Prescription snorkel masks?

[sibesx2]

On our last trip to Discovery Cove they had prescription masks for snorkeling that you could use. My DD loved them because she said she could actually see.

Does Castaway Cay have any prescription masks that you can rent?

 

[truck1]

Not that I'm aware of, but I haven't rented gear from there since probably 2000. How often do you expect to go snorkeling? And is your daughter near or far sighted?

 

[sibesx2]

She's near sighted. We don't got snorkeling often at all - last time was 2 years ago. It was really nice that Discovery Cove offered them and I hoped Disney did also.

 

[truck1]

Not sure if its worth it to you, but theres a few places that you can have a prescription mask made up, for about $100. And you can change the script out again later if she gets contacts or her script changes. That's why I was asking.

 

[asunutgirl]

Check with your local dive shop or sports shop that sells scuba gear. They will likely also have snorkel masks as well. You'll have to pay extra to have them swap out the lenses for prescription but they do it all the time for divers. You'll want to have her prescription with you so you know what lenses she'll need.

 

[Oswald the Canuck]

Your Optometrist should be able to get that done for you as well

 

[sibesx2]

Thanks everyone! Since we rarely snorkel I'm not sure that I want to spend a lot on them. That's why I was hoping for a rental!

 

[truck1]

Your Optometrist should be able to get that done for you as well

The optometrist route typically costs more. When I had my first mask made up that way, it cost over $200. I know several people and several places that will charge you that amount in addition to the mask. The Tusa Liberator mask, is $50 bucks and the lenses are $25 apiece near me installed, while you wait. Or they'll make it up and ship it to you.

 

[truck1]

Check with your local dive shop or sports shop that sells scuba gear. They will likely also have snorkel masks as well. You'll have to pay extra to have them swap out the lenses for prescription but they do it all the time for divers. You'll want to have her prescription with you so you know what lenses she'll need.

Theres 1 I know of that does it for free while you wait.

 

[pezheadmeg]

I got a Cressi one off of Amazon for about $50. And I have a -750 index in my stronger eye. Both my eye doctor and optometrist told me matching prescription exactly in a mask is not fully needed. First time I wore it snorkeling made it worth every penny. It's just a cost of genetically poopy eyesight.

If she's more or less done growing--it makes perfect sense. I did the Seas Aqua Tour a few years ago, it really did suck not being able to see clearly with a generic mask.

 

[dmunsil]

I bought a prescription snorkel mask on Amazon and couldn't be happier. For the purposes of snorkeling, you don't really need a perfect prescription. Getting the prescription right is important for reading small text and so forth, but you can get away with an approximation in a mask.

Here's the model I got: http://amzn.com/B00D9FPU5S

I also got these prescription goggles for situations where I didn't need a full mask (i.e. in the pool or on a waterslide): http://amzn.com/B001MWRSAA

To pick the power, look at your prescription. For each eye there will be a spherical power and a cylinder addition (plus an angle, which isn't important here). For example, my left eye is sphere: -9.125, cylinder: +1.75. That means I have a power that varies from -9.125 to -7.375 (you add the cylinder to the spherical to get the other end of the range). For snorkeling I can take anything in that range, so I just picked -8, which works great. People with no astigmatism don't have a cylinder range, so you just round the sphere number to the nearest available off-the-shelf number.

Interestingly enough, my previous doctor wrote the prescription as Sphere: -7.375, Cylinder: -1.75. It's actually the same prescription (-9.125 to -7.375). It's just optometrists tend to write it differently than ophthalmologists.

Off-the shelf lenses are typically in increments of 0.5, so I could probably use -7.5, -8, -8.5, or -9 and be fine, but the middle of the range is a safe bet.

If you're not sure how to interpret your prescription, feel free to post the numbers here and someone will surely be able to recommend an option.

If you have very different prescriptions between the two eyes, you'll probably need fancier googles with snap-in lenses, or custom-made ones (at which point you might as well go for fully-specified prescription lenses, with astigmatism correction and everything.

 

[valee]

I've got a prescription snorkel mask, but I like to travel light, so when traveling I take some prescription goggles, a nose clip, and a cheap snorkel (I keep the ones from Discovery Cove - they don't reuse them). I clip the snorkel to the goggles and paddle away.

 

[TeaBee]

She's near sighted. We don't got snorkeling often at all - last time was 2 years ago. It was really nice that Discovery Cove offered them and I hoped Disney did also.

How old is your daughter? Is she nearing the age when she's ready for contacts? I've snorkeled with contacts multiple times with no problems.

