prescription vs. non; leaky vs. dry

[daniellef]

Hello - I am a novice diver and I have 2 masks, one that my sister gave me (an Oceanic Mini Shadow) and one that I bought w/prescription lenses for scuba class (an H2Odyssea Alpha 2). Obviously I can see with the Alpha 2 but unless I jam it down on my nose so hard I get a bruise, it leaks. The Oceanic fits perfectly and I love how lightweight it is but it can't be fitted with any lenses, even just the magnifying kind and so everything is blurry.

Short of getting contacts, does anyone have any reccomendations?

thanks --danielle

 

[sealkie]

get another mask that fits that you can put lenses in Mares Tusa and many others make then

try them in the pool without prescrition lenses first and see if the mask fits correctly - then invest in the lenses

 

[UKPhil]

why not give the disposable contacts a try- I decided to do this specifically for diving a few months back and It's a big improvement. I can now wear any mask and can still see when the masks off!

Phil

 

[Toro Tuna]

Where you fitted for the Rx mask when you bought it? Just wondering b/c I just bought a Rx mask and the shop spent about 20min with me helping me find a good fit. However... I haven't tried it out yet (will be doing that this weekend) and I sure hope it works. I have also used contacts when diving and the only problem I had was they were torc lenses which shifted around a bit. Most people don't require those and everyone I have talked to has had no problems with contacts.

Good luck!

 

[DSJ]

I use Toric Astiagmatic contact lenses and have had no problem with rotation. The upside of contacts is that you see great with or without your mask making manuvering around the boat easier.

Another (slightly more expensive) option is the MegaMax mask by HydroOptix. I bought one and used it on a couple pond dives in low vis and absolutely LOVED the full perhipherial vision. It removed the normal "claustraphobic" feeling of low vis by adding peripherial view to compensate for the lost depth of view.

The MegaMax gives you a -4.5 diopter "correction" due to the nature of the domes creating a lens with the water. For me this is actually a plus. I'm -4.75 in one eye and -5.25 in the other. Even if I loose one of my reduced strength contacts due to flooding (which I haven't managed to loose despite practicing no mask swimming for ten minutes at a time) I can still see very well.

David

 

[Toro Tuna]

I just mentioned the toric b/c it has been a problem for me. Otherwise contacts worked well for me (haven't lost one... etc.) and most people I have spoken to have no problem.

 

[Charlie99]

daniellef once bubbled...
. The Oceanic fits perfectly and I love how lightweight it is but it can't be fitted with any lenses, even just the magnifying kind and so everything is blurry.

Unless the Oceanic Mini Shadow mask has a curved lens, Prescription Dive Masks in San Diego can solve your problem. They custom grind flat lenses to your presciption and bond them to them onto the existing lens.

Charlie
a satisfied customer

 

[daniellef]

Thanks so much you all. I have never worn contacts before, mostly just because I have a weird thing about sticking things in my eye but I'm beginning to think I should just suck it up and go that direction. I have between now and October (my next dive trip) to get used to it.

The thing with the Oceanic mask (and part of what makes it so nice) is that instead of having 2 seperate lenses, it has one, uniform lens that stretches across the mask. It is a really fabulous mask and I recommend it to anyone.

I also did try the Alpha 2 before I bought it. The sample I tried didn't leak, but this one seems to. Maybe my cheeks are starting to droop.

Anyway! Thanks for all your input. --danielle

 

[scubasean]

Charlie99 once bubbled...
Unless the Oceanic Mini Shadow mask has a curved lens, Prescription Dive Masks in San Diego can solve your problem. They custom grind flat lenses to your presciption and bond them to them onto the existing lens.

Charlie
a satisfied customer

I'm also a satisfied customer of this outfit....

--Sean

 

[DSJ]

One more advantage of using contacts is that you don't get tunnel vision in your mask.

Years ago I had lenses mounted in a window mask and with the lens size and distance from my eyes, I had to stare straight ahead to see through them. I lost the advantage of all the rest of the glass and the side windows. That isn't a problem with masks that have full window inserts, but probably comes into play with any seperate lens mounting.

Oh, one more advantage. When your perscription changes you don't have to get a new mask, just order a different perscription for your lenses. My first perscription mask is now far enough off my perscription that I can't use it.

Today's soft contact lenses are very easy on the eyes and unless you are VERY sensitive I predict it wouldn't take you any time at all to get used to wearing them. It's not like the old hard lenses which took a period of time to build up tolerance. I also predict that if you do try contacts you won't go back to glasses. The extra peripherial vision, lack of rain/fogging on the lenses, and ease of sports will make you a convert.

David