Best Prescription Snorkel Masks 2024 [UPDATED]
This guide to the best prescription snorkel masks is by world-expert marine biologist, Dr Simon Pierce, co-founder of the Marine Megafauna Foundation where he leads the Global Whale Shark Program. Simon is also an award-winning underwater photographer and has done thousands of dives across the world.
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Hi! I’m Simon. As a marine biologist and whale shark researcher, most of my work is done on snorkel. Since I wear glasses I get asked a lot of questions about prescription snorkel and dive masks, and below you’ll find my top picks, along with the best alternatives like cheap stick-on lenses, lens inserts, and replacement ‘pop-in’ lenses.
We’ve also covered DIY options and answered if it’s ok to wear contacts in our FAQ’s below.
With unmatched popularity, we’ve picked the Promate Optical Snorkel Mask as our Overall Winner for Best Prescription Snorkel Mask 2024. It’s super comfortable, fits most face shapes, and caters to all corrective needs. See below for my full write-up.
The Promate Optical Mask is a fantastic option for a prescription dive mask as well. (In fact - apart from the full-face snorkel mask, the options outlined below are what I’d recommend for diving!)
I’ve also created guides like this one for snorkel masks, snorkel fins, full face masks, and kids snorkel sets, as well as my overall guide for the best gear for snorkeling.
The Best Prescription Snorkel Masks for 2024 are:
Promate Optical Prescription Snorkel Mask - OVERALL WINNER
Promate Pro Slender Prescription Snorkel Mask -Smaller Faces
Promate Prescription Snorkel Mask - Bi-Focal
Promate Full Face Nearsighted Snorkel Mask - Full Face
Our Reviews.
The Best Prescription Snorkel Mask.
1. Overall Winner
Promate Optical Prescription Snorkel Mask
“5 stars with hundreds of reviews at the time of writing. Crazy!” Simon J Pierce
or, check the latest price here
This Promate Optical Prescription Snorkel Mask tops our list with hundreds of 5-star reviews. With ten color options and a range of prescription choices (including nearsighted, farsighted, or bioptical lenses), it's clear why this mask is a fan favorite. Its adjustable straps, double-edged silicone seal, and wide peripheral view ensure an enjoyable and comfortable underwater experience. Plus, you can even mix and match lenses for each eye to get a truly customized fit.
Pros:
Personalization: Some retailers allowing you to upload your prescription as a PDF. The customer service team then reviews your prescription and makes tailored lens suggestions or checks your order, often leading to even better results.
Range of Lenses: Offers a wide selection of diopters lenses from -10.0 to +5.0 (in 0.5 increments) and bifocal lenses from +1.0 to +4.0 (in 0.5 increments).
Comfort & Clarity: Customers love the comfort, leak-free design, and excellent clarity of prescription lenses in the mask, often likened to "using my eyeglasses."
Fit for All: Designed to fit a wide range of face shapes, making it an inclusive choice for snorkelers.
Cons:
Boxy Design: The mask style leans towards the boxy side, particularly noticeable with opaque frame colors. However, opting for a translucent frame can help offset this.
Not Ideal for Smaller Faces: If you have a smaller or narrower face, the boxy design might not be the best fit. You might prefer the next mask on our list, which has a less boxy frame shape.
Remember, there are more specialized options coming up below, especially for those with narrow or small faces, or those seeking a specialized bifocal mask. So, keep reading!
More options?
As mentioned, if you have a narrow or small face, or want a specialised bifocal mask (note you can get bifocals with this one also - but good to have options…), then we have these coming up below, read on :)
2. Best Mask for Small-Medium Faces
Promate Pro Slender Prescription Snorkel Mask
People are loving the Promate Pro Slender Snorkel Mask, leaving enthusiastic reviews all over the internet.
The mask fit is slightly narrower for medium - smaller faces thus giving a great seal around the templates and cheeks. For narrow-faced snorkelers this is typically where water tends to creep in, as the average-sized masks are too wide, so don’t create a seal.
There’s options for nearsighted, and farsighted, and they even offer a different lens per eye. The mask is also available in this set with snorkel and fins.
What's cool about this mask is the patented purge design and channeled skirt, which help keep bubbles out of your view, making it easier to enjoy the underwater scenery. It also has a liquid silicone injected skirt and strap, providing a double-edge comfort seal. The low volume design make duck-diving or scuba diving more comfortable as you won’t need to equalise the mask ask much, plus adjustable swivel buckles make the mask easy to put on and adjust.
One of the things people seem to really appreciate about this mask is its compatibility with optical lenses for both nearsighted and farsighted individuals. No more struggling with contact lenses while snorkeling! The tempered glasses with broad peripheral view make it a great mask for taking in the underwater scenery!
Customers are super happy with the mask's comfort, clarity, and convenience. It's awesome to hear stories about folks finally being able to clearly see marine life without any hassle. The mask is also praised for its excellent seal and overall performance, so it's definitely worth considering if you're looking to upgrade your snorkeling gear.
