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Single Lens Dive Mask and Prescription Lenses

Single lens dive masks such as the scuba pro gorilla mask, atomic aquatics venom (& venom frameless) have become increasingly popular with divers due to their increased field of view as well as offering comfort for some divers with more prominent nasal bridges which may be compressed with twin lens dive masks. We frequently get calls from scuba divers and snorkelers asking if we can make prescription lenses for their single lens dive masks or get a dive mask from us with single lenses and a prescription. The short answer is yes, and in this article, I am going to discuss some of the confusing nomenclature regarding prescription dive masks (such as single lens vs single vision), different single lens options, and some of the advantages (and disadvantages) of getting prescription lenses such as bifocals, single vision, and readers put into a single lens dive mask.

Black Skirt Dive mask with reading glass installed in the bottom
Hollis M-1 with custom reading lenses installed by See the Sea RX in Houston

What is the difference between a single lens and a twin lens dive mask?

This one is pretty fairly straight forward. Below I have two examples of masks with prescription lenses installed. One is the Atomic Aquatics subframe with custom st-35 bifocals (the st-35 bifocals have a slightly larger reading area for those that do more macro work such as photographers. You can read my article on the different bifocal options for dive masks here)- the other is a Tusa Single Lens Dive Mask (with an Anti-UV coating).

Atomic Subframe- a TWIN lens dive mask with custom oversize bifocals installed by See the Sea RX
A TUSA single lens dive mask with custom single vision lenses made in our lab. We do get questions rom divers about installing lenses with dive masks with coatings, and this is not an issue for us as seen here.

The Tusa mask has one single piece of front glass, while the Atomic Subframe has two lens pieces separated by a nasal bridge. Some single lens masks are marketed as “frameless” consisting of just the skirt and the lens, and no frame portion (such as the atomic frameless 1 and 2).

We can install lenses in both, as you can see in the above images. Aesthetically, I prefer the look of twin lens masks with prescription lenses as the prescription lenses will be made per eye and installed in the dive mask; however, functionally there is no difference.

You can get both single and twin lens dive masks in clear and black skirts (I talk more about differences in skirt colors in my article on picking the right mask for prescription lenses here, and a video on YouTube we uploaded here).

What is the difference between single lens and single vision?

This one is a little more confusing for some divers not used to these terms. Single lens refers to the dive mask construction and single vision relates to vision correction. Single Vision lenses correct for a single distance, typically distance for nearsighted folks like me. Here is my Scuba Pro D-Mask with prescription lenses (single vision) before a recent dive in Sint Maarten.

Here are the different type of prescription lenses:

Single Vision– Correct for one vision distance. Typically distance. Can correct for astigmatism, include prism correction for those with strabismus, and can be made custom to your exact prescription.

Bifocal Lenses- These lenses correct for two distances. As we age, our lenses lose elasticity, and it becomes more difficult for our eyes to accommodate for near vision and reading. Those of us that wear glasses to correct for distance (nearsighted mostly) will over time likely need a multifocal correction of some sort.

Reading Lenses– Reading lenses are a special type of single vision lenses that we produce and are installed in the bottom of the dive mask for divers that have developed presbyopia (the loss of lens elasticity discussed in the bifocal description), but who do not need distance correction (or only minimal distance correction that they do not want to correct). Single lens masks are a favorite for divers who want readers, due to the oversize readers we can produce for them. Check out my article on custom prescription readers for the Atomic Venom mask here.

Other considerations for single lens dive masks:

Single lens dive masks have oversize lenses, which makes them particularly useful for one type of prescription lens we make- the franklin bifocal. The franklin bifocal is a fully custom bifocal where we make two lenses per eye (one for distance one for near) and we can make the percentage size of each two completely to order. For example, those that do primarily video or photo work and want up to 80% of their lens space used for near vision, we can do that. We frequently use the Atomic Venom Frameless for this purpose.

