Scuba diving and Snorkeling for the optically impaired

Snorkeling and Scuba diving without being able to see the fish can kind of defeat the purpose. If you require glasses for your day to day life you will likely require them underwater, since trying to squish a pair of glasses into a dive mask rarely works you will need to explore a few other options.

Contact lenses

If you are already a contact lens user this can be the simplistic solution. However according to the FDA and Optometrist Association Contact Lenses are not recommended to be exposed to water of any type. Exposure to fresh, chlorinated or sea water can result in eye infections, irritation and sight-threatening conditions. If you are going to swim with contacts it is recommended to use disposable lenses.

Optical corrective masks

Several brands manufacture snorkel and dive masks with replaceable lenses. These will come in a variety of diopters and strengths. Typically you can match your match prescription within 0.25 strength. These pre-ground lenses are made with tempered safety glass and can correct for distance or reading focus but not often for both at once, such as progressive bi-focal or tri-focal corrections. This option is a relatively in-expensive option as most prescription mask with lenses run $160-$210 and can be prepared in minutes.

Custom made corrective mask

For those with difficult prescriptions or in need of multi-focus lens custom is the best option. Some opticians can make a custom lenses with your prescription then bond the lens to the glass lens of select masks. When selecting a mask for this it is best to work with a mask with small removal-able lenses such as the Saekodive Moray mask. A mask with a very large viewing glass will be pointless as the corrective lens cannot be too large and still accurate. This option can range from $300-$500 and can take 4-5 weeks. Please contact us with your prescription for a quote.