Maskless and disappointed.. for now

[diveprof]

If I didn't have to read gauges, I wouldn't bother getting a prescription mask at all, I've snorkelled without it and was able to see whatever I was looking at well enough. Could go for gauge-readers, but I figure if I'm going to see those clearly, may as well see everything more clearly.

Have you tried one of the contacts that deals with astigmatism? I dive with one contact. One eye (sans contact) reads the gauges and the other deals with distance. The eyes and brain are wonderfull organs that compensate. I haven't missed the second contact. Vision is not much different.

 

[Bob Vincent]

Try these guys - So far I have not run into any prescription they could not handle

Welcome to Prescription Dive Mask

Hi ...

& Welcome to ...
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you can also try Prescription Safety Glasses, Goggles, Military Sport = Eyewear,Motorcycle Sun Glasses - SafeVision,LLC - Z87

 

[ev780]

Oreocookie – patience – I’ve got specific comments for you at the end of this post.

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SOFT disposable contact lenses have an excellent record of success with divers – that’s why the US Navy allows their EOD divers to wear contacts on combat missions.

A study published by the South Pacific Underwater Medical Society (SPUMS) found that soft lenses adhere snugly to the eye, and did not easily wash out. (Researchers used surgical adhesive to secure thin suture thread to the front surface of contacts, both rigid and soft types of contacts, then measured how much force was required to tug the contact lens off while underwater.)

Infection risks from contacts are virtually impossible IF proper hygiene protocols are followed. For diving, that means removing the soft disposable contacts after diving (throw them away), and for God’s sake – DON’T sleep in contacts after diving. Don’t lick the contacts to clean them (!), etc. Our website highlights proper contact lens protocols.
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oreocookie:
Some eye doctors are contact lens specialists – they keep up to date on advanced materials and go through a peer-review process to prove their expertise with “hard-to-fit” patients. So contacts might still be possible, with a contact-lens specialist. Custom-lathed high-CYL contacts are possible, made from soft material (they freeze the material when spin-cutting on the lathe). But to preserve your precious vision in your good eye -- be SURE to remove your contacts after diving, disinfect or discard, and switch back to eyeglasses.

I know we are a little off topic but...

Thank God for a voice of reason. I have been diving with soft lenses for years. I have an astigmatism which makes correction difficult but I have never had a problem diving. I do nothing different on a dive trip that I do every day. Soak the lenses in a "no-rub" solution overnight and hit the ocean the next morning. I frequently do mask off drills and {gasp} I even occasionally open my eyes underwater to know what it feels like. Never so much as an itchy eye.

I know the OP's doc said no, but, if I was an oreocookie I would get a second opinion from a doc that dives.

 

[peterbj7]

I run a dive resort and see lots of people with contact lenses, and whilst some certainly have no problems, a disturbing number have red itchy eyes by the end of the week. I wear glasses, though obviously not underwater. I tried contacts, all types, and abandoned them when it was clear that one eye would not tolerate them. According to the specialist, not uncommon. So I've never tried diving with contacts, but on the basis of my customers' experiences I wouldn't.

 

[diveprof]

I run a dive resort and see lots of people with contact lenses, and whilst some certainly have no problems, a disturbing number have red itchy eyes by the end of the week. I wear glasses, though obviously not underwater. I tried contacts, all types, and abandoned them when it was clear that one eye would not tolerate them. According to the specialist, not uncommon. So I've never tried diving with contacts, but on the basis of my customers' experiences I wouldn't.

Same deal here initially. Then I tried the Acuvue hydroclear contacts. Different world for the past 4 years. I wouldn't give them (actually it since I only wear one at a time - switch eyes) up for anything. I've done 14 day plus dive vacations with no issues.

 

[TSandM]

Sadly, dive instructors are not taught that 30-feet underwater the light intensity can easily be just 1/100th of what’s above water (sun 48-degrees below perfectly straight-up / AKA the “critical angle,” combined with low-visibility water). When your pupils dilate in dark conditions, many people discover they can no longer focus, just as a camera’s wide-open iris causes poor “depth of field.” Depending upon your Rx, dim light could impact your far vision, or make reading your gauges impossible, or both.

For anybody who is inclined to dismiss this poster's contribution because he has something to sell, he has a lot of good information, and this paragraph stood out for me. I got involved in an extremely unpleasant and potentially dangerous situation early in my dive career, because I didn't realize I would be completely unable to read my gauges during a night dive (where I could more or less manage to do so in high ambient light). This also means that, if you are evaluating some kind of OTC solution like glue-in lenses, you must evaluate it in a dark room with a small flashlight, not under high intensity fluorescent bulbs in a shop!

 

[Hallmac]

Bummer. If I were you, since your LDS can't provide what you need I'd try someone else (if there are other shops around)

Wow, we send our masks off to a company that can custom grind any prescription except bi focals. They can put lenses in any mask including the wally world specials if you really wanted.

The key requirement is the PPD measurement.

We usually get them back in three to four weeks. I'll get the name and number for you on Monday when I go back to work.

 

[oreocookie]

But if Jon says his version is identical or similar enough to the one that fits you so well, just order it in your prescription.

I would consider doing that, however the other mask I tried at the lds, was, I think, basically another company's version of the same mask, and it only fit well until I tried the second one, at which point I realised the fit wasn't quite so good. If I knew the HydroOptix mask fit just like the one I was going to buy, there would be no question, but I don't know that.

 

[diver 85]

You'll probably have better luck getting disposable contacts and buying a non-prescription mask. Your eye doc will usually give you a few to try for free.

Terry

No he won't or if he does, he/she is crazy....do you work for free???......To the OP, you have astigmatism( that's the last 2 of the 3 numbers)...If the 2nd(cylinder) is greater than 1.25 or so, you'll need this presciption in either a mask or contact lenses(ctl's)..do yourself a favor and be fitted with ctl's, sounds like that is what's needed.........

 

[oreocookie]

I know the OP's doc said no, but, if I was an oreocookie I would get a second opinion from a doc that dives.

If I mentioned diving and contacts in the same sentence to that doc, I think he'd probably have a panic attack or tear out the little hair he has left.

In general though, I'm not sure how comfortable I'd feel diving with contacts given that I've never worn contacts, and adjusting to that while learning all these new skills might be a bit much at one time.


I appreciate everybody's input on this, and I'm beginning to wish that I had started looking into getting a mask 3 months ago, but at the time I didn't know if my taking an OW class was going to become a reality this summer or not. At this point, based on my time constraints (class starts a week from monday), I'm thinking that I'll probably end up going for a cheap fix (that I know won't be perfect) for my class, seeing how it goes, and then if need be, sending the mask out for custom lenses to be put in, since after the class, I'm probably not going to get an opportunity to dive again until at least xmas. Possibly not an ideal situation, but if nothing else, I'll get used to how my own mask feels with clearing, etc, and probably less leaks than I'd get with a rental.