Help! I'm going blind

I am far-sighted and use one day disposable contact lenses and i have no particular problem with wearing them.

The only problem is that when i use far-sight glasses or lenses i can't read anymore near/ i become near-sighted, so

i have to choose carefully the power to be in the middle between both values, otherwise i can't read my gauges and screen under water.

I use less power on the far sight to gain near-sight but probably will go the way of a prescription or bifocal dive mask as it is a

"cheap" but effective solution, but it limit the choice of the mask.

As far i heard, i could not dive for several months after the laser and this is for my job as dive instructor impossible and i know 2 people who had

serious issues after the Laser treatment and their vision got worster.

This may be isolated cases and shit always happen, but i am scared that this kind of shit happens to my eyes....

Probably the new laser techniques are less invasive and resolve some of the "early" problems of laser eye surgery bt for this moment

i am fine with wearing contact lenses.

I used also stick-on lenses and my experience with them are rather good, not high quality and sometimes you may loose one of them,

but a cheap and quick solution. The important thing to do is 1° clean the mask perfectly and 2° not using the mask for a few days after

the stick-on lens was mounted.

Chris

I have used these folk for many years and paid to have lens put in my mask at reasonable costs. Linda Young is usually at the DEMA show with a booth but if you can't wait that long, I do recommend them.

http://www.prescriptiondivemasks.com/

Steve

I have used these folk for many years and paid to have lens put in my mask at reasonable costs. Linda Young is usually at the DEMA show with a booth but if you can't wait that long, I do recommend them.

http://www.prescriptiondivemasks.com/

Steve

As I mentioned earlier, I've now tried several approaches, including a standard, unmodified mask, stick-on bifocal lenses, generic corrective lenses, custom-made mask, and customized lens in my own mask.

And the winner is: a customized lens in my own mask done by http://www.prescriptiondivemasks.com/

After Steve's recommendation, I contacted these guys in San Diego, sent them my mask, my prescription and some pupil distance measurements.

The results are excellent. Ive just done 25 dives with the mask and it works perfectly. With vis in the Banda Sea up to 50 meters on some dives, I could see clearly as far as the water column allowed. With the bifocals, I could read my video monitor better than I've seen it in years, great for judging critical focus on macro shots. And, with it built into my own mask (ScubaPro Frameless), it was comfortable, watertight and familiar.

Why is this better than the SeaVision mask that I tried earlier? Mainly fit. The SeaVision, a generic twin lens mask, tended to leak slightly below the nose. I tried it on several dives but could not get it to stay dry. The ScubaPro Frameless, which I've used for years, is comfortable and dry. But also the SeaVision nose piece tends to be a bit obtrusive. So, for the bifocal lens, I tended to end up looking at the video monitor through one eye or the other.

So, strong, unsolicitated endorsement for the guys at Prescription Dive Masks.

Regards

Peter

Peter,

- Did you get the "bifocal" or "readers" style as per the images on their website?

- Is the rest of the glass around the small lens just plain, or is that also corrected to a lesser extent?

- Did you mark up a lens and send it to them in the USA or did they supply your mask?

- Are you still happy with the mask?

Cheers

p.s. Going forward I'm not really happy with the Aqualung Look 2 bifocals. The image isn't great, with a bit of chromatic aberration. Also on my radar is the Tusa Liberator Plus with corrective lenses. The whole lens is corrected, rather then just a small part at the bottom. I reckon my distance vision would be acceptable to about +1.5, maybe +2.0 before being too over-corrected.

Peter,

 

- Did you get the "bifocal" or "readers" style as per the images on their website?

- Is the rest of the glass around the small lens just plain, or is that also corrected to a lesser extent?

- Did you mark up a lens and send it to them in the USA or did they supply your mask?

- Are you still happy with the mask?

 

Cheers

 

 

Thanks Peter. I have emailed prescriptiondivemasks.com with all my details and I'm waiting for their reply. I think we're both planning on an Atomos Shogun atop the GH4 when it's ready and I'm thinking of holding back on a custom mask order as I feel taller bifocal lenses might be preferable because of the height of the rig. What do you think? Are you using a monitor on top of your GH4 at the moment?

Hi Nick,

I don't like the idea of putting the monitor on top of the GH4 housing. One big problem with all these housed cameras, DSLR or mirrorless, (when compared with housed camcorders) is "pitch" stability. Putting the monitor on top is going to make that worse. With lights, it is already difficult to stop pitch movement. The monitor would make it worse. Plus you get tired wrists.

I'm working with David Cheung of ScubaCam to design a way of putting the Shogun monitor behind the NA-GH4. We are thinking of an aluminium milled "cheese board" that can bolt underneath the NA housing and then the monitor would be "line astern" behind the camera, with a small gap to allow finger access to the buttons on the back of the housing (although, if you follow the preset Custom Modes and preset WB method, these buttons are rarely required when shooting). The monitor will be on a small swivel so the angle can be changed, at least on the vertical axis. Then the monitor can be viewed from most useful angles. Hopefully that'll work OK with the current positioning of my bifocal lenses in the mask.

