hydrophobic coating

[offroaddiver]

I was looking at a new pair of Oakley's sunglasses and was interested in the hydrophobic coatings on the glasses I was looking at. The gal told me oakley sells a system of solutions to make all oakley's hydrophobic just the ones i was looking at it is a permanent coating.
So here's the scoop on "hydrophobic". the glasses I was looking at are these . The coating can is also in a treatment here seems like something to try if it would work as well on TA-DA our dive masks. (lemme guess you were wondering when I'd get to the point?)
I wonder if this is a system or a treatment that will be seen in dive masks in the future if indeed it lasts after submersion in water.
I contacted oakley and they use similar coating in their ski masks to keep them from fogging

 

[marchand]

Sounds cool, but spit is free.

 

[Gary D.]

I’m wondering if this is a treatment similar to stuff like Rain-X but compatible with eye glass plastic plastics and coatings. DO NOT use Rain-X on a mask!

I would ask the company and a few eye specialist’s (MD’s) if this product, even though it is safe for eye glasses is going to be safe within the confined area of a mask. Eye glasses have a constant air circulation around them where in a mask the air is stagnant which might cause an irritation.

Proceed with caution. Spit is free, baby shampoo and stuff designed for masks is inexpensive, your eyes aren’t.

Gary D.

 

[offroaddiver]

I just thought the idea of a permanent coating might actually be seen in dive masks... not just this stuff.

 

[spectrum]

I have my doubts about the Oakley product, especially the use of the term hydrophobic. I'm sure it woks as advertised but their message is sketchy.

Fog is condensation. That comes from the combination of a chilled lens and humidity that comes from your facial skin or nasal exhaling. Humidity will condense, can't stop it. What you can manage is the behavior of that moisture.

Typical anti-fog treatments work by using a surfactant to lower the surface tension and that lets the water invisibly sheet down the glass. This is exactly opposite to the behavior of the Rain-X product which promotes beading, AKA fog..

A permanent anti-fog for diving would be great. many years ago I had a 'fog eater" face shield for an ATV helmet and it did work well.

Pete