HydroOptix or Prescription Mask?

[Ltstanfo]

All,

I am debating on whether I should buy a prescription mask (I wear prescription glasses) or continuse using my HydroOptix mask.

I like the clarity of the HydroOptix underwater (it makes my vision almost as clear as my prescription glasses) but their tendancy to fog (even with liberal use of defog) is the worst I have ever seen in any mask. Likewise, the mask is a problem on the surface (unless you use the optical overlay). HydroOptix is a neat idea and a fairly good execution of concept but is this really a viable (long term) solution for those of us who wear glasses?

I know I'll need prescription lenses for the rest of my days and I am ok with that but I'm wondering if anyone else here on SB has contemplated this kind of situation and what your decision was.

Thanks and regards,
Ltstanfo

 

[Henryville]

I tried the HydroOptix, which as you say is a neat concept, but I didn't like the volume of the mask and the steps required out of water. I went with either wearing disposable contacts with a regular mask (preferred, use most of the time) or a mask with prescription lenses (use when cave diving, with a spare.)

 

[JonKranhouse]

Hello,

Please know that I'm a perfectionist, NO product from ANY company is perfect, and that we are working on future iterations that will address the shortcomings.

Ltstanfo:
Sorry you're having fogging problems -- but that shouldn't be! Our NanoFOG coating works great, but it is susceptible to picking up suntan lotion / body oils, which needs to be cleaned out to restore the anti-fog properties. However, you may have an older lens (over 1.5 years ago, the inside of the lens was hard-coated, not NanoFOG). If that is true, you need to do a one-time procedure on the lens - we can e-mail you details. Replacement lenses are available with NanoFOG coating baked on at the factory.

"Inside" a flat mask, you can scan your eyes to extreme left-right-up-down, and still see into the water around you. Your brain believes that your view is wide, because your brain knows that your eyeballs scanned to extreme left-right-up-down. Even divers with thousands of dives under their belt, and who have used our mask in the ocean, believe they know the view-difference between our mask and a conventional mask. But once they do a proper A-to-B comparison, they are blown away. These are smart guys, but a remarkably powerful optical illusion occurs with a flat mask. By comparison, if you are looking through binoculars but scan your eyes left-right-up-down, you see BLACK.

I suggest that before you finalize your decision, you experience your own A-to-B comparison from a FIXED position in a swimming pool. These comparison photos are not our "Kool-Aid," but images + REVIEW that were posted by a happy diver, with no encouragement from us. (Rx vs. HO)

Henryville:
No question, the HydroOptix mask requires more attention vs. a conventional mask. So why bother? Safety.

As a tech diver and instructor, especially DIR, safety is issue #1.

Diving is safer when you vastly improve your situational awareness -- like noticing when a student gets into trouble. There's only so-much neck swiveling you can do before you get a stiff neck!

By comparison, cruising down the highway on a Harley, wind in your hair, is a great feeling. Until some car driver does something stupid -- helmets have saved thousands of lives, including mine!

Unlike a helmet, the experience of diving - when underwater - is improved (greater field-of-view). The hassle-factor of a HydroOptix mask is only when you're above-water. OK, with a higher volume mask, like the "old days," you have to stay aware of depth-changes to prevent squeeze, which for most people becomes reflexive after a few dives.

Some influential VIP divers have adopted our paradigm (scroll to #3) and a bunch of tech / wreck divers as well. MOST of the tech guys have 20/20 vision - they're not using the mask because of Rx needs – for them, it's all about the field-of-view.

 

[Tim Greaves]

I've emailed hydrooptics like 4 times so far and never heard back from them so I would say go with a prescription mask, thats probably what im going to do also..

 

[Puffer Fish]

I have both... and have replaced my lense with the newer one.. I still have fogging problems...and it scratches on the inside so easy, that cleaning it is a pain.

It also leaks, which is a major issue when looking down.

And the straps are a pain to adjust and can come loose.

But I still use it, because of the vision when it does work.

I also have a custom prescription mask... fits perfect.. does not leak... low air volume and has straps that are easy to adjust correctly. Obviously does not have the great field of view.

Which do I dive the most with? The prescription mask... I wish it was the other way around.. and sadly it is all due to trivial issues . Well trivial until you are using it.

I would bet with a very few changes, there would not be any issues to worry about.

 

[Doc]

but their tendancy to fog (even with liberal use of defog) is the worst I have ever seen in any mask.

This line of questioning never seems to die. Let me speak to "all masks", not just this specific model.