A clear frame dive mask with reading glass
Atomic Aquatics Frameless Dive Mask with custom reading lenses installed at See the Sea RX in Houston

pictures of single lens dive masks with prescription lenses

Atomic Frameless Dive Mask with Custom Bifocals installed at See the Sea RX
Deep See mask with prescription lenses
Tusa Single Lens Dive Mask with rx lenses
Oceanic Single Lens dive mask with custom distance lenses that can correct for astigmatism
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What single lens dive masks can have prescription lenses installed

Single lens masks we stock and make custom prescription lenses for in our in house lab:

Atomic Frameless Mask
Atomic Venom Frameless

We also have access to the Scuba Pro Frameless and Gorilla mask although we do not keep it on hand.

Single lens masks we do not stock, but are able to install prescription lenses:
Hollis M1
Cressi F Dual Mask
JBL Seeker
Mares Essence
TUSA Freedom HD
TUSA Paragon S Mask
SeaDive Eagleye
TUSA Zensee Pro Mask
Aqua Lung Linea Mask
Synergy 2 Trufit Dive Mask (SINGLE Lens- there is also a twin lens synergy 2 which we do stock)

And many other quality single lens dive masks not listed.

Picture of Josh

Josh

Josh is an optical technician and owner of See the Sea RX. He is a PADI instructor and rebreather diver- he has been involved in diving for more than 20 years. He has also worked as a sergeant at the Harris County, Texas, Sheriff's Office, which included time as the instructor for the dive team. Josh also holds a masters degree in data analytics from Texas A&M.

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How to Care for your Prescription Scuba Diving Mask

Prescription dive mask for scuba diving on tank and bcd.

How to care for your prescription dive mask:

Ordering a prescription dive mask is a great investment in your diving or snorkeling life, and it can range from a luxury for those with weaker vision correction to an absolute necessity for divers, swimmers, or snorkelers with strong prescriptions. Once you receive your mask, proper care can ensure years of use. I often get asked by divers, how do you take care of your new prescription dive mask?

Prescription dive mask for scuba diving on tank and bcd.
My scubapro d mask with prescription lenses before some recent dives in St. Martin

In this article, I will go over our suggestions for care and maintenance of your new prescription dive mask. These instructions will pertain to our custom prescription dive mask products and NOT to prescription swim goggle or full face snorkel masks. Prescription full face snorkel masks and swim goggles have lenses that are generally polycarbonate (same for the full face diving masks from OTS and Oceanreef which we make lenses for as well) while prescription dive masks use glass lenses. This makes a huge difference as glass lenses can tolerate defog and even products like sea buff which has some grit. Those products would damage polycarbonate or plastic lenses.

For those that want the quick answers without reading my full article, here are the general do’s and don’ts with your prescription dive mask:

  • Do use defog before diving
  • Do clean your mask lenses with sea buff or a small amount of dish soap if desired
  • Do be careful when transporting your mask in checked bags (I recommend taking your mask in your carryon bag). Add some padding to the mask case if possible.
  • Do rinse your mask off after diving
  • Do NOT take an open flame or heat to your dive mask lenses to “burn off” any film.
  • Do NOT leave your mask out in the sun

How to care for your prescription dive mask when you first get it:

As all of us scuba divers are told when we are first trained to scrub a new mask when we receive it, to remove any film from the production process that will prevent mask defog from working. While this is correct for any off the shelf mask, our lenses are custom made, and we complete both a scrub and burn off process of the prescription and mask lenses before the installation and shipment; however, you are welcome to scrub your lenses further with toothpaste or seabuff without hurting the lenses.

 

Some masks like the scubapro dmask have a UV / reflective coating on the outside of the lenses which can be damaged with scrubbing. Be sure to refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines for your specific mask.

Holding on to my prescription dive mask (scuba pro d mask), while checking out my dive computer pre-dive.

Can I use a lighter to burn my prescription dive mask lenses?

DO NOT USE HEAT OR A FLAME TO TREAT YOUR LENSES. We burn the lenses prior to installation, but heat after the installation is likely to damage the laminate in the glass and will not be covered by our warranty.

How should I treat my prescription dive mask before a dive?

You can treat your prescription dive mask like any normal mask before a dive. Use your favorite defog before the dive (I like sea drops, and I have no fogging in my scubapro d-mask with lenses).

One of the biggest ways divers break their prescription (and nonprescription dive masks) is dropping them onto hard boat decks, docks, rocks (we have even seen some stepped on).

