Last Updated: March 28, 2023
If you have a knack for scuba diving or snorkeling, you know the importance of a good dive mask. For people using glasses, it is specifically difficult as they need a prescription mask. If the ready-made prescription masks don’t suit you very well, you might need a custom-made one.
Whether you are a one-time diver or a regular one, a mask can make all the difference in what you experience under the water. Prescription dive masks might be costly, but its a one-time investment if you choose the right one.
After doing some research, I have prepared a list of the best prescription dive masks from which you can choose the best fit.
Prescription Diving Masks – Best 7 With Corrective Lenses Reviewed
1. Scubapro Zoom Diving Mask
ScubaPro is an Italian company known for manufacturing great diving gear. Its wide range of products includes regulators, masks, snorkels, wetsuits and drysuits, and many scuba diving accessories.
Scubapro’s first premium, low volume dual mask is ideal for people who use optic lenses underwater as it offers a wide range of vision. It comes with an innovative lens change system that enables you to change the lenses yourself quickly without using any tools.
The prescription scuba mask features spray-painted sub-frames that come in color choices of black and white skirts. You can match them with your dive gear in various styles.
Note that the optional lenses are to be purchased separately. These are available in large power ranges, including bi-focal power. This one is ideal for reading your dive computer and gauges easily.
This mask remains an all-rounder choice among divers. It provides a universal fit for comfort and ensures a watertight seal. The integrated buckles can be adjusted multiple times according to your convenience.
- Optical lenses available separately
- Wide range view
- Lens change system
- Not easily foldable
- Old school frame design
2. Atomic Aquatics Subframe Scuba Snorkeling Dive Mask
The Atomic Aquatics subframe has a reputation of being the strongest and unbeatable two-window mask ever.
It comes with a lifetime warranty against its frame-breaking. The subframe is molded into the silicone rubber skirt and is the reason behind this implausible strength and rigidity. The dual window, low volume provides an excellent, broad, and clear vision.
There is another frame, made up of stainless steel, which covers the nose bridge area. It keeps the lenses intact and also provides additional strength. The squeeze to adjust buckles is easy to operate and is attached to the silicone skirts with flexible tabs.
The corrective scuba mask offers new standard ultra-clear lenses. The low volume serves exceptional broad clear vision and high light transmission. It also ensures that there is no color distortion like in other standardized masks.
It is available in three different fittings: regular, medium, and slim fit. The slim fit is ideal for Asian facial profiles. It is a mask for smaller faces with a high nose pocket and a narrower nose bridge area.
- Unmatched durability and strength
- Squeeze to adjust buckles
- Ultra-clear lenses
- Fogging issues
- Doesn’t ideally fit every face
3. Cressi Prescription Dive Mask
Cressi is an Italy-based company known for its innovation and design. The company uses the latest technology to manufacture reliable diving products. The company remains a big name in the market even after almost 76 years of its existence.
This Cressi prescription mask is a first of its kind as it features inclined lenses. It is a patented technology of the company itself. The low volume ensures a wide range of vision in all directions with minimum eye-lens distance.
The soft hypoallergenic silicone skirt is lightweight and compact. This high-grade silicone skirt fits a variety of facial shapes and sizes. It also has a double feathered edge seal that provides exceptional comfort.
It has revolving buckles that you can adjust with ease and comes along with an integrated one-hand nose pocket for equalization. You can use it even if when you are wearing thick gloves.
It comes delivered in a rigid plastic protective box, to keep it safe when not in use. When maintained and kept well, it can remain in use for a long period.
The mask is available in mirrored or corrective lenses, making it a convenient and comfortable option for most divers. It is possible to install graduated optical lenses as well.
- Available with corrective lenses
- High-grade silicone strap
- Ideal for travel
- Quick-adjust buckles
- Not ideal fit for small heads
- Hard to change lenses
4. Scuba Spec Prescription Lens Insert
Established in 1974 as Scuba Spec, now called Prescription Spectacle Inserts International, LLC manufactures and sells Smoke Spec and Scuba Spec prescription masks.
The 137 Scuba Spec lens has a nylon glass frame for the eye and can accommodate various lens types such as single, bifocal, or even reading lens. This prescription insert is ideal for visually impaired divers and can be used with single-lens as well as full-face masks.
The distinct feature is that it will attach to the mask faceplate via the suction cup. It is easy to remove and insert. However, you need to maintain at least 1.5 inches of space between the nose pocket and top edge to tie up the suction cup.
The optical lens for the Scuba Spec 137EBP is custom-made on order. One downside is that you cannot use them in scuba goggles – type mask with two separate eyepieces.
- Accommodates various lens powers
- Custom made optic lens
- Easy to handle
- Not a universal fit
5. Scubapro Flux Twin Lens Scuba Mask
Scubapro Flux Twin Lens scuba mask is best suited for people who use optical lenses underwater.
The striking feature of the low volume prescription lens is that it comes along with a robust and impact-resistant polycarbonate frame. This feature ensures that the structure doesn’t break easily and stays tough through a great deal of use while diving.
The hypoallergenic silicone skirt used has a double feathered edge to render utmost comfort. The silicone skirt also ensures a watertight seal on a diverse range of head shapes and sizes.
The non-slip strap and buckles provide a perfect fit in addition to being easy to adjust. The non-slip strap also ensures that it stays in position underwater for a long time.
The optical lenses are available in a wide range of power. The range can vary from -1.0 to -8.0, in .5 diopter increments. You can get these lenses easily replaced without much inconvenience.
