luv2goaway

My solution isn't great, but I took the arms off a pair of my old glasses and fit them into my mask. I've got a lot of astigmatism and can't see the big E. It worked ok.

virginia

i went to a good dive shop and had the whole perscription thing done to my new mask. IT WAS WELL WORTH THE MONEY!

KVR

All I know is that I have terrible vision with an astigmatism. I called the company, spoke with a rep and they sent me a dive mask with my prescription. Looking through the mask is exactly like through my glasses, which helps me walk from my beach chair to the water. I'm sure people are wondering why I already have my mask on, but I can't see to walk that far without it. I can see near and far just like with my glasses. They work great and I didn't have to spend a fortune to get it. For the dive we did in Curacao and all the other destinations we snorkel at it was worth every penny.

Shanti

Latest update: I called snorkel-mask.com and was told that I'd have to get a custom mask and that they start at $200. KVR - how did you get a stock prescription?

My other option is going to a local dive shop. I could try out different stock prescriptions and see which works best. It would cost about $140. Another option would be to get optical lens bonded to the mask, just as TC has done. The dive shop could also do this but I forgot to ask how much it would cost and I do have an old pair of eyeglasses which I could use.

I also left a message for my optometrist asking what he thought about getting a stock prescription and not worrying about the astigmatism.

My one other concern about ordering a mask on-line is fit. It sounds like other people have ordered masks on-line which fit just fine but I'm still a little leery in case things don't work out well for me if I order from a web site.

KVR

That is suprising. I called and gave them my prescription and they sent me the mask. Maybe you should call back and talk to someone else. I didn't have an issue with the fit either. Before I bought the mask, I had been using prescription goggles. I bought from http://www.aquagoggles.com/products.asp With a nose clip they worked good.

TC

Shanti, This is pretty much what I thought you'd find. I am guessing that what KVR got was a stock mask that was the <u>closest</u> to the prescription he/she gave to Snorkel-mask.com. If it were checked at an optometrist, it would not match the exact prescription. However, I think this proves the point that one doesn't really need the astigmatism correction under water.

As for your idea of having lenses bonded to your dive mask, please know that these are <u>special lenses</u> -- not lens from an old pair of eyeglasses. They are large, the shape of the mask windows and quite a thick piece of glass to withstand the bonding process. You must buy a mask and then have the lenses ground and bonded to the mask. A double window mask is recommended.

You should be able to go to a local dive shop and try on stock masks with correction there. Our local dive shops carry them. In fact at one of our dive shops you can try on the mask and get in their pool to see how it fits and how well you can see. Give a call around in your area. I think (but I won't swear) that REI stores carry some stock masks. Good luck!

olesouthernbelle

I paid about $140 for my Rx mask as well. Used it once, then had cataract surgery which means I no longer need the Rx! Oh well.
I do have a question about the water temp in December - as we will be on Cozumel then. Is it comfortable swimming/snorkeling at that time of year?

TC

Shanti; Here is a link to some reviews on Amazon of stock masks. Seems that people even with astigmatism find they work O.K. After that, there are two links to sources for stock masks in the $60-$75 range. I don't know anything about the web sites or the masks, but it is within the price range that KVR has mentioned. I hope this helps.

http://www.amazon.com/Body-Glove-Opt...owViewpoints=1

http://www.101snorkel.com/Rx_Snorkel...FcNB5godEj1jOQ

http://www.getwetstore.com/prescription_masks.php

TC

OSB, I wear a wet suit in Cozumel in February. I find that the water temps are never warmer than the body temp, therefore I lose body heat pretty fast and start to shiver. I like to snorkel for a long time - 45 mins or more - so the shorty wet suit really helps me. Lots of people don't seem to mind the water temps, so maybe its just me.

hopefulist

I wouldn't consider buying a mask I hadn't tried on, then paying to have it customized in a way that meant I couldn't return it if it wasn't comfortable. Comfort and fit is extremely important imo.

