Prescription Mask vs. contact lenses with a norm Mask

[Drifter1430]

I had the lasik eye surgery 6 years ago. I never minded my glasses and used a prescription mask before that, but after becoming a Divemaster and working out of a local dive shop I found the combination a pain in the butt. I would walk into the water, waste deep, with my glasses on so I could see the student’s gauges and gear configurations etc. (Not wanting to look like a dork wearing my prescription mask the whole time… grin). Then when we were ready to submerge I would walk back to shore and change to my mask. Big pain.
Soon I looked into and got the lasic surgery. I had it done in January. In the middle of February I made a trip to Bonne Terre Mine. It was very cool to take my mask off on the surface after a dive and see the pillars and stuff. Through the years I’ve never had a problem with diving and the surgery, though in the last year my age is getting up there and I am now looking into getting bifocal lenses put in my mask so I can read my gauges better. Any other questions I’d be happy to answer.
Rick~~~

[shamre]

Has your vision declined at all since the surgery? What about your night vision? How was that affected by the surgery?

[Drifter1430]

    Yes my vision has declined but I feel it had less to do with the lasic then with getting older. I was near sighted when I got the surgery. I now still see 20-20. My far vision is the same as it was after the surgery, but lasic doesn’t stop the aging process. As with most people I’m slowly starting to need reading glasses. This was first noticeable in the evenings when the light was dimmer but now it’s all the time. My far vision at night is the same as it ever was. I can see dim lighted street signs etc. when I drive and all that. Right after the surgery I saw halos around lights at night, but after about 9 months that went away. I still claim it was the best money I ever spent…

[shamre]

Thanks for the info. Was it a local clinic where you had it done? I know that there can be a huge difference in quality/safety between clinics.

[javelindan]

Glasses wearer here...  I have a Dacor Pursuit DL mask I bought a couple of years ago.  Love it.  As Beeger pointed out, there are standard lenses made which can be roughly matched to your prescription instead of getting custom lenses.  Worked great for me and significantly reduced the potential cost.  Contrary to Drifter1430, no pain for me with the glasses/mask swap.  I see well enough out of my mask to use them as glasses until I get wet.  I've considered Lasik a few times but whenever I get serious and do my homework, it always seems there's a new technology coming out that promises to be much better... and it's only a matter of time (and usually not long) until the price comes down significantly.  I'll consider Lasik again and the cycle will start over again!  In the meantime, I can spend my $ on diving...

[Drifter1430]

Was it a local clinic where you had it done? I know that there can be a huge difference in quality/safety between clinics.

      I’m from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and went to a local eye surgery clinic. My eye surgeon has since moved to Racine but I still go to him for an eye check up every “several” years… Seems to me most clinics that have been around awhile must have a good quality/safety record. Do your research, talk to local friends that have had it done. Find out where they got it and if they would do it again.
     Just before I went in for the surgery they gave me a sheet with a list of things that could go wrong. ( Exactly what you need just before going in for the surgery. Grin) Blindness was not on the list. Worse thing that was listed was that it might get infected and you would still have to wear glasses. I’m sure if you searched the internet you could find some horror stories somewhere, but speaking for myself and quite a few people I work with, it was the best money I ever spent.

[javelindan]

Thanks for your feedback, Rick.  I know a number of people who have also had Lasik surgury and they speak very highly of their experiences as well.  I should take an earnest look at Lasik again.  However, being a tightwad and the fact that my glasses work, there's not a rush!   8)