- Impact-resistant polycarbonate frame
- Watertight seal
- Non-slip strap
- Color distortion
- Not always an ideal fit
6. Promate Scope Dive Mask for Prescription Lens
Promate Scope fits almost everyone but is best suited for people with medium face size. The face seal size varies in the range of W4 1/2 * H3 3/8.
It features a crystal-liquid silicone injected skirt and strap along with a double edge. The ultra-low volume lens ensures a broad view while driving.
The high-quality silicone provides flexibility and a watertight seal on the face. The buckles can be attached or removed to the silicone skirt and easily adjusted according to your convenience and movements.
The notable aspect is the (RX) lens that can be installed to the scuba mask only by a certified technician. All the lenses are made of tempered glass, which is known to be more resistant to water.
It is available in all lens strengths to 10 and offers a bi-focal option for reading whenever required.
- Ideal universal fit
- High-grade silicone
- Stylish
- Thin strap
- No bifocal corrective lens
7. Cressi First Dive Mask with Inclined Lenses
This dive mask manufactured by Cressi is one of its kind. The company has integrated inclined lenses into the mask (their patented technology), making it an exceptional choice for divers.
The hypoallergenic silicone skirt, along with a double feathered edge seal, keeps it stable and your face secure. Though lightweight and compact, it ensures a tight seal, so water doesn’t seep into the mask.
The low volume and twin-lens design provide an excellent range of vision underwater. It features rotating, quick-adjust buckles so you can instantly adjust the mask as per your requirements. It is known for its versatility and works as a universal fit for all facial shapes, even large ones.
- Lightweight
- Quick-adjust buckles
- Ideal fit
- Seal leak
Things to Look for in a Dive Mask for Prescription Lens
Prescription scuba masks are not commonly used and have a lot of questions surrounding them. You must also be facing similar doubts, so let me try to address all possible issues.
Some Basic Features
A good dive mask for prescription lenses needs to have the following basic properties:
- Comfortability: it needs to fit you properly to be comfortable and leave the least possible crease marks. The material also plays a vital role in this.
- Vision: many diving masks face fogging because of a low-quality glass used or some manufacturing defect. An improper vision defeats the basic need of the mask underwater.
- Life: a good mask can be used numerous times before it starts showing any signs of damage or wear. Before you invest in one, make sure it has a warrantied life period.
- Adjustability: no one size fits two different people. Even your face size might change over time, so masks with buckles to adjust the size are better than non-adjustable ones.
Other than these, some issues are discussed below.
Glasses Under Water
Most first-time divers who wear glasses think, why can’t you wear glasses under the dive mask? This seems like a safe option for once; buy a more oversized dive mask, and you are good to go with glasses.
But this is more of a trouble than a solution. They don’t have enough space to incorporate glasses too. This can lead to improper sealing and, thus, leaks underwater. Glasses might also have an issue of fogging when worn inside the mask.
Contact Lenses Under Water
You can wear contact lenses when diving, they are a better and safer option than glasses underwater. They provide you with a good vision without having to invest in a scuba mask with corrective lenses. However, they are not failproof.
Soft lenses can irritate coming in contact with the gas inside a dive mask. In case of water leaks, you can lose your contacts and spoil the rest of the experience underwater. Hard lenses are relatively better as they won’t irritate, but you still stand a chance of losing them.
Prescription Snorkeling Mask Vs. Prescription Scuba Mask
You might get confused between a snorkeling mask or a scuba diving mask. Both are suitable investments, but you need to choose one according to your needs. A scuba dive mask might act in place of a snorkeling mask, but a snorkeling mask doesn’t work deeper underwater.
A snorkeling mask seals only your eyes, but a dive mask seals your eyes and your nose. If you want to stay underwater for a good amount of time, you need your nose to be sealed properly too. A scuba mask might be a costlier option than a snorkeling one, but it sure is worth it for an unforgettable underwater experience.
Material
There are various dive masks available in the market, made of a similar variety of materials. The material you choose decides the price as well as the durability of the product.
There are masks made of rubber as well as silicone. Rubber is cheaper but provides lesser durability and comfort than silicone. Further, masks made of tempered glass are strong enough to sustain water pressure, while other materials might give away sooner.
Custom-made or Ready-made Prescription Masks
Custom-made masks require extra time to be prepared and dispatched, while ready-made masks can be chosen and bought in minutes. Still, custom-made ones are considered more suitable for getting the best possible view under the water.
Ready-made prescription dive masks come in the range of 0.5 dioptre increments. So, if you use glasses with dioptre in .25 or .75 decimals, you will have to adjust with a little higher or lower power. Custom masks can be made accurately according to your power need.
Further, due to refraction underwater, you might not need the same power as the glasses you use. You can get the power altered in custom-made dive masks, but ready-made ones don’t provide this option. You might go for a cheaper, ready-made option if you need it just for once. But custom-made masks are preferred by regular divers.
Frameless Vs. Framed Prescription Dive Mask
Another choice you might need to make is framed or frameless dive masks. Both the options are available in the market and have their benefits and flaws.
Frameless masks, though, give a broader view, are made by fewer manufacturers as they require more strength to stand the pressure underwater. Framed dive masks have much more options readily available and withstand the pressure better while providing the best vision.
Conclusion
My recommendation as the best prescription dive mask of the lot is the Scubapro Zoom Evo Mask. You will see beyond the depths of water and it will ensure you have your best time and return for another diving experience soon.
Just make sure you do require a prescription lens first by checking with an expert. Then with the given list of factors, find your dream mask, and voila, you are all prepared. Dive right inside and explore.