Snorkeling and Glasses?

[becka]

DH and I are very interested in snorkeling at CC and maybe somewhere else but we both wear prescription glasses. We can take them off but then all the fish will be "fuzzy" and we don't think that would be as much fun. Do you just put your mask over the glasses? Do they fog up? Also DH read about the barracuda on CC and how they like shiny objects..obviously you can take off jewlery but what about the metal on the glasses?

Thanks for any info...we are clueless!

 

[myboysmom]

You won't be able to wear your glasses under your mask, it will leak for sure and then you will have bigger problems than fuzzy fish

I am one of the lucky few who don't wear glasses, and my husband can see close up with out his so this hasn't really been and issue for us. Hopefully a scuba diver can answer your questions better than I. I have heard that those who are serious divers can get perscription masks- but that isn't realistic for those who snorkle only once in a while.

 

[fcrouch]

You will get some vision enhancement in the water with standard goggles (I wear glasses too) and you'll be able to enjoy seeing fish, coral, etc. After a couple of beach vacations, I ultimately opted for my own goggles with a prescription in them...but I wouldn't go to that expense until you've tried it and see if you enjoy it. You could check with a local dive shop to see if they had some you could rent that might be better than standard issue goggles.

 

[Lewisc]

If you've previously worn contact lenses you might get a few trial pairs of disposables to wear when you snorkle.

If you've never worn contacts it might not be worth learning how to put them in and out.

You'll have to pay for an exam but you can probably get a few trial pairs for free.

 

[castlegazer]

My husband is very very nearsighted without his glasses. We snorkel together and love it. He can't see everything I see but he gets a good idea of the fish and can see them when they get close. He also has no problem with seeing where he is going. We haven't gone to the extent of buying prescription snorkel gear but we will when our kids get older and we begin to cruise again more often. It is one of our favorite things to do together.

You will definately not wear you glasses in the water - and yes, you will be able to see a little bit more than you could on land without your glasses due to the refraction of the water. My husband still enjoys himself immensely snorkeling and I know of no one more in need of glasses than he is.

You have got to try snorkeling - it is a fabulous adventure and beautiful in the Caribbean!

 

[my3kids]

I ordered a mask with prescription lenses. It was just under $100, I think. It made a nice difference.

 

[UMTerp]

We just returned from the August repo cruise and here's what my DH did (at the suggestion of the owner of a local dive shop). He took an old pair of glasses and took the sides off. Went to the hardware store and bought some silicone adhesive. Glued the glasses inside a regular mask. Be sure to check to make sure the glasses will fit inside the mask before you buy it. He said that it worked really well and cost much less than a prescription mask.

Good luck!

UMTerp

 

[ImMarcik]

Does anyone snorkle with your contacts on? I was thinking of doing this and then throwing them away afterwards to keep away infections. I have always used my contacts in the water, jet skiing etc. Now my DD is asking me if we can get her contacts before our cruise so she doesn't have to worry about not being able to see when swimmng.

 

[kymma]

I scuba dive with my contacts in and have never had any trouble with them. Before I used contacts I had a prescription mask. I like the contacts better since I can still see after I take the mask off.

 

[druiser]

I dive with my contacts, also ... hands down the best way to go. Remember while snorkeling - if your mask floods and a lens falls out, carefully take your mask off at the surface. It is much easier to find your lens in your mask, than floating somewhere in the ocean I saw a lady pretty upset after she had taken her mask off too quickly.

 

[ImMarcik]

Thank you for the reponses. I've made my DD an eye appointment to see about getting contacts. We are wanting to snorkle and do the dolphin excursion and I think she will be much better with contacts.

 

[BoatDrinks]

I'm going to purchase a prescription mask from snorkel-mart.com. You may want to have a look at them as well because the price seems very reasonable.