As mentioned earlier, you can also get this mask with a snorkel and fins in this set.
Diopters lenses -10.0 to +4.5 (in 0.5 increments)
3. Best Mask with BiFocal Reading Lenses
Promate BiFocal Prescription Snorkel Mask
These Promate bifocal prescription lenses are for those who need a little help reading their waterproof watch or camera settings.
If you already have a snorkel mask you love, you might like to try reusable stick-on bifocals, like these.
Bifocal lenses +1.0, +1.5, +2.0, +2.5, +3.0, +3.5, +4.0
4. Best Full Face Mask
Promate Full Face Nearsighted Prescription Snorkel Mask
“Best option if you usually use a full-face snorkel mask.” Simon J Pierce
or, check the latest price here
Promate’s full-face prescription mask is available in the blue color shown, and black. This mask features everything you’d expect from a top-of-the-line full-face snorkel mask, complete with anti-fog and camera mounts. It’s a great full-face mask for snorkeling if you need corrective lenses.
When ordering your mask, you’ll also have the option to choose a different lens per eye.
Dioptre lenses– 1.5 to -6.0 by increments of 0.5
Pop in replacement prescription lenses
Unlike the options above where you buy the full mask, TUSA and Cressie allow you to replace their factory-installed lenses with prescription lenses in their most popular masks.
Fellow whale shark researcher Dr Chris Rohner used these on his snorkel mask before going under the laser, and points out that this is the best option if your eyesight changes over time, as you can replace the lenses rather then having to keep buying new masks.
To insert these into your mask, you just need to pop out your current lenses, then slot in your new corrective lenses. It’s fairly straight forward and a bit similar to when your sunglasses lens needs to be popped in. Some people get their local dive shop to help with this, but you can definitely do it yourself and newer mask models are making it easier to pop lenses out. It’s a little fiddly, but not too difficult, and reviewers say the first side takes about 15minutes, the second takes about 5mins.
5. Best Pop in Lenses for TUSA
TUSA Pop-in Prescription Snorkel Mask Lenses
TUSA offers corrective lenses for their most popular masks; Liberator, Freedom CEO’s, Paragon, Geminus, Splendive II, Splendive IV, and UM-7500. Simply ‘pop-in’ the new lenses when they arrive and you’re good to go.
Diopters lenses -1.5 to -8.0 (in 0.5 increments)
6. Best Pop in Lenses for CRESSIE
CRESSIE Pop-in Prescription Snorkel Mask Lenses
Cressie offer corrective lenses for their Focus and Big Eyes Evolution, which is also our top pick for Best Snorkel Mask. Like the TUSA above, these are easily popped in.
Diopters lenses -1 to -6 (in 0.5 increments)
Prescription lens inserts
These become an increasingly popular ‘first-choice’ since they are quite economical, and let you see if they fit without busting open your favorite mask, or buying a completely new mask.
7. Best corrective lens inserts
Scuba Specs Optical Inserts
Fix these corrective specs
Dioptre lenses -2.0, -3.0, -4.0, -5.0 or -6.0.
Stick-on bifocals for reading your watch
If you wear reading glasses on land, then you may want bifocal underwater lenses to ensure you can read your watch and camera settings, or your mini fish ID charts clearly. If you already own a great mask and just want to give it a little power-up, then stick-on lenses are a fantastic cheap thing to try and work on all masks.
SIDE NOTE: There seems to be a bit of buzz around the Trident Aqua-Optics, but best to avoid these – from what I can see not only do they require glue, but it doesn’t always dry clear and it comes off very easily sliding around your mask while snorkeling.
8. Best stick-on biFocal lenses
Stick-on Dive Optix Reading lenses for Snorkel Masks
These little stick-on reading glasses are worth trying as they’re a great cost-effective solution if you find yourself squinting at your watch or camera settings. Check out the reviews here for lots tips and how well they performed through rigorous testings and also some info about customizations. We’d recommend testing well before any big trip to ensure these do the trick for you.
Stick-ons are a convenient, cost-effective choice that lets you convert your favorite mask into a corrective lens mask on the cheap.
Diopters lenses +1.25 to +3.0
Buying Prescription Snorkel Mask FAQs
What options do I have when buying a prescription snorkel mask?
You can, a) purchase a specific prescription snorkel mask (our top mask reviewed above), b) buy just the loose prescription lenses to replace your non-prescription lenses (best options here), c) DIY a bifocal mask by using stick-on correctors, d) Use a mask insert that fits inside most single lens masks, like this option by TUSA.
How do I buy a prescription mask for snorkeling?
Every mask is a little different, but it’s usually very similar to our Top Pick – the Promate Corrective Prescription Snorkel Mask – where you simply click on the color you want, then from the drop-down pick your prescription. Below is our top If you need a different prescription for each eye, you may need to let the supplier know this in a message.
Can I get a different lens per eye in a prescription snorkel mask?
Yes. You’ll find prescription lens snorkeling masks are singe lens like the Promate above. When you place your order, you can ask for each eye to be a different lens.
