prescrption mask or new contacts?

[idocsteve]

Contrary to what eyeglass salesmen tell you, you're eyes don't change every year (if you're an adult).

As a licensed eye doctor in my state, I can accurately and authoritively state that the majority of patients who wear glasses or contact lenses experience a change in their vision on a yearly basis, regardless of their age. The degree of change during a certain time period decreases with age, but very rarely levels off completely. Most patients benefit from an update in their Rx if it has been more than a year since their last eye exam. I always show them the eye chart with the new Rx dialed into the refractor, and allow them to compare the vision to their present glasses or contact lenses as I give them my recommendations.

Patients that opt for refractive surgery should be aware that their vision may continue to change, and they may require enhancements in the future. Some surgeons charge additional for these procedures, some include "lifetime" enhancements in the initial fee.


Turtle Diver is dispensing untrue medical advice and unless he is a licensed eye care professional his advice should be disregarded.

 

[paulithepin]

I have an RX mask that I have had since 1995-Sea Vision, never could get used to contacts. Sea Vision has an excellent product check them out on-line, seavision.com
Paul

 

[Aucilla]

The ideal solution probably all depends on your Rx. I wear bifocals. Un corrected, my distance vision is OK and my near vision is not good enough to read the numbers on a camera or see a lot of detail on the little things I like to look at on the reef.

I have tried several solutions, ultimately getting a bifocal mask made.

I tried contacts. With contacts, though, my far vision was fine, but my near vision was such that I had trouble reading my depth gauge. This was unacceptable. So I went with the one-contact solution. Then, I had pretty good one-eye distance and OK up close with the other eye, that one being the left eye because my gauges were on the left. The left was uncorrected. I had no near vision correction, with the one contact solution, but I could see near better than with the contact in.

Then I tried the cheap, temporary stick-in lenses; the ones that hold in by water tension/suction or whatever. These stick in your mask and make it bifocal. Actually, these were pretty cool, and I used them to look at reefs, compasses, etc. But they came out of the mask sometimes and got lost, as in the rinse bucket for example. And still, with these, I didn't have distance correction at least not in both eyes without contacts.

Now, contacts can be a pain anyway, as in on the boat ride home when the wind is blowing in your eyes and the lenses get dry.

Ultimately, I got the mask I wanted and then found a place, on here, that could make them prescription lenses. I got a frameless mask with a single lense, and after some checking settled on an outfit that used the glue-in lens method. This was counter to my instincts, at first; which were that a ground lense in the mask was better than gluing on the mask lens. After research on here, and learing that the ground mask lenses could work with the one-piece mask plate, I went with the glue in and I love them! They are bifocal and it is wonderful to have good vision at all distances in each eye.
http://www.prescriptiondivemasks.com/

 

[JonKranhouse]

The HydroOptix Double-Dome mask automatically corrects for a range of nearsighted vision. Unlike all flat Rx masks, dome optics create a variable power once submerged. The real benefit is a field-of-view almost 5X greater vs. conventional flat masks. Over 650 divers with 20/20 distance vision are actually wearing contacts to become temporarily nearsighted in air – because their underwater vision is so much better. The Magic Bifocal effect is great for older divers.

Apologies for anyone taking offense at this shameless plug for my company's product. Our marketing budget is limited – I’d rather put the $ into new products. We depend very much upon positive word of mouth. We do not recommend our mask to new divers who are not a “Naked-Eye Match.” First learn to dive, then learn to wear contact lenses.

EYE HEALTH WARNING:
Wearing contacts for diving is perfectly safe -- IF YOU REMOVE THEM RIGHT AFTER DIVING. Your risk of eye infection occurs because contact lenses trap bacteria, found in water, against your cornea. Neither your natural tears nor eye drops can flush out the tiny beasties (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acanthamoeba). SWITCH TO YOUR EYEGLASSES AS SOON AS YOU’RE DONE WITH THE DAY’S LAST DIVE. Wearing extended wear lenses overnight increases your risk 10X. 1-day disposable contacts are best. If you must disinfect (re-use) your lenses, only two cleaning solutions get a thumbs-up from eye docs. Soak for 7+ hours in peroxide or Opti-Free Express. Heat disinfection does NOT kill the beasties!

