Up until a couple months ago, I was diving with the Sea Vision Rx mask with bifocals as was my husband. Previously (and sometimes just for a change) I wore one contact (for monovision - to allow me to still read my gauges with the undercorrected eye) and be able to see distance with the other. But, my husband did not have the option to wear contact lenses. The Sea Vision Rx mask was great....the exterior flat "bubble" (as Dee called it) of correction for reading did not bother me in any way underwater. But, as others have stated, out of the water.....well, liken it to how it was when you tried on your granny's glasses when you were about five years old!!! However; that little bubble is fairly small and does not impede your normal vision area.
Sea Vision did a great job and listened to me as I discussed what I wanted and what Rx I preferred after talking to my opthamologist. And talk about service....we were leaving on a trip to the Keys in a few days (yes, I was Last Minute Lulu....hey, I work better under pressure....no pun intended there). Sea Vision expressed them to the resort and they were on my pillow in my room the day I checked in! Great dives and great mask...I truly could see better with my mask than my glasses as well.
Now, having said all that.... we decided that we were tired of shuffling, glasses, reading glasses, sunglasses, Rx sunglasses, regular mask and Rx mask TIMES TWO ......I needed a suitcase for just my "eyewear"! My husband and I decided to have the lasik surgery - him first - brave man. I thought...hm....I'll wait and see how this all plays out. He loved it.....kept insisting I go for it, which I did and we're not looking back! This is great...totally changed our lives not just our diving experience. Simplify, simplify, simplify. Yes, we do need reading glasses for small print when reading above the surface......but we do not have any trouble reading our gauges or seeing things upclose under the water. Our doctor told us that the magnification underwater would be enough to make the correction WE needed to read our gauges. It was....FREEDOM AT LAST !!!!!!!
Ok, so as always, this is what worked for US.....you will have to make your decision based on your particular needs. But if you decide to go with a Rx mask....just make sure that there is excellent communication between eye doctor, you and the company who will grind your mask to make sure you are all reading off the same page....the Rx for glasses will not work for the mask - there is more space between your eye and the lens - and that must be taken in consideration when deciding what Rx your mask lenses will be ground to.
Good luck....We'll SEA ya around!