Many, many people wear corrective lenses and this is no different among divers. Many people who want to start diving yet wear corrective lenses and many who have already been diving for years and must begin wearing corrective lenses often wonder how they will be able to see properly underwater. After all, you cannot wear glasses with a diving mask. While it is said that once you are underwater the need for corrective lenses goes away, this is simply not true for most people. Due to the refraction of light, there is a 33% magnification of objects underwater and this means that people with only mildly corrected vision can probably get by without corrective lenses underwater. However, for those that want to ensure the best vision possible, there are some options for corrective lenses while diving.
The absolute best solution for corrective lenses underwater is soft contact lenses. Many people wear these in their daily lives and for divers that do, there will be no change at all. Simply continue to wear them and enjoy the deep blue. However, for those who wear glasses or hard contact lenses, soft contact lenses offer a reasonably priced alternative that will work wonders underwater. If you do wear hard contact lenses, then it is best to check with your optometrist to see if you can wear them while diving. However, these lenses are often not practical if you are diving in high pressure environments. When it comes to soft contact lenses, there is a risk of them floating away if you take off your mask or water gets into your mask, but they are still the best alternative. If you do clear out your diving mask, then close your eyes while you do and carry an extra set of contact lenses for backup.
So what if you don't like wearing contact lenses or cannot for some reason? Well, there is another alternative that is generally more pricy, but is well worth the expense, especially if you dive frequently. This is the option of having the prescription lens fitted into your mask. You can do this in a number of ways. You can have prescription lenses bonded into your current mask. This is a less expensive option, but the lenses may not approximate the shape of the mask 100% and this will also increase the weight of the mask.
If bonding the lenses to the mask is not for you, then you can get a mask with prescription lenses actually permanently installed. These lenses replace the faceplates of the mask, but this option is only available for masks with two faceplate windows. Prescription masks are generally very high in quality and can last a diver many years, which makes it a good investment for many divers. Another option is to have the prescription lenses made to fit your current dive mask and have the lenses put into your mask right at the dive shop. They can do this simply by removing the old faceplates and installing the new prescription lenses. This way you can stick with the mask you are comfortable with. The great thing about getting prescription lenses put into your mask or getting a prescription mask is that it is possible to get lenses for masks that correct for astigmatism and bifocals. With all of these options available, nearly anyone who needs corrective lenses can still dive.
What about those divers who can see well, but need magnification for reading? Well, if the required magnification is more than the water provides, there are stick-on reading lenses available that the diver can stick right onto the mask. This will allow the diver to see while underwater without any problems and yet not have to invest in an expensive prescription mask.
No matter what, if you wear corrective lenses and you dive, you want to be sure you have the right solution for correcting your vision underwater. After all, there is so much to see beneath the waves, the coral, the sponges, the bright colors, not to mention your gauges, that you want to be sure you don't miss a thing. In fact, if you cannot read your gauges easily or quickly, you are risking your own safety so corrective lenses while diving are a must. By wearing corrective lenses when you dive, you will be able to enjoy the experience and see the underwater world just as well as everyone else does.