[StuartC]

Hi, I went to my LDS today to order lenses for a new mask as I've recently had a new prescriptin, only to be told that they are not being supplied any more due to...guess what...H&S regs! - apparently in the USA divers have sued their dive shops when they've had problems after buying the wrong lenses for their sight.
Has anyone heard this? The shop rang Mares & Scubapro & got same answer - but the shop hadn't been aware until then!

Maybe saying it's a legal issue is just an easy excuse, and that the real reason is that it's costly to manufacture a range of lenses for each shape of mask, and designs are changing so frequently it hits their profit margin.

I'm off to my LDS today and will ask if they can still get stock lenses for masks.

Is there any particular mask you're wanting this for?

I really didn't want to have to have lenses stuck onto the inside of my new mask again.............................

I've had no problems getting prescription lenses ordered for fitting to Cressi masks.

I have a very complex prescription and off-the-shelf lenses are no use to me, so I've always had lenses bonded to the inside of my mask. I can highly recommend the place where my LDS has this done.

Due to the lens cost I've bought a spare mask of the same model, so I can transfer the lenses if the old one is damaged beyond repair (my prescription is pretty stable).

 

[StuartC]

These people will bond your actual prescription to a plain mask if that is any help. I have considered them, but haven't actually tried them, so can't comment on the finished product. But there should be no problem as you just send them a copy of your proper prescription and you get that just like you would if you ordered a pair of glasses.

Think they're the folks our LDS uses, will check later.

useful info here:

Minus lenses very rarely produce any distortion problems. Plus lenses, < because they have to be fitted to the inside of the mask and hence curve toward the eye, can produce some distortion. This takes the effect of good central vision but increasing peripheral distortion. The effects of this are fairly nominal up to around a power +4.00. Above this the effects do increase and can give the effect of tunnel vision.

well my +6 lenses will explain why I fail to see so much whilst I'm diving!

 

[StuartC]

yep, my LDS uses Axis Optical in Sheffield for complex lenses or those outside the stock lens ranges.

we have 2 Cressi masks with lenses fitted by these guys, and can stick some photos up if you're interested.

In terms of stock lenses, the shop now stocks

Oceanic Ion mask and lenses in 0.5 dioptre steps (think this is only minus power lenses)
Beaver Discovery mask and lenses, minus and plus going up to +4

so, they can do simple lenses between -8.0 and +4.0 from manufacturer stock.

they'd not heard of any legal issue, but said the ranges change so much and so often, there's only a limited range that supply optical lenses.

 

[StuartC]

STUART - yes I'd be interested to see what your masks are like, please! (if only to see if I'm just being fussy about my old one!!)

be gentle with me - this is me and my Cressi Horizon mask with +6 lenses celebrating a dive on my birthday...(beats working :teeth: )

the domed nature of my +ve lenses means it's not too difficult to reach the edge of the plate for cleaning. I find a soak in a solution of sterilising fluid and a go with a toothbrush shifts all the gunk.

my partner has -ve prescriptions and the lens gets thicker at the edges. Combined with the smaller Cressi lince mask it is a bit more difficult to get to the edges for cleaning (needs a clean so I'm not posting pics of it up until it's done or she'll kill me!)

if you want dry close-ups of the inside of the masks, I'll post them up too if this pic isn't sufficient.