TC

hopefulist; I agree completely that comfort and fit are extremely important in a dive or snorkel mask. The process for corrective lenses goes like this:

To do a custom prescription mask, one purchases <u>their own mask</u>. You would definately try it on and try it out in a pool, making sure you have a perfect fit and a good quality mask. Once satisfied, you send or take <u>that mask</u> to have the lenses replaced with prescription lenses (on certain masks the lenses pop out and new ones are inserted) or one has prescription lenses bonded to the inside of the dive mask lens. This choice depends on the mask you have purchased.

A stock mask is just like buying a pair of cheater reading glasses. They come in standard corrections. If you don't like the mask, it can easily be returned and put back into stock. There's nothing personal about it.

hopefulist

Good to know, though I'll continue to simply use contacts whenever I dive and snorkel - it's so easy and cheap for me it feels like cheating. ;-)

Shanti

Well, I had just a nice chat with my optometrist. Bottom line, between my extreme nearsightedness, astigmatism, and need for progressive lenses - he definitely didn't think a standard prescription mask would work for me. I had thought that a standard prescription would be good enough, but he definitely thought it would be a bad idea.

He was doubtful about the usefulness of a custom mask - he thought it would be difficult to get one that would work with my crappy vision - but we were both pretty sure that it would be very expensive.

He did, however, think I'd probably be able to tolerate contacts.

I hadn't thought that I'd ever go back to contacts, but I'd really like to go snorkeling so I guess I will.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

hopefulist

I felt the same way and was pleasantly surprised - hope you will be, too. Good luck!

sassy_cat

Shanti, maybe it would be worth trying a stock mask. You can return it if it doesn't work for you but it might help. Now, I'm not saying that it will be perfect but if you're really not keen on contacts then this might be a compromise.
Try checking one out in a store so that you don't have to pay return postage if it doesn't work for you.

The advice your optometrist gave you works in his favor ... maybe it's sound advice but I'm leery of contacts too so I would try a stock mask first.

TC

<i>I don't think I'll be able to buy a stock prescription mask as my astigmatism is really bad (-3 in one eye, -4.75 in the other).</i>

Shanti, I noticed you can get stock masks with different correction in the right and left eye on one of the above web sites. You could get as close as -3.00 in one eye and -4.50 or -5.00 in the other for about $75. That might be good enough for snorkeling if the contacts don't work.

KVR

I agree. Give it a try and if you don't like it, you can always return them. I checked and got a -5.00 for both lenses. I see fine with them in and out of the water.

I wouldn't pay that much for contacts even if I could wear them especially if it was just for snorkeling. If I wore them everyday instead of glasses that would be different. The info your doctor gave you is in his best interest to get you to buy from him, not what is best for you.

TC

You know that unless you have a very specific kind of contact, they don't correct astigmatism, right? I wear contacts for special events (going out to dinner) to correct just my distance vision. They are good enough to make it through an evening out when I don't want to wear glasses. I get them on the Internet and they are TONS cheaper than buying them at the doctor. I mean TONS cheaper! All you need is the written prescription that your doctor gives you and then place the order on-line. They are the EXACT same contacts for a fraction of the cost. I have done this for years without any problem. I think mine are about $35 for a box of the Toric lens. That's 6 lenses in a box. I always buy the "daily" lenses even though I wear them several times. My optomotrist told me that they all come off the same assembly line -- no difference between daily, monthly, etc. except for the price.

Shanti

I checked with a local dive shop. I could try on stock prescription masks there, but it would cost as least as much as getting contacts would cost. A custom prescription would cost a whole lot more.

It would cost less to order a stock prescription mask on-line - but then I won't know if it fits and if I can see ok until I receive the mask. Then I'd have to ship it back if it doesn't fit or I don't see well enough.

My optometrist works at an HMO so he's on salary. He doesn't make any additional money if I buy contacts. I also work for this HMO so I will at least get an employee discount on the contacts.

I've also worn contacts before even with my astigmatism, so I should be able to get a satisfactory set of contacts. So I've made an appointment and will try wearing contacts again. They also offer the advantage that I will be able to see before and after snorkeling, as well as during snorkeling.

This thread has been a big help to me in sorting out my options. Thanks again.