We will be diving Bonaire for the 3d year in a row in October and my newly certified wife needs a prescription mask - any input on the best options based on your knowledge and expirience would be greatly appreciated.

Hello Marcus, I wear a prescription mask. There are many masks available out there that can be used a prescription masks. The lenses pop out and the prescription lenses are placed in them. All you need is your prescription from you optometrist. My lenses were about $100 Cdn. I hope this helps!

My local dive shop sells a mask that has interchangeable lens. The mask is about $50.00 and each lens is $35.00 each. All you need to know is your prescription. The lens are stock items and cheaper than getting a "custom" mask made.

I have been using these masks for about 12 years and they are great. I have really bad eyes and I am very happy with them. Please call me if you have any questions.

Eileen, you were just a little quicker on the post than me.

Marcus, I broke down after 4 years and gave up my contacts while diving for a script mask. I sent my mask to www.prescriptionmasks.com (they are located in San Diego) and got my mask back in about 10 days. I had to send along a copy of the script of course. I LOVE it! I can't believe I waited so long. I haven't seen the type that Alan mentioned. I know our dive shop carries the little sticky bifocal things. Anyway, the whole thing cost about $129.00, and I am so happy with the results.

Marcus, the link above doesn't work...think I spelled something wrong... Here is the correct link...
http://www.prescriptiondivemasks.com/

i used the same place to have some gauge readers installed in my mask (then decided i really didn't need them)...

you get a nice mask defogging kit and a couple of lollipops to boot;)

sponge, I used the mask defogging they sent, and on one dive I had to flood my mask during a dive due to fogging...and it burned my eyes...I managed to finish the dive, but had to keep closing them and getting them to water to stop the burning. That little square they send smells like neutrogena soap to me, so I think it is a soap. I ended up using my regular mask defogger the rest of the trip and it worked just grand....so caution to using the defogger they send if you have sensitive eyes

Cynde, we threw that stuff away, we bought some when the shop was out of sea drops, and it never seemed to work.

Seb, I threw mine out too!

I don't know how I even managed to see anything under water until I purchased my prescription mask a few years back. What a difference!! Night and day. Now not only can I "see" the fish and wonderful things clearly, I can wave "hi" to all of m y underwater buddies with confidence that I can actually recognize them and not just sort of see them. LOL. Go for the prescription mask, most definitely. I had taken my prescription to the dive shop where I bought my mask and they put it all together for me for a very, very reasonable price. I am nearsighted. My prescription must not be "too" strong because the price was great. I am certain the stronger the prescription, the higher the price, but in any event, it is well worth it. Such satisfaction at being able to see everything crystal clearly is priceless to me. Carole

PS I even drove the car "in a pinch" once to get home! Quite a sight! Carole

Yeah, I stored it for years first, Cynde, go figure.
Carole, you drove with the mask on? And there are no pictures? We need a reenactment your next trip on the island! I've considered it myself, but I usually have an ancient pair of specs i use.

Carole, I think Clint said he had done the same thing once! LOL! Yes, pics of that would have been a good one

i never actually used the wax...but the cloth is good for cleaning lenses...

It is, indeed, a frightening sight! Don't know if pics would be a good idea! LOL. Next time.....Carole

For Dan's prescription mask, we just arranged for our local dive shop to ship out his mask to get the lenses replaced. They advised him on which styles could get replacement lenses (generally, they have to be the kind that divide into two lenses in front, not just one big one). It took a week or two to get done, but it's been well worth it!

I -think- they send out to Seavision, but I don't remember for certain.

Faith

My prescription mask is a bi-focal with the pink lenses that I absolutely love and I got it through Seavision when I was at the Sea Rovers in Boston. It made a huge difference and the pink lense made everything so much better.

Words of warning! If you snorkel and you want to use the reading part of the bi-focal you have to tilt your head up and you might take on some water!! of course I learned that the hard way!

I definitely highly recommend SeaVision. The lens grinds are PERFECT. Really impressive. They can put lenses in to most two-lens masks, and of course they also have a line of their own very comfortable masks.

My two masks are an Ocean Master and a Mares Opera. I dive the Mares almost exclusively these days, but use the Ocean Master as a backup.

Next mask I get will be one of SeaVision's own. Next ones may have a non-magnified section at the bottom (effectively a bifocal).

another point to consider...

marginal need for reading glasses is compensated by the magnification effect of the water - appears that way to me anyway...you may not actually need to add correction to your dive mask if all you need is the reading glasses...

The water effect is about 1/3 diopter-- check with your optician, etc., for your need. Like Bob, the 'water effect' solves my vision problems. And it is taken into account by those who make prescription masks.

The really effective mask was an old one made by U.S. Divers that had a curved face plate that compensated for the 1/3 diopter. Best thing for lobstering-- it brought the diver back to reality by showing you that the lobster was smaller than you had hoped!

I'm nearsighted and the prescription mask was the best thing I could have purchased. It makes such a big difference when you can see clearly with perfect vision under water when before you could not. CArole