RX Bifocal Mask Specifics - advice please!

[frontiernurse]

On land I wear a light-moderate prescription to see details at a distance (basically ~9ft/3M or further) but I can read and see up close fine. If I want to look at something up close I have to remove my glasses. I'm at a point where I need a prescription mask to get the most out of diving as I am definitely missing stuff (e.g. people frenzilied pointing at what I later learned was an octopus 15 feet away acting crazy that I could not distinguish from the swaying corals). So I'm thinking I need a bifocal mask... a prescription for distance, and non-prescription part for looking at gauges and up close critters. I've scoured the forums and I still have unanswered questions:
- Where do you place the prescription part of the lens for distance (~ 9 feet/3M or more) viewing? Should it be on the top part of the mask or the bottom? Or some other configuration?
- What percentage of the mask should be prescription (for > 3M) vs. non prescription (for up close and gauges) with this type of vision?
- I have 2 non-prescription masks that fit perfectly. Does custom alteration change the field of view or the fit?
- Can I bring my rx to my local dive shop and they will send off my mask for custom lenses? Or do I need a whole new mask?
- Is there anything else specific I should ask for that I'm not thinking of?

Thank you for your input!!:cool2:

 

[KathyV]

Talk to your eye doctor and see what he/she recommends. I am like you nearsighted, I take my glasses off to read.

You can bring your non-prescription mask to your eye doctor to have it fitted with corrective lenses.

Have you ever tried contact lenses? I wore contacts for many years but as I got older it was harder to find a prescription that would work both near and far for me so now I wear bifocal glasses.

During all the years that I loved wearing contacts I could always wear them while diving and they worked great. When I had to give up contacts for everyday I figured that I would need a bifocal lens prescription mask, but I talked to my eye doctor and he had a different suggestion.

Water magnifies and I just need to be able to read gauge, see small critters, etc. I am not going to read a book while diving! He prescribed contacts that give good distance vision but, with the help of the water's magnification, gives me decent close vision while diving. They work great for me.

I don't know if that would work for you or if you would even be interested in contacts, but it's still a good idea to discuss options with your eye doctor and bring your mask with you.

 

[KevinG58]

You may get by with the "stick on" diopters for distance vision. If you look around on SB you can find the pros & cons argued. I can't weigh in, I never used them as I had an astigmatism to start and then my eyes got old, so when I found I could no longer read my spg or computer (and the latter has a large display) I went straight to bifocal lenses.

Lenses can be glued to your existing masks face plate, and should not affect either field of view or the fit of the mask on your face.
You can take your masks and Rx to a shop and they will most likely have a working relationship or favorite company they use. But there are companies that will work with you directly as well. The lenses are not cheap, worth every penny to me, but not cheap!

When I get home I can post a picture that shows the layout of the lenses pretty well, but it can vary depending upon one's situation and needs. I for example asked for a larger area for up close viewing of my camera viewfinder LCD.

 

[TSandM]

You want the distance-viewing prescription in the upper part of the mask, and the bifocals in the lower part. I found about a quarter of the height of the lens was about right; I started with more like a third, but it annoyed me.

What I was told was that prescription lenses can be put in any two-lens mask, but not all (or any) single pane ones. Putting in the prescription does not change the mask skirt, so it does not affect fit.

My prescription masks cost me about $150 above the cost of the mask itself. The measuring was done at a local optometrist who provides this service for the dive shop across the street. It took about 2 weeks to get the mask back.

 

[KevinG58]

Here it is... You can see the bifocal "break" line.

 

[stuartv]

Just FYI, you can get a mask with bifocal lenses from SeaVision.

Masks - SeaVisionUSA

They run about $195.

I have been using an Atomic Frameless 2 mask, so far (20 dives plus pool work). It has always leaked, which I've always attributed to having a mustache. It's great - if you want a lot of practice at clearing your mask. At first, if I shaved away the top part of my mustache, it would not leak very much. But, I have lost 10+ pounds recently and now it seems to leak a lot more, whether I shave the top part of my lip or not.

I just got back from diving in Hawaii with a buddy who brought 2 SeaVision masks (an older 2000 and a new 2100). I did 1 dive each with each of his masks. I was trying them out to see how I liked the magenta lens, but to my happy surprise, I also noticed that neither one leaked at all. Each time I used one, I had a surface interval and then dove again, using my Atomic mask and it leaked every time.

I got a set of Hydrotac stick-on reader lenses from Walmart ($15) for my Atomic mask and they work pretty much perfectly for letting me read my gauges. They have stayed on now for 10 dives plus a pool session, with no problems. But, as I would really like a mask that doesn't leak, I'm planning to order a SeaVision mask. I just have to decide whether to spend the extra $120 for their lenses with gauge readers built in, or save the $120 and spend $15 on another set of Hydrotacs to go in it.