Snorkeling with glasses?

[MulanUSAF]

My family is going to spend a week in the Catalina Islands next month and part of the package my mom booked includes a snorkeling trip. We have never snorkeled before and all four of us are very nearsighted. None of us use contacts either. Can glasses be worn with snorkeling gear? Or is there any special snorkeling masks for nearsighted people? When we go swimming, we have swim goggles that match our glasses prescriptions.

 

[Kimberly]

Your glasses could get in the way of seal, and then would flood the inside of the mask. You will not be able to see with traditional glasses, and I suspect the swim googles would do the same. There are some companies that make custom lenses for people with vision problems, but they're on a custom order basis so I wouldn't suggest this for just one time.

Your best bet would to go sans glasses... the underwater visibility in CA waters isn't that great anyway.

 

[mrsv98]

I have prescription mask, costs about $65 and I am very very nearsighted. I have only used it a couple of itmes but it is totally worth it. You can't wear glasses with a mask and if you a very nearsighted the regular mask won't help.

I bought mine online, I will try and find the link but you can google "prescription snorkel mask" and find lots of options.

 

[Tinkermommy]

zennioptical.com has prescription snorkeling masks and goggles starting at $26.

I love zenni by the way for prescription glasses and sunglasses!

 

[marlynnp]

You'll be fine. Light does not refract as much in the water as in the air. So basically water acts like a magnifying glass and if you're near-sighted your vision will improve underwater.

I have pretty bad vision and can see fine while snorkling. Now, getting back to my glasses without tripping over something when I get back on the boat is another thing. I swear it wasn't the rum punches!

 

[denisem]

I had the same experience as marlynnp.

Also very nearsighted, but went with rental gear 1st time snorkeling on a carribbean cruise. Was pretty amazed at how the water magnification compensated for my nearsightedness. I DID find I couldn't get a proper seal with that mask, and since it was such an amazing experience, invested in my own (properly fitted, but not prescription lensed) gear for subsequent trips.

Have fun!

 

[lovetoscrap]

There is an "in between" solution from a plain mask to a custom prescription mask. They make masks that are like the reading glasses you can buy at the drug store-- they have some standard corrections --basically like a prescription but not specifically yours. This probably makes no sense (I am tired!)

Look at your local sporting goods store, I think that is where I found mine. I am blind as a bat without my glasses so I would not have been able to see without my glasses. I found a mask off the shelf that was strong enough to enable me to see quite well and it was not nearly as expensive or difficult to get as trying to get a prescription one. They have them packaged so you can look through them to see what works best.

Here is one on Amazon-- http://www.amazon.com/Body-Glove-Corrective-Optical-Mask/dp/B001P5W6FQ/ref=pd_sbs_sg_19 Notice you choose which correction strength you want.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I haven't seen this off-the-shelf.

I am also interested in this for vacation next Spring.

I have done a few searches..... Here are a few places I have looked at, where you can order from Rx increments of .5 diopter. (true prescriptions are more precise, but are very pricey)

Getwetstore.com start at about $70.00 plus shipping
scuba.com - oceanquest mask $117.00 total
101snorkel.com - $79.80 total
snorkelcity.com - $65.97 plus shipping
snorkeloutlet.com - ProMate mask $77.50 including priority ship

 

[Handbag Lady]

I wear contacts when I snorkel so I'm not helpful there.

But, I LOVE Catalina and I hope you have a wonderful trip. I had my first margarita at The Casino (not the giant casino, the little area of shops/restaurants behind the giant casino is called The Casino) on the far end of Avalon and my first dive was right behind the casino. Try and plan something for when the cruise ship is in town, though. I found it to be hard to get into a restaurant during their shore day.

Rent a golf cart and really explore. And if you figure out how they painted some of the houses in Avalon, I'd like to know. They are sometimes less than an inch apart from each other.

 

[czycropper]

Also, the company that is taking you may have some prescription masks so you may want to ask.

I ended up buying one for our trip to the Galapagos this past March and it was only about $80 shipped and including the anti-mist spray (which is great!).

 

[DawnCt1]

A lot of snorkeling tour companies corrective masks that they loan to customers who wear glasses. I don't know how they work, but they seem to work. If I go without my glasses for an hour or two, I don't need a corrective mask.

 

[MulanUSAF]

Thank you all for your wonderful advice! I will check with the snorkeling company to see if they offer any corrective masks to lend. I hate to buy expensive masks for an one time use. I thought about getting single use disposable contacts as well, but I have major issue with putting them in and taking them out.

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

Thank you all for your wonderful advice! I will check with the snorkeling company to see if they offer any corrective masks to lend. I hate to buy expensive masks for an one time use. I thought about getting single use disposable contacts as well, but I have major issue with putting them in and taking them out.

Have a great time! Hopefully they will have some for your family. When we went snorkeling in Hawaii they had corrective lenses. It was like going in for an eye checkup. I put different lenses in front of my eyes and then after I selected they popped them into the mask.

 

[ndelaware]

When we went snorkeling in Hawaii (over 10 years ago) the little run down snorkel shop we went to had corrective goggles to cover most issues.