After your dive, like with any other dive equipment, be sure to rinse off any saltwater or chlorine with fresh water before packing your dive gear for the day. Do not leave your mask out in the sun as that can cause color bleaching.

Whether you have bifocals, reading lenses, single vision, or other corrective lenses in your scuba mask from See the Sea, proper care of the mask will lead to years of clear diving.

One last note- When traveling, I encourage divers to carry their mask on instead of using a checked bag as a lost or damaged checked bag containing your prescription dive mask is a sure way to miss out on some clear dives. 

My dive gear laid out for inspection the night before my dives. My prescription dive mask is in its soft case on top of my BCD.
Vintage style single lens dive mask with prescription lenses
Aqualung twin lens dive mask with prescription lenses
Singe lens dive mask with prescription lenses
Scuba diving prescription mask from scubapro with two lenses for distance and near correction
Up close view of a scuba pro d-mask with bifocal lenses
Aqualung Mission Dive Mask with Single Vision Distance Lens
Atomic Subframe with Strong Single Vision Prescription 2
Black MP208 Single Lens Freediving Prescription Mask
Picture of JOsh

JOsh

Josh is an optical technician and owner of See the Sea RX. He is a PADI instructor and has been involved in diving for more than 20 years. He has also worked as a sergeant at the Harris County, Texas, Sheriff's Office, which included time as the instructor for the dive team. Josh also holds a masters degree in data analytics from Texas A&M.

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Single Vision (Distance) Prescription Dive Mask Gallery

Single vision prescription dive mask examples

Single vision lens dive masks are used to correct distance vision while scuba diving or snorkeling. If you have a relatively simple prescription with minimal astigmatism, the premade stock lens masks may work well for you. If you require astigmatism correction, prism correction, or if your prescription falls outside of the range, you will need our custom prescription dive masks. Our custom prescription lens dive masks can correct for extreme corrections, high cylinders, and strabismus (with prism). Below are examples of our custom prescription dive mask lenses installed in masks we stock and masks sent to us from customers around the world.  If you want to see examples of bifocal dive masks, check out the link here. 

Single Vision Prescription Dive Mask Gallery

The MP208/Atum freediving mask is very popular with freedivers and spearfisherman. We often do this mask in bifocals, but here it is with single vision corrective lenses. We would discourage the use of this mask for individuals with sphere corrrections greater than +4ish. If you have questions about whether this low volume mask would work for you, don't hesitate to reach out.
The Atomic Venom Frameless has quickly become our most popular dive mask/scuba goggle- recently overtaking the Scubapro Synergy 2. Here is the single lens dive mask with our prescription distance lenses.
Here is a Cressi low volume mask with our prescription distance lenses. This mask, while a bit smaller can accommodate mild to moderate prescriptions well.
The Scuba Pro Synergy Twin in the older version (since been updated with the Scuba Pro Synergy II Twin) is the all time best selling series of dive masks at See the Sea due to its unique twin skirt seal. Moderate and mild prescriptions will get close to 100% lens coverage. Stronger prescritpions may result in smaller lenses.
This is a mask a diver sent to us for distance lenses. Every pair of prescription lenses we make is custom to your specific mask and prescritpion.
The Hunter mask is one of the less expensive masks we offer (But still a quality mask)- here we installed very strong prescription lenses (Over -20), but in general we recommend a different mask for stronger prescriptions.
Here is a Hunter low volume mask with prescription lenses. The hunter mask is also shown above right, with a much stronger prescription. You can see here how much larger the prescription area is with a moderate strength correction.
The M100, one of our most popular stocked masks, is shown here in the aluminum frame with clear skirt. This is with a fairly strong distance correction, and the m100 is recommended for stronger prescriptions over the Hunter mask for example.
The M100 Color Correction is one of the newer masks we stock at See the Sea. It provivdes a mirror lens and a magenta tint to provide more vivid colors at depth. Here the M100 is outfitted with custom distance prescription lenses.
The Scubapro Spectra Mini is one of our more popular masks for medium to smaller faced individuals. It also can accommodate stronger prescriptions.
The M200 pictured here and to the right in the discontinued yellow color, is my favorite mask for smaller faces and also it accomodates strong plus lenses. It features an aluminum frame and is available in clear and black skirts.
The m200 dive mask is also avialable in color correcting mirrored lenses. This is a special order item.
We used to stock the Oceanic Enzo, pictured above. We still can provide it on special requests and it can accommodate mild to moderate prescriptions well.
The Scubapro ghost mask with prescription lenses. We would only encourage the use of this single lens low volume diving mask for very mild prescriptions.
This is the most popular color of the Scubapro Spectra Mini- clear and blue with prescription distance lenses.
Here is a Seac spearfishing mask a diver sent in for prescription lenses. As we make all our prescription lenses custom, we were able to match the shape of the mask for this final product.
The Aqualung Mission dive mask has a unique shape which we matched with the prescription lenses here used to correct astigmatism for this diver.
The Atomic Frameless is a single lens dive mask available on See the Sea. We are able to install our prescription lenses on single lens masks, and you can see the final product here used to correct for distance and astigmatism.
The Atomic Subframe is likely the sturdiest twin lens mask we stock. The lenses installed in this mask are fairly strong, and the subframe can accommodate most prescription lenses. If your prescription is stronger than +/-6 in either way, we may suggest another mask.

