At Oceans Optics, we're committed to enhancing your underwater experience by providing the best possible vision correction through our specialized lenses. Understanding how to select the correct lenses is crucial for clear underwater vision, whether you're diving, snorkeling, or engaging in any water-based activities. Here's a detailed guide on how to choose the right lenses, taking into account the unique properties of light under water and the best practices for adjusting prescriptions for myopia and mild astigmatism.

Understanding Your Prescription

When selecting lenses for underwater use, the key component of your prescription to focus on is the Sphere number. This value indicates the power you need to correct your vision, with negative numbers correcting for nearsightedness (myopia). Cylinder and Axis values represent astigmatism, a condition we cannot directly correct for due to the limitations of our lens design. 

Factoring in Underwater Magnification

Water naturally magnifies objects by approximately 33%, which affects how lens prescriptions should be adjusted for underwater use. To account for this magnification, we recommend reducing the corrected Sphere value. This reduction compensates for the magnifying properties of water, ensuring your underwater vision is as clear and accurate as possible.

General Adjustment: A common adjustment is a reduction of about 0.50-0.75 diopters from the Sphere value after it has been adjusted for any astigmatism. This tweak helps to fine-tune the prescription for the underwater environment, ensuring optimal clarity and comfort.

Example: Adjusting a Hypothetical Prescription

Let's apply these principles to a sample prescription:

Right Eye (OD): Sphere -3.0

Left Eye (OS): Sphere -2.5

Final Thoughts

Selecting the right lenses for underwater activities is essential for both safety and enjoyment. By understanding how to adjust your prescription for underwater use, including compensating for slight astigmatism and the magnification effect of water, you'll be better equipped to choose lenses that enhance your underwater vision. Always remember, our approach is designed to optimize your vision beneath the surface, but consulting with an eye care professional for personalized advice is also advisable.

Swim into clarity with our specialized lenses, and experience the underwater world like never before.