectations. Unfortunately the bridge of the nose is a bit uncorfortable, but over all I'm impressed. Will make it much easier to spot fish when collecting and filming.

 

[simonk999]

Yeah, the product blurb does say that western noses might have fit problems with this mask because the nose bridge on the mask is pretty low. They say that the primary market for this initial version of the mask is the asian one, since folks there have less prominent nose bridges and many have near-sightedness. Apparantly, they have another mask in the works that doesn't require contacts, and has no artificial nose bridge restrictions.

I do find it a bit strange that they have this problem though. Looking at the mask, it looks like they could've raised the nose bridge without adding too much molding complexity. I wonder why they didn't? Must've been some sort of cost-benefit tradeoff there...