If you take your glasses off to read...

If you take your glasses off to read on land, you may want to consider the below option when building out your single vision prescription lenses. This option, a check box in the build out processes, tells us to leave space at the bottom of the mask without prescription so you can see your gauges or computer clearly. If you need further assistance seeing your dive computer, you may want to consider bifocals. 

The M200 dive mask pictured here with our "see under" option, leaves space under the prescription lens for the diver to see their gauges without correction.
The scubapro synergy II with see under space. This can be customized to be as high or low as you would like.

Picking a dive mask for prescription lenses can seem to be a stressful task. Hopefully after seeing available options for various prescription ranges, we have made the selection a little easier. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us, and be sure to check out our other articles for more information. 

Picture of Josh

Josh

Josh runs See the Sea RX and has been diving for over 20 years, 15 of which have been as an instructor and trip leader.

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Bifocal Scuba Dive Mask Gallery

Bifocal dive mask lens gallery

Recently, I published a post on different bifocal scuba mask options, but I wanted to create a post with more images, so you can see examples of more options for bifocal lenses in your mask or when ordering a mask from us. Bifocal lenses correct distance vision as well as providing an add power for the near vision section. No more struggling to see your gauges or dive computer. Our prescription dive mask lenses- made custom to your prescription can be produced in as little as three days with rush fees (standard processing is 2-3 business weeks. for more information on our rush options, click here). 

Standard and ST35 Bifocals

Below are images of standard and ST35 bifocal masks. The main difference between the two bifocal types is the ST35 gives the diver a bit more near vision room. 

Tusa Freedom Ceos Dive Mask with bifocals. These lenses were installed in the customer's own mask, and due to the smaller size of the CEOS mask the prescription lenses provide almost 100% lens coverage.
The Hollis M3 is a popular twin lens mask. We do not sell the Hollis line, but this mask was sent int by a customer. Twin lens masks are my preffered masks for prescription lenses in general.
This mask was sent to us by a diver for bifocal lenses.
The M100 dive mask is one of our most popular masks on the See the Sea site. The masks costs under $100 before lenses despite its aluminium frame. The m100 is a great average fit mask, and it can accommodate stronger prescriptions.
Many divers are unsure whether single lens masks can accommodate prescription lenses. Here is a scubapro crystal vu with bifocal lenses installed. While the lines are difficult to see in this image, the mask does have the standard lined bifocal.
The Scuba Pro Synergy II remains the most popular mask on See the Sea. We have installed lenses in more Synergy II masks than any other mask in our history. The final lens product comes out near edge to edge on the Synergy, including here on this bifocal.
Seadive masks several mask models with a UV blocking lens. UV blocking lenses are becoming more popular in dive masks to help reduce exposure at the surface. Here we installed bifocals in a customer's mask.
Here is another Synergy II with bifocal lenses installed. We no longer stock the pink color, but can bring it in on special requests.
As previously stated, the Synergy II is our most popular dive mask. The clear and blue is also the most popular color. Bifocal lenses help scuba divers see their gauges, computers, and camera controls while also correcting distance vision.
The Tusa Paragon is another mask that blocks UV light. Here is a Paragon with lenses from See the Sea.
An Atomic Frameless dive mask with prescription bifocals installed at See the Sea RX in Houston.
This is a Deep See single lens dive mask with traditional bifocals installed. One questions a diver has to answer when picking a new mask is whether to get a black or clear skirt. Clear skirts do allow in more light but tend to yellow over time. Black masks are favored by underwater photographers.