There is only one answer: Clean the mask with greater care. Plain and simple. Keep your $10 a bottle defog made from the sweat from the inner thighs of naked Swedish virgin Divemasters.

Toothpaste. That's all you really need.

I have used my HydroOptix on hundreds of dives. It has never fogged.

Toothpaste.

Now, sit back, relax and prepare to read dozens of posts from others who have the magic cure at $9+ per ounce. We just use the tubes down to the last and toss the almost-empties into the dive bag. Essentialy, the best solution is free.

This also applies to any other mask. A further fillibuster: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&FriendID=14890595

This is not a mask for beginners.

 

[Puffer Fish]

This line of questioning never seems to die. Let me speak to "all masks", not just this specific model.

There is only one answer: Clean the mask with greater care. Plain and simple. Keep your $10 a bottle defog made from the sweat from the inner thighs of naked Swedish virgin Divemasters.

Toothpaste. That's all you really need.

I have used my HydroOptix on hundreds of dives. It has never fogged.

Toothpaste.

Now, sit back, relax and prepare to read dozens of posts from others who have the magic cure at $9+ per ounce. We just use the tubes down to the last and toss the almost-empties into the dive bag. Essentialy, the best solution is free.

This also applies to any other mask. A further fillibuster: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&FriendID=14890595

This is not a mask for beginners.

Wow, when I called the company, they insisted that one should never use tooth paste...seems your solution and the company are at odds.

I hope Jon will reply to this.

That might have worked with the older coating, but the new on is so soft, that I would expect that it would damage the mask.

I use toothpaste on regular masks all the time... but am inclined to follow the manufactor's recommendations..

 

[Souvy]

I purchased a Hydrooptix mask and had a bit of a leaking issue and the first mask fogged a bit. I eventually called Hydrooptix to discuss those issues and I cannot begin to tell you how impressed I am with their customer service. They sent me a new mask with a different skirt, which fixed the fogging issue but not the leak. It was likely that the first mask just had a coating issue, the Nano-fog definitely seems to work for me.

To make a long story short, they were in constant communication with me for quite some time and sent me a variety of masks to try and accomodate me. I was also told that if the situation could not be remedied that I could return the mask no worries. All said and done, they overnighted me a new mask so that I could have it by this weekend. If every company had customer service like theirs, there would be no unsatisfied customers.

Now, more to the point, about choosing between Hydrooptix and an Rx lens. I chose the Hydrooptix first of all because of the field of view. It's true that it is a rather high volume mask and, while I do prefer low volume masks, I haven't had this be an issue at all, it clears very easily.

The Hydrooptix also works for a range of prescriptions and I'm at the tail end right now, so basically as my vision gets worse I should still be able to use the mask without corrective lenses. The mask is a bit pricey, but after figuring out costs of Rx lenses and replacements as my vision changed, it was worth it to buy the Hydrooptics mask. And then of course there's the field of view which you really have to try to believe.

So despite the large volume and slight leaking for me, the Hydrooptix was the way to go because of long term cost and the field of view.

 

[pawclaws]

While I wait for the 3.5 Hydrooptix to come on the market (which I tried at the Long Beach scuba expo and worked perfect for my near-sighted vision), I have found a stop-gap measure which has really opened up the underwater world for me.

For now, I wear a contact lens in just one of my eyes (both my eyes require equal correction). This enables me to read my gauges (which I couldn't do with both contacts in) and see at distance. I don't close one eye or the other depending on if I'm looking close or at a distance, my brain just makes the adjustment. Relatively clear at distance and close up.

Diving is a lot more fun if you can see clearly.

 

[Ltstanfo]

RoatanMan,

Thanks for your comments. I appreciate you taking time to respond to my question but all I can say is that you must have the most perfect mask in the world. My HydroOptix, while providing a very nice field of view, still fogs after more than one toothpaste session, defog (you pick the brand) or the diver's old faithful (spit). So what works for some apparently does not work for everyone... curious how my older USD masks don't have that problem anywhere near the same degree and seem to work just fine with any of the above methods...

That being said, I did purchase my mask in early 2005 so maybe there is something to replacing the lense that the manufacturer suggested (read above). I may look into that. I dive the mask now by periodically allowing outside water to come in and "wash out" the fog...it's the only thing that works (however briefly) with regularity.

I have no issues with mask straps, seal(s) or field of view. I specifically purchased the mask to help correct my vision underwater (I do wear prescription lenses) and in that regard I would judge the mask a fair success. In the area of fogging (preventing) it does leave something to be desired.

Regards,
Ltstanfo