Vision Correction

[Wendy Moul]

I am curious about what most people do for vision correction when diving, I need both distance and reading correction. Currently I am wearing contacts for distance and then have the small half circles for reading which works, but I am still frustrated with this. So if anyone has something that works well for them I would love to hear it. I have considered having the lenses put in the mask, different contacts, just not sure what direction to go or if I am overlooking some great and wonders fix for this. Thanks! I appreciate any help you can give me

 

[rickyd]

Prescription Dive Masks.com You'll find many references to PDM on the board.

 

[ScubaSteve]

My prescription is not terribly strong so I went with prescription lenses and LOVE them. I just bought a new mask and will keep my existing mask as a spare in my drysuit and got the lenses. For a standard prescription they cost about $110 for both lenses here so it is worth it IMO.

While I cannot see very well underwater with my mask off, at least I am not afraid to open my eyes. If I am in trouble and lose my mask, the last thing I am going to want is one more thing to stress over.

 

[weaponeer]

I don't wear contacts and considered getting lenses in a dive mask, but found a better alternative. I was issued several pair of special glasses while in the military that are used inside gas masks. I found they work just as well in dive masks. If you search the web for "criss mag-1" you'll see exactly what I use. Since I didn't have to buy the frames I just gave a pair to my optometrist and asked him to update the prescription. $30.00 later I had a great pair of dive glasses. The rubber band is very thin at the temple, allowing a good seal. The only drawback is you'll need to find a mask that will fit over them. Low volume masks don't do well.

 

[spectrum]

Wendy,

The best solution aside form lasic or contacts depends on your Rx.

Higher astigmatism will rule out generic script lenses.

All positive corrections may eliminate the need to go with bifocals. I happen to be all positive. With my distance scripts as a single focal lens my near vision is entirely fine.

More here.

Pete

 

[divin'dog]

Wendy, I have a strong prescrip and I'm both near-sighted and far-sighted. I have worn contacts ever since I started diving with no problems (since 1988). When I started needing reading glasses, I could no longer read my gauges. What I do is to wear contacts with a weaker prescription. My normal full strength prescrip is something like -5.00 in one eye and -5.50 in the other. When I dive, I drop the power down to about -4.75 and -4.50. I also have a mild astigmatism. With my lenses at a weaker power, I can still see the reef and lobsters etc and also read my gauges. You don't really need to see all that clearly for distance underwater. Most of what you want is from up close to 50' or so. Weaker lenses work great for that if your eyes fall into this category. Try it by knocking the power back about .50-.75. If your vision is close in both eyes, you can use one power for both eyes and save some money. Under water, it doesn't make that much difference to see sharply in the distance. The cost of an extra pair of lenses is small. Being able to see as soon as I take off my mask... priceless.

If you're lucky, you will have a doctor who will order some trial pairs of lenses for free to find the right diopters for your "dive" vision. Mine did.

 

[idocsteve]

Wendy, I have a strong prescrip and I'm both near-sighted and far-sighted.

No, you're not.

 

[diver 85]

No, you're not.

I don't know, maybe they think they are antimetropic, -------lol.....Today(we have had some weird ones lately seems like) last patient before lunch, a CTL redeye work in:

OD pl - 8.00 X 180(AR showed +1.00-9.00X~180, I'm thinking this thing is broken)
OS -4.75-5.00X 180

New patient(age ~35) --came in wearing ONE OS S. CTL, a "B&L, left my boxes @ my house"(nothing OD) & owns NO backup specs...

CC: 'my rt. eye started getting red 3 days ago & finally this morning I took off my rt. CTL'.........duh, I'm getting too old for that stupidity(last exam 6 months ago in W.Va & eye doc mentioned nothing about BU specs---naturally, @ a chain thingy)......

 

[idocsteve]

I don't know, maybe they think they are antimetropic

If they were, then you'd be correct of course, but he states his Rx in his post; he's myopic with an almost o.u. Rx.

My normal full strength prescrip is something like -5.00 in one eye and -5.50 in the other.

 

[todd_18]

I don't wear contacts and considered getting lenses in a dive mask, but found a better alternative. I was issued several pair of special glasses while in the military that are used inside gas masks. I found they work just as well in dive masks. If you search the web for "criss mag-1" you'll see exactly what I use. Since I didn't have to buy the frames I just gave a pair to my optometrist and asked him to update the prescription. $30.00 later I had a great pair of dive glasses. The rubber band is very thin at the temple, allowing a good seal. The only drawback is you'll need to find a mask that will fit over them. Low volume masks don't do well.

These are what I'm using and the work great with me FFM and also my standard mask.
Combat Eyeglass Frames