Franklin Bifocal dive masks

Franklin bifocals are custom made by hand in our lab in Houston, Texas. The Franklin is the ultimate custom option for divers that want the most room for near correction. The franklin is fully custimizable, so divers can choose exactly what percentage of the lens they want for near and distance correction. Professional photographers often have more than 50% of the lens corrected for near and only a small portion for distance as the majority of their time is spent looking at a monitor or camera controls within arm reach distance. 
Another benefit of Franklin bifocals are for those with strong corrections. We can achieve an overall thinner lens design by using high index glass for both distance and near lenses in the mask. 
Franklin orders are not available online, and divers should call for pricing. 

The Atomic Venom Frameless mask is one of our favorites for franklin bifocals. This is the mask I am currently diving, and the seal even works for some of us with facial hair.
Another Atomic Venom Frameless mask with prescription Franklin lenses installed here in our lab.
Scuba Pro Synergy II with prescription Franklin Bifocals.
Atomic Frameless mask with Franklin Bifocals to correct both near and distance vision.
The M100 aluminum frame dive mask with frankklin lenses fora high correction.
Franklin lenses also provide more correction than a standard dive mask bifocal in single lens masks. Here are Franklin Bifocals installed in a Scubapro Gorilla mask.

If you need any help deciding what dive mask would work best for you or what lenses will work with your prescription, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Stay safe and Happy Diving!

-Josh & The Team 

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Bifocal Dive Mask Lens Options

Diving with bifocals

You are down 60 feet on a tropical dive in Roatan, Honduras. You look down at your computer to check your bottom time, and the numbers are getting a bit fuzzier than you remember. As many of us scuba divers who wear glasses or contacts age, we face a new problem- trouble seeing our gauges, computer, or camera controls. See the Sea has a variety of options for those of us that need help not just with the distance correction but with reading distance as well. 

In this post, I will discuss:

A dive mask sitting on a shelf containing lined bifocals.
Atomic Venom Frameless Mask with custom Franklin Bifocal Lenses from See the Sea
  • Why we need bifocals when diving
  • What masks will work with bifocal lenses
  • Which bifocal option is best for me
  • How to order a bifocal prescription dive mask

The quick summary (For those short on bottom time)

If you are in a bit of a rush, and want just the “facts”, here is the basic info:

See the Sea RX can install Zeiss bifocals into any quality dive mask, whether you send one to us or buy one of our quality masks. There are primarily three options for bifocals when scuba diving.

–  Standard Bifocal (FT28). Starting at $285.00, the standard bifocal is designed for those that just need help seeing their gauges.

–  ST35. Starting at $315.00, the ST35 has a a reading section that is approximately 20% larger than on the standard bifocal. This bifocal is great for divers who spend a bit more time using their ear vision such as photographers or divers looking at macro life.

–  Franklin Bifocal. The Franklin Bifocal is a full custom option, where we install two completely different lenses on each side of the mask, one for near, and one for distance. This option, designed for professional photographers and underwater cinematographers, is the ultimate bifocal dive mask choice, as you get to choose how much near or distance lens you want. Please contact us for pricing information.

Ready to order a prescription bifocal dive mask or lenses for your mask? Click here

Why we need Bifocals

As we age, generally starting in our 40’s, it can become more difficult to focus on near objects, such as for reading, using our gauges, dive computer, or camera controls. This is caused by  the loss of elasticity of the lens over time. 

For some, reading lenses alone can help, but if you need distance correction including astigmatism, bifocals help by correcting for both the distance and near vision, so you can see the coral reef and read your gauges.

We often get asked if we can put progressive lenses in a dive mask, and the short answer is yes, but for diving traditional bifocals remain the better option. 

which masks will work for bifocal lenses

We can insert bifocals into any quality dive mask with tempered glass lenses, but there are some caveats. If you have a strong plus prescription, the lenses are going to be thickest in the center, and come towards the face. For those with stronger prescriptions, specially +sphere lenses, I encourage you to go to a higher volume mask. Masks with very high angles from the nose piece will reduce the amount of available space for the reading section of the bifocal and should be avoided. 