 

[Snowwhyt]

How old is your daughter? Is she nearing the age when she's ready for contacts? I've snorkeled with contacts multiple times with no problems.

My daughter also tried contacts just for this reason in 2010. Back then, the option was $400 to get a prescription kids mask made. And since her head was that of an 10 year old it would not fit for long so it made even less sense at that price. We were told to choose which eye would see better according to her dominate eye(the other eye would be a little blurry but she wouldn't notice it much???)

Contacts made it possible for her to use everybody's equipment and easy to change when something leaked. If you look at my photo, that was her wearing contacts at Castaway Cay day. We snorkeled in the stingray area that day.

Her eyes have to be fit for contacts and I only purchased one box. She practiced with them a few weeks before our trip. Then went back to glasses for about another year, with a few left over for special occasions. Now she wears contact all the time. She's 16 now and is looking at university's where she can get a masters in Marine Biology.

Good luck in your search. At least the price is right now so you have options!

 

[ktate82]

We ordered DH a prescription mask and pair of goggles off of Amazon. The mask was about $25 and the goggles were about $15 (both had prime shipping). That was the best $40 we ever spent! We don't snorkel a lot, but when we go to the pool, waterpark, or anywhere like that, he takes them and loves that he can see everything. Get her prescription from the eye doc and go with the lesser of the vision requirement (if she is -4 in one eye and -3 in the other, get the -3).

 

[DisSarahK]

I ordered a prescription snorkel mask for my son off of Amazon for $55. It has a different prescription in each lens and is great! He already has prescription goggles and loves being able to see at the pool.

 

[Starwind]

We bought my sister a mask that has separate lenses and thus can have a different prescription for each lens. We went to a local dive shop and it took them all of 10 minutes to help her choose and test the mask then put the proper lenses in. The nice thing is now if her Rx changes enough she can easily get new lenses and have them put in without needing a whole new mask. Without the Rx mask she said when snorkeling she can't actually see anything just blurry masses. With it, she can easily see everything. Definitely worth it in our books.

SW

 

[truck1]

A word of caution for those that buy masks unseen and untested. Everyones face is different. What fits me wont fit a lot of other people. I work pt in a dive shop and Ive lost track of the number of people Ive fit for masks, both prescription and non. We have masks that range from $35 to $250. The majority of people think that price equates to quality. It doesn't. It doesn't matter if its the $250 mask or the $35, if it doesn't fit its not the best. By using scripts that are not designed for that eye, ie using the left eye for the right, can cause problems. Usually headaches, but other things can happen also. Its better to be weaker then your script in both eyes then trying to use 1 script for both.
Heres a couple of tips:
1. Place the mask over your face with out the strap on. Inhale slightly. The mask should stay on with little to no effort. Look in a mirror. The seals should be sitting behind the corners of your eyes. If they are over the corners, the mask will leak.
2. Your eyes should be high center in the pane(s).
3. Stick your tongue between your upper lip and your front teeth. If the seal breaks, and the mask falls off, its too small.
4. Try to avoid the prepackaged sets. A lot of times, they have 1 off straps, or buckles or something that makes then unique. If the strap breaks, if you can find the replacement, it will take time to get it, usually from the manufacturer. A mask with a standard strap, if it breaks, can be replaced from just about every dive shop in minutes.

 

[richkaryn]

I used one on our (non-cruise) trip to Hawaii....I was bummed because I thought I wouldn't get to snorkel since I am very near sighted. But when my family went to rent gear we found out they had prescription masks and I was so excited to get to witness all the beautiful fish. Since home I have looked with future cruises in mind and amazon has prescription masks for around $50-60. This is the one I am planning to purchase.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V5ISPHG...olid=3ILA9HGNOLR0B&coliid=I6HR169SNNXXL&psc=1

 

[cruisnfamily]

We ordered DH a prescription mask and pair of goggles off of Amazon. The mask was about $25 and the goggles were about $15 (both had prime shipping). That was the best $40 we ever spent! We don't snorkel a lot, but when we go to the pool, waterpark, or anywhere like that, he takes them and loves that he can see everything. Get her prescription from the eye doc and go with the lesser of the vision requirement (if she is -4 in one eye and -3 in the other, get the -3).

I would LOVE to find a rx mask for $25! I hve been searching and searching and the cheapest I can find after you add the rx is about $60, whcih I am not wiling to spend for a one time use. Can you provide a link for the inexpensive mask or goggles?