Over 1,000 eye doctors around the world endorse our paradigm of wearing contacts to see 5X more while diving. This chart shows if you are in the “Naked-Eye Zone” http://hydrooptix.com/ml45_chart.htm

 

[DaisyDiver]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if it's worth learning to wear contacts in order to dive with better vision. I'm recruiting my boyfriend into the scuba fold (he's a willing newbie), but has pretty horrible vision. Astigmatism too. He's used glasses his whole adult life (25 years). We're going diving in late January.

Do you think prescription lenses are worth it? Last person I knew used them spent tons of money for the lenses, then the mask leaked because the store didn't fit him right. I know we can test the mask in the pool before getting the lenses, but...a new mask for $100 or more each time the prescription changes, which could be annually...well...

I've been wearing contacts for so long I've forgotten what it was like to begin, touching your eye and all. Anyone new to contacts (especially men, since they don't wear makeup and so aren't used to futzing with their eyes) who can tell me if learning was really stressful? Too tough to do in 6 weeks?

Thanks!

I have a Astigmatism too and I can not see anything with out either my glasses or contacts,(I have it bad in both eyes.).I say it is worth learning to wear contacts,but I really do not know how they are for diving since my first time will be in july,the Acuve(SP?)Advanced for Astigmatism disposable contacts are fairly comfy.I do not think it would be to tough to learn to wear them in 6 weeks,but I am a girl and I wear mascara soo I am already used to toughing my eyes.I agree with Turtle Diver,my eye doctor told me that adults usually do not change their percription every year,beacuse when you grow so does your eyes and since adults are fully grown they usually do not need new precriptions every year.tamarinda,good luck with your BF.

 

[underachiever]

I am new to diving and presently wearing contacts in the pool (CWD). With a normal lens mask. I wear 2 different strentghs. Having a little trouble focusing in the guages under the water. Any suggestions. This is only pool time. We get to hit the Keys in a couple of weeks.

 

[Dave Zimmerly]

DaisyDiver - believe it or not your eyeballs are the same size now as when you were born. They never grow in size. That's why babies look "cute" with those big eyes. Another fact is that there are no veins or arteries connecting your eyes to your bloodstream. Oxygen is provided through osmosis.

Back to the subject...I prefer to wear disposable contacts. Lost one or two during some dives but always carry a couple of extra.

Dave (aka "Squirt")

 

[abitton]

Another fact is that there are no veins or arteries connecting your eyes to your bloodstream. Oxygen is provided through osmosis.

Actually, this is not true. There is such a thing as the ophtalmic artery. The ophthalmic artery is the first major branch of the internal carotid artery. It crosses the optic nerve and branches in a variable pattern. Two separate vascular systems are involved in the nutrition of the posterior segment: the retinal vessels and the ciliary vessels. The central retinal artery enters the optic nerve about 10mm behind the eyeball. At the disc it branches into 4 major vessels forming the vascular network of the inner layers of the retina and supplies the superficial part of the nerve fiber layer of the optic nerve head. Two posterior ciliary arteries originate from the ophthalmic artery. Each divides into 10-20 branches which penetrate the sclera at the posterior pole to form the choroidal capillaries, a dense one layer network.

Probably way more than you wanted to know!!!

Alex

 

[ProfessorAronnax]

Contacts are a great way to go!

 

[freediver]

Actually, this is not true. There is such a thing as the ophtalmic artery. The ophthalmic artery is the first major branch of the internal carotid artery. It crosses the optic nerve and branches in a variable pattern. Two separate vascular systems are involved in the nutrition of the posterior segment: the retinal vessels and the ciliary vessels. The central retinal artery enters the optic nerve about 10mm behind the eyeball. At the disc it branches into 4 major vessels forming the vascular network of the inner layers of the retina and supplies the superficial part of the nerve fiber layer of the optic nerve head. Two posterior ciliary arteries originate from the ophthalmic artery. Each divides into 10-20 branches which penetrate the sclera at the posterior pole to form the choroidal capillaries, a dense one layer network.

Probably way more than you wanted to know!!!

Alex

He is NOT an eye doctor but he did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night!