USVI-On-Line

Hi All

If you are like me and need a
prescription mask...

Well if you have a Sports Authority store
in your area...check it out! Hubby came
across some in the Concord Mills ( in Charlotte
NC ) store this week-end and they had been
reduced from $70 to $39 ...I squealed all the
way to the checkout !!

Sherry

I need one. Should always carry an extra prescription snorkle mask in case first one is lost overboard.

philbetm,
Ben is somewhat of a forum expert on prescription snorkel masks.
http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... sc&start=0
Feel free to PM him with any questions you might have.
- Ruth

Can you just walk into these shops and walk out with your prescription mask?

Hey Minde,
They are not exact. You just try on different strengths til you find one that is close. For instance, my script is a -3.75. I got the -3.50 and it is plenty close enough.
When you are underwater, you really don't need the prescription mask. For some reason you see well when submerged. I like it the most when I surface and can tell who is around me and what boat I am supposed to swim back to. I feel pretty blind without it. Last time I snorkled with a standard mask, I got out of the water and walked up to the wrong people on the beach thinking they were my group!

Thanks Benchill! I'll head to Buffalo this weekend and see what I can find.

When you buy without ordering the Rx, they only include the diopter. I can't say how much they vary them, or whether you can get different strengths in each eye, since I haven't looked into it. Custom Rx go to .25 diopters, I believe. They may only carry masks in .50 increments, just trying to get close.

Depending on what your prescription is this may be fine. If you have astigmatism, that is not handled with this approach. If you want that included, you need to order a specific Rx. As benchill mentioned, in the water things are magnified, so having a slightly off prescription is not as big a deal as glasses you're using every day, driving, etc.

All comes down to you, your prescription, and what it costs. In my case, I found that ordering the custom prescription made it cheaper thanks to insurance. I have moderate astigmatism, all things being equal I chose the custom Rx over just the diopter. I'm bad enough that I can tell the difference of the prescription mask in the water (compared to no correction, not an off the shelf semi correction), but it is very nice for entry/exit, finding the boat, etc. You just have to look like a knucklehead walking on the boat/beach etc. with a mask on.

At least I didn't have to wear it in town! That was a funny story benchill, missed it the first time.

And, FWIW - as others mentioned, I ALWAYS carry spare glasses... now... been there done that and learned from my mistake.

irbgolfin