Eyeglasses VS Contact Lenses

[stevedam]

With the water tours, ie. Snorkel, snuba, stingray city

 

What would you recomend a glasses user use? I've worn both before.

 

Should I wear the galsses for the trip then switch to contacts for the water sports or just keep the contacts for the entire cruise?

[Babie]

With the water tours, ie. Snorkel, snuba, stingray city

 

What would you recomend a glasses user use? I've worn both before.

 

Should I wear the galsses for the trip then switch to contacts for the water sports or just keep the contacts for the entire cruise?

 

I wear disposable contacts when travelling.

On my last cruise, I wore them for about 3 days without taking them out (they were supposed to come out every night). Then after that, I would put them in in the morning and take them out at night.

I strongly suggest disposable opposed to permanant contacts. I lost 2 pair on my cruise! But I also think having your glasses for evenings to give your eyes a break is a good idea. Unless you wear contacts all the time at home too and are really used to them.

LES!

[James42]

I have done both and my prefrence is the contacts. As a previous person said take an extra pair, there is a chance you can lose them. Three years ago I had the lasic surgery and it is the best money I ever spent. Good luck James

[Lsimon]

With the water tours, ie. Snorkel, snuba, stingray city

 

What would you recomend a glasses user use? I've worn both before.

 

Should I wear the galsses for the trip then switch to contacts for the water sports or just keep the contacts for the entire cruise?

 

I always use contacts (soft disposeables) when going to the beach. Contacts are great in salt water for swimmng and while snorkeling. Now that I desperately need bifocals I even have cheap reading glasses I throw in my beach bag so I can read menu's and such while wearing my contacts. Contacts are great in salt water and while snorkeling.

 

However, I don't like contacts other than swimming and exercising. For my eye's grasses correct much better - so I wear glasses while around the boat and if going ashore just for shopping. (like if we cleaned up on board after the beach then went out again.)

[Latitude 20]

Depending on your prescription you may not need any vision correction underwater (remember everything looks about 1/3 bigger and 1/3 closer).

 

Unfortunately, I'm not that lucky and generally wear contact lenses all day every day. I have both prescription and non-prescription masks (which I wear with contacts) but actually prefer wearing my prescription mask. I think I can see better with it but that could just be due to better-quality glass or better fit.

 

Kathi

[Pilot70D]

Stevedam, your own mask is THE most important piece of equipment you can buy. Having a good mask that fits you properly will make a big difference on that next snorkel or snuba trip. Furthermore if you get a dual pane mask then there are low cost diopter step lenses available. The dipter step lenses will not correct for an astigmatism nor presbyopia but they do a great job and at a much lower cost than a full prescription mask.

 

There are several manufacturers that offer diopter lenses already installed in their masks. DACOR is one such manufacterer that does. Their adult mask with the corrective lenses runs $59 retail. The onlt drawback to the pre-installed product is that you get the same dipoter corrective step in both lenses.

 

Many people, myself included, have differences between their left and right eyes. Many good dive shops will install diopter corrective lenses in their shop before shipping the mask to you. This way you can specify a different correction factor for each eye. These lenses typically cost $20-$35 per lens in addition to the cost of the mask itself. I just bought an Ocean Master Z4 (a reasonably good low volume mask with purge) from Bestscubaonline.com and had them install the corrective lenses. Their price was $22 per lense so the total price $39 for the mask plus $44 for the two lenses or $83 total.

 

Either of these alternatives will get you a good mask with corrective lenses and at a reasonable price. This way all you have to do is take your glasses off, put the mask on and head for the deep blue sea. No fuss, no muss, no hassle. Regardless of what you choose enjoy that next snorkel expedition.

[stevedam]

Thank you for all of your suggestions!! They were very helpful

 

 

Stevedam