Can you snorkel with prescription glasses on?

Answer 1

Snorkeling and diving masks include a place for the nose. This allows you to blow out and relieve the vacuum created by water pressure when going deeper. Swimming goggles should only be worn on the surface. Prolonged time spent underwater (5+ feet) can lead to tiny blood vessels in the eyes popping leaving your eyes VERY red for a few weeks. This also happens to divers who forget to breathe into their masks as they descend.

Actually higher pressure pushing against goggles does not create a vacuum, you would have to suck the air in the goggles through your eyes to extract air creating lower pressure, and thus a vacuum.

But on the surfaceI have used goggles snorkeling many times. It is tricky as your nose is in the water (with a mask, if you breathe in through your nose by mistake, nothing happens). I developed this technique when I would bring swim goggles to places like the Virgin Islands so when I was swimming "laps" I could see the interesting bottom. It was only a matter of adding a snorkel that made me realize that if you aren't going to snorkel much at all, goggles take alot less space in the suitcase than a mask. But if the purpose of the trip is to snorkel, bring a mask!

Answer 2

You can get prescription lenses for snorkeling masks.

Really good diving/snorkeling boats, like can be found at Great Barrier Reef, have various prescription masks on board for your use.

You can't wear your glasses with the mask, as it breaks the seal the mask is making on your face in front of your ears.

The mask water/glass/air interface magnifies a bit so if your eyesight is not too bad you can still see a lot. But really myopic people like me use contact lenses. With the advent on inexpensive "disposable" contacts, this is has become the best solution.

Answer 3

Depending how strong your prescription is, you may be able to go without your glasses. Just be sure to leave them somewhere safe, like your room.

If you have a stronger prescription, it will be harder for you to see and you may not enjoy it as much. Contact the diving company and ask them about their goggles. Some are specifically made for people that wear glasses and others you will be able to wear the goggles with the glasses.

If you swim, it is best to do what you usually do in that case. But usually, you can wear glasses when snorkeling.