Currently for standard or ST35 bifocals, my favorite masks are the Scuba Pro Synergy II and the Atomic Subframe. 

For our custom Franklin Bifocals, the Atomic Venom mask works particularly well.

Prescription Atomic Subframe Mask
An Atomic Subframe with distance only prescription lenses. The Subframe works well for ST35 bifocals.
A dive mask sitting on a shelf containing lined bifocals.
An Atomic Veom Frameles mask with custom franklin bifocal leses. Please contact us for pricing on Franklin lenses.

Bifocal lens options for dive masks

See the Sea produces more bifocal dive masks than any other lens here at our lab in Houston., and we offer two bifocals online on our order page and one custom option (the Franklin Bifocal). It can be a bit confusing as to which bifocal is correct for you. We get messages daily on our chat and on the phone about the differences in our bifocal options. 

standard bifocal

The standard bifocal is the most ordered l ens at See the Sea RX.  The standard bifocal uses a 28mm st28 glass blank, which means when uncut, the width of the bifocal is 28 mm wide, but this does NOT mean you will receive a reading section 28mm wide, and in fact in almost all situations you will not. The final result will be based on the mask itself (how the lenses angle out from the nose) and your pupillary distance. I don’t want to start rambling on optics (okay I do, but you would be bored with me after about a paragraph), but the standard bifocal is a great option for divers who just need some help seeing their gauges and want their distance vision corrected (including correction for astigmatism and double vision). The result is a distance lens with a half moon reading section in the lens. If you spend more time looking through the near portion of the lens, the ST35 lens is probably better for you. 

SeaDive Eye Max RayBlocker-HD with Bifocal Prescription Lenses
Atomic Frameless Scuba Diving Mask with Prescription Bifocal Lenses
Oceanic Oceanvu SureFit Mask with Standard ST28 Prescription bifocal Lenses
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ST35 or "Photographers' Bifocal

Both the standard bifocal and the ST35 bifocal utilize similar lens designs. The principal difference is the reading portion of the ST35 bifocal is 7mm wider (before the lens is cut) than the standard bifocal. The reading portion also extends farther down. This lens is slightly more expensive, but is worthwhile for those that spend a larger percentage of their time using the near portion of the lens, such as photographers. 

The Franklin Bifocal

The Franklin Bifocal is the ultimate custom lens for those that need distance correction and the largest possible near vision area. Benjamin Franklin, invented the original bifocal, now called Franklin Bifocals by using two different lenses in each eye, one for distance and one for near vision.

The Franklin bifocal, for those that demand the best, allows us to install the near vision lens however high up the mask you would like for your needs (photographers often request 50% or more near vision glass), as well as giving the diver edge to edge near vision, versus a half moon in the lens.

One of the disadvantages of the Franklin Bifocal is it can cause a split image near the lens lie which can take some adjustment. 

Another benefit of the Franklin Bifocal for those with higher prescriptions is the ability to install more glass for distance and near than would be possible in a one piece thick bifocal. 

To order this bifocal, please call or message us, as price is dependent on your specific vision needs. 

M100 Diving Mask with Franklin Bifocals

How to order a bifocal dive mask

To order a scuba diving mask with standard or ST35 bifocals, please visit our ordering page here. Standard bifocals start at $285 plus mask.

Turn Around time

Our standard processing time of approximately 2 business weeks applies to all our custom lens options. If you are in need of your mask sooner, please review our rush options here.

Other considerations

In general, we do not use bifocals for those just snorkeling. The exception is snorkelers who want to use a camera and are unable to see their controls without near correction. Our full face snorkel masks are also available with bifocal lenses. 

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Reading lenses for Atomic Venom Frameless Mask

Reading lenses for atomic venom frameless dive masks

Dive Mask Reading Lenses
Jim's Atomic Venom Frameless Mask with +2.00 reading lenses

As we age, many of us divers struggle to see our gauges or dive computer (or controls on our cameras for those that take our cameras underwater). One solution, for divers whose distance correction is largely adequate, is installing reading lenses into your dive mask or purchasing a new dive mask with reading lenses. Unlike the stick on reading lenses available at many dive shops or oline, See the Sea installs permanent reading glass (yes real glass) which is guaranteed for the life of the mask.

