Prescription Masks/Lenses - advice please?

[Suzanne]

Took my Mum for a try dive tonite.....it was like watching Bambi taking its first steps...!!!!!

Anyway she loved the experience and it was good fun for us too - we want to do the whole open water shebang - but need some advice re the mask thingy....she has perfect long distance vision but like most oldies, can't read a menu up close and so prolly won't be able to read guages or either - her normal glasses are vari-focals - so can anyone advise what would work best underwater?

oh yes, p.s. tried to post this on equipment but wasn't able to - i haven't posted for a while so don't know what the deal is with this...

[Andy Phillips]

You can actually get prescription masks, best thing, I can't for the life of me remember the name of the company but I know that Kike's in Chiswick can sort it out.

Andrew

p.s. How ya doin?

[Narked@50]

Yep, prescription masks, quite a few dive centres do them now, ask at some of the bigger stores like Kent Diving or Divers Warehouse. I even seen some on the counter at Vision Express last time I was there!

James

[Gunna Do]

Good on ya for taking your Mum diving..
she must be quite the adventuresome Lady ..
My dive Bud is blind as a bat without his glasses, We looked into prescription dive masks but the cost was so prohibitive we passed on that.
Now he uses dispossable contacts. as long as she gets profficent at clearing her mak it shouldnt be to much off a problem
Steve

[Suzanne]

Originally Posted by imported_andyp

You can actually get prescription masks, best thing, I can't for the life of me remember the name of the company but I know that Kike's in Chiswick can sort it out.

Andrew

p.s. How ya doin?

it was Chiswick where i did her try-dive - just behind actually at LSD, so i know Mikes - but is it possible to get vari-focal presecription lenses?

p.s. doing good thanks! working in Beaconsfield at the mo - another 6 months of saving and then off on my travels.

[Suzanne]

[quote=Gunna Do]Good on ya for taking your Mum diving..
she must be quite the adventuresome Lady ..


She's awsome, and she's 60 next year!

[The Dougie Paddler]

I paid just over £100 for my prescription mask with SDS Watersports, sent them my prescription and they did the rest.

http://www.sdswatersports.co.uk/index.htm

Don't know how they handle varifocals, but may be worth giving them a ring

[Tony F]

Originally Posted by Suzanne

she has perfect long distance vision but like most oldies, can't read a menu up close and so prolly won't be able to read guages or either - her normal glasses are vari-focals - so can anyone advise what would work best underwater?

Given the magnification effect underwater your mum may find she can read the gauges perfectly well, did she actually try during the try-dive?

I'd certainly test that before buying anything although prescription lenses can be retro fitted so a mask that will take lenses could be safely purchased if you wished.

[Suzanne]

[quote=Tony F]Given the magnification effect underwater your mum may find she can read the gauges perfectly well, did she actually try during the try-dive?



We didn't, but she's asked for another try-dive so we'll try it then.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

[Simon A]

Suzanne,
I have seen lenses that stick to the bottom of the standard mask lenses to give you the equivelent of bifocals. Hopefully someone on here can tell you what there called and where they can be purchased. I seem to remember they were aroubd £25 for a set.

Simon A