Can I wear my corrective contact lenses snorkeling, or do I need a prescription snorkel mask?
Yes, you can wear contacts snorkeling, but there are some pro’s and cons. The positives: a) if your eyesight changes over time you don’t need to buy a new mask, b) you know the prescription will be correct, and c) non-prescription will be more lightweight than a prescription mask. The main negative is there’s a greater risk of them falling out or moving around your eye in the saltwater, especially if you’re prone to rubbing your eyes. Contacts can be a bit of a faff and annoyance when out on the water, so for us, it’s a no-go.
Can I wear my glasses snorkeling, inside my snorkel mask?
Some people do this DYI technique, where they take an old pair of glasses, remove the arms, and fix the glasses to the inside of their snorkel mask. This might work for the occasional snorkel, however if you’re going to do a lot of snorkeling then it makes sense to invest in a good prescription mask. Also keep in mind defogging becomes tricky when you have glasses stuck to the inside of your mask. If you were considering this type of solution, then you might like to try these Scuba Spec Mask Inserts that fit inside most (but not all) single lens masks.
How do you swap lenses in a snorkel mask?
To swap snorkel mask lenses you need to pop out the existing lenses from the mask frame, then pop-in your new prescription ones. Each mask is a little different, and while it can be a bit fiddly you can DIY it with instructions – this Cressie user posted an excellent guide here, while this video demonstrates the TUSA. Some people get help from their local dive shop and they may do this for free, or at a small charge. Both Cressie and TUSA offer pop in prescription lenses that you can swap into your masks, and we’ve reviewed these, above. Our Overall Winner for Best Snorkel Mask is the Cressie Big Eyes Evolution which pairs with these Cressie pop-in prescriptions.
Can I rent a prescription snorkel masks?
Some larger tour operators and gear rental shops have prescription snorkel masks available. Since less people require prescription masks, most places have limited stock options. This means they may not hold your prescription in your size. We recommend contacting your snorkeling tour operator and ask about their options. If you are doing a trip where the snorkeling is a major part of the trip, then we’d play it safe and pack a prescription mask. The Promate pictured below is a safe choice with excellent reviews.
The research.
Buyers Guide to the
Best Prescription Snorkel Mask
Why you can trust this guide
Simon is a shark conservation biologist and world-renowned underwater photographer who dives, snorkels and freedives for a living. He is a co-founder and Principal Scientist at the Marine Megafauna Foundation, where he leads the global whale shark research and conservation program. His marine research and photography are routinely covered by major media outlets, including the BBC, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and New York Times amongst many others. One of his photographs was chosen as a personal favourite of Sir David Attenborough’s, in conjunction with BBC’s Blue Planet II series, and another illustrates one of the global PADI scuba diving certification cards.
Madeleine is an avid scuba diver and recreational freediver who’s dived some of the most spectacular locations around the world, including Misool and northern Raja Ampat, Lembongan, Lembeh Straight, Tulamben, Fiji, Vanuatu, and of course at home in Australia. She’s a minimalist and likes to travel light (which Simon encourages, as he can then use her baggage allowance!!), opting to mostly hire dive and snorkel gear wherever she goes. She’s been sampling the world’s equipment for over a decade. She has opinions.
As seen in:
How we identified the best prescription snorkel masks:
We looked at all the current models from top brands globally to find the best prescription snorkel masks and inserts, stick-on, and pop in lenses on the market late in 2019. Madeleine spent hours watching YouTube Reviews and product explainers, arguing with Simon, debating with marine friends, and scouring reviews and message boards. To summarize, we:
Spent 15 hours doing online prescription mask research on Amazon and LeisurePro.
Read hundreds of reviews covering all experience levels and snorkeling needs.
Viewed dozens of YouTube reviews and product explainers.
Spoke to snorkeling retailers in both Australia and Indonesia who specialize in snorkeling, freediving, and diving masks.
Simon and I spend a large proportion of our lives in the water and know what is needed in various situations.
Chatted to dozens of other snorkelers about their masks and what’s important to them.
Interviewed marine biologists and snorkeling tour guides to get their feedback on functionality and durability.
Mads and Simon testing two of our Best Snorkel Masks for 2020 while snorkeling with whale sharks in Tanzania. Simon is wearing the Cressi Big Eyes Evolution Snorkel Mask (Overall Winner), and Mads her Hollis M1 Frameless Snorkel Mask (Best Mask for Large Noses.)
Our Best Prescription Snorkel Masks for 2024 are:
OVERALL WINNER > Promate Optical Prescription Snorkel Mask
Narrow Faces > Promate Pro Slender Snorkel Mask
BiFocal > Promate Prescription Snorkel Mask
Full Face > Promate Full Face Nearsighted Prescription Snorkel Mask
Pop-in lenses > TUSA Prescription Snorkel Mask Lenses (lens only)
Pop-in lenses > CRESSIE Prescription Snorkel Mask Lenses (lens only)
Lens Inserts > TUSA Sport Prescription Snorkel Mask Inserts (lens insert only)