We are just waiting to get hold of a NA housing for the Shogen so we can build the cheese plate to the right dimensions.

Regards

Peter

I hear what you're saying. Sounds like a decent plan and I will follow your developments with interest. In my fantasies I envisage just adding more buoyancy above the Shogun and more weight at the bottom (if necessary) to keep the thing trimmed upright. I like a big rig for stability purposes. I do realise that in reality such a rig might get ridiculously tall, cumbersome and draggy to push along. Haven't even got my housing and other accessories yet, but it's finally on order.

We digress...

Hi guys,

I was thinking of the same prescriptiondivemask but then I run into the disposal contact lenses for close reading. You just wear one in one eye off course and it takes a bit adjusting to it.

It works and now I always wear one when shooting. As a refrence I use it with Blackmagic 2.5k & 4k cameras.

Hi guys,

I was thinking of the same prescriptiondivemask but then I run into the disposal contact lenses for close reading. You just wear one in one eye off course and it takes a bit adjusting to it.

It works and now I always wear one when shooting. As a refrence I use it with Blackmagic 2.5k & 4k cameras.

Does it make you swim around in circles?

Does it make you swim around in circles?

Last time I used the lens I got separated from my buddy and ended up where I started the dive. Just kidding. It really works. I am used to wearing contact lenses and it solves the reading/focus issue for me which is a big challenge when you only have the option of manual focus on cameras such as Blackmagic cameras.

I hope others can benefit from this solution.

These are the people that supply the corrective lenses many dive retailers like LeisurePro sell. (Aquatic Optics brand)

IDK if they sell to the public.

http://www.newportglass.com/aqucat.htm

An update on my solution....

I tried contact lenses for a while and just couldn't get on with putting them in and taking them out. Could never get the knack. A whole bag of stress in the mornings before dives, and then of course you've got them stuck in all day when you don't need them.

I didin't get far with prescriptiondivemasks.com by email. Maybe a face-to-face meeting at a trade show or their shop is the best way with them.

So I struggled with TUSA bifocal lenses for a while, having been told by their regional distributor that TUSA don't make full-frame corrective lenses. Basically I was looking at everything through the bifocal lens, not just the close stuff. Than I discovered that TUSA actually do make full-frame corrective lenses, all the way from +1.0 to +4.5. I swapped the bifocals in my TUSA Ceos mask for a pair of +2.5 full-frame lenses that I bought at https://www.simplyscuba.com/products/TUSA/PlusLens-CeosGeminusandSplendiveMasks.aspxThe optical quality is excellent, and I find that not only can I see little critters and the small text on my camera display, but subjects in the distance are pretty clear too. TUSA have always made great masks, so the mask itself is excellent. Most comfortable I've ever had.

Very happy with this solution!

Bugger! Sorry to hear your peepers are failing you Nick.

 

If lasers will work for you, take that option. I only have second-hand experience with it but it seems to be the perfect solution for those lucky enough to have a laser-fixable problem.

 

If not, get a whopping big screen, figure out a way to house it, and post the answer here for the rest of us.

 

Good luck mate

Josh

For most people, lasik is absolutely the last thing you want to do for reading problems. I have patients whom have actually tried to sue their doctors fir suggesting this approach.

I usually suggest daily disposable multi focal contact lenses for my divers and surfers

Can anyone recommend a brand of "stick on" readers for the dive mask? I don't have time to get them build and permanently fused to my mask, so I am looking at a temp solution with stick on type. By the way I purchased a mask that has them built in on the glass, but that mask is not really good on my face (leaks).

You might want to consider this option as a final resort and wear one of these in one eye:

Can anyone recommend a brand of "stick on" readers for the dive mask? I don't have time to get them build and permanently fused to my mask, so I am looking at a temp solution with stick on type. By the way I purchased a mask that has them built in on the glass, but that mask is not really good on my face (leaks).

I have been using the ones from optx 20/20 for several years now with good results:

http://optx2020.com/p-21-diveoptx-stick-on-lenses-for-divers.aspx

Make sure to follow their directions for installation, though.

You might want to consider this option as a final resort and wear one of these in one eye:

I've been using contact lens since three months and I'm very satisfied. I use them on both eyes. You have to try several types until you find the best one for you.

Plus one for contacts... I tried the stick on lenses and could never find a placement that I liked... Ive done both the single lens and lenses in both eyes and prefer the two lens route - its less confusing for my addled brain.

I had to start right out of the gate with reading inserts in my mask. Nice thing was that as my prescription changed, my dive shop would change them for free. However, I found it a pain having to life my head up so the reading portion could focus on the camera controls.

I've now gone to a full prescription mask from Prescription Dive Masks. They were recommended by Cathy Church in Cayman Islands. I decided to go with the expense of a full mask because I felt I was missing things at distance. You can indicate on the order form you are a photographer and they adjust for using a camera. I purchased my new mask at my local dive shop so I could check the fit and mailed it to them. I've only tried them once before I got beached with an ear problem so haven't had a chance to really evaluate them.