We were recently asked by our good friend Jim to create reading lenses for his Atomic Venom Frameless Dive Mask, and he was stoked with how they turned out. Jim does a lot of macro work, so large reading lenses were a necessity. In this article, I am going to cover:

  • The Atomic Venom Frameless Mask
  • Reading lens options for dive masks
  • The final lens shape
  • How to order reading lenses for a dive mask 
  • Other considerations

The Atomic Venom Frameless Mask

 

 

The Atomic Venom Frameless mask is probably the flagship mask from Atomic. Based on years of frameless mask design, According to Atomic, “The VENOM Frameless is incredibly comfortable with
low-volume, hydrodynamic construction and exclusive Atomic “Wicked” styling. Co-molded with two silicone materials in two levels of softness and features the exclusive Atomic UltraClear lens. It will change the way you think about dive masks”. 

Unlike their other frameless masks (check out my overview of the Atomic mask lineup), the Venom Frameless is only available in a black skirt, and only in the standard size (the non-venom frameless masks are available in clear and medium fits).

See the Sea RX can install prescription lenses into the Atomic Aquatics Venom Mask

Reading lens options for dive masks

Us scuba divers need clear near vision for several reasons:

  • Most importantly, we need to see our gauges and/or computer to be aware of our remaining bottom time and tank pressure.
  • Observe small animals or features up  close underwater.
  • See a camera screen or controls for an underwater camera

Types of reading glasses

At See the Sea, we permanently install reading glass into your dive mask (or you can purchase a dive mask from us including the Atomic Venom). Normally install what are called “Executive” style readers which extend all the way the lens left to right, but as everything we do is custom, we can create a custom shape fitting your needs. Often, professional underwater photographers and videographers require larger reading lenses as they spend more of their time viewing macro work.

lens shape used

In this case, we created a unique angle of the reading lenses which maximize reading glass on the periphery, while minimizing disturbance to the distance vision.

Our experience as divers, not just opticians, give us a unique insight on on giving divers the best vision. This is what makes us different. By angling the lenses on Jim’s mask, instead of leaving them level, we can lower the height of the reading glass when he is looking straight ahead, while giving him a taller lens where he may view his gauges.

This effect can be somewhat seen when looking at the second picture below on the right which is taken through the inside of the mask. The effect is more pronounced when actually viewing the lens while wearing the mask.

The lenses are also larger than we do standard reading lenses due to Jim’s needs. In general, if you provide us no instructions as to the size or shape of the lenses you want, we utilize about the bottom quarter of the mask for your near lenses. 

How to order reading lenses for a venom frameless mask.

If you want to order an Atomic Venom Frameless Mask with reading lenses, you can either buy one from us or send us your masks. Either way, the first step is to enter our order system here, and select either “I have a mask” or “I need a mask”. If you are purchasing a mask from us, you will find the Atomic Venom icon, and you can select your color. 

You will then need to select lens type- in this case it is “Reading Lens”.

You will then enter in your lens power. Reading lenses are available in powers from +0.5 through +4.00. 

If you are sending us your own Venom mask, be sure to mark on the lens with a sharpie showing how high up the mask you would like your lenses installed. 

Our standard processing time is about 2 weeks from when we receive your order (or your mask), but rush options are available in as little as three days. See the Sea RX- Home of Prescription Dive Masks. 

Order Now
Diver wearing Venom mask with +2.00 reading lenses before final lens cleaning.
The view through an Atomic Venom Frame less mask with +2.00 reading lenses

Additional considerations

If you need correction for distance as well, reading lenses alone may not provide you a satisfactory diving experience. For the clearest vision you may want to consider bifocals (which we do more of than any other lens.

Additionally, if your vision has a high amount of astigmatism or any prism correction, please contact us to discuss options for you.

Picture of Josh

Josh

Josh has been diving for 20 years and started See the Sea RX when he was unhappy with the other prescription lens options on the market. He would rather be in or on the water than whatever he is doing right now.