If you use prescription glasses just to move around in life, the idea of seeing underwater can seem rather farfetched. Many aspiring swimmers who have difficulties with their vision capabilities are discouraged from swimming because of this challenge. That is where prescription swim goggles come in handy.
The functionality provided by prescription swim goggles makes them an almost must-have for people with eyesight difficulties. They are available in a wide range of brands, styles, and prescriptions.
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of how you can choose the best prescription swim goggles for you with ease:
1. Consider The Lens
Prescription swim goggles have specially designed optical lenses that come with different magnification strengths. The power of the lenses varies according to something referred to as the ‘dioptre scale’ which is also used to prescribe generic reading glasses.
The strength of the lens you need should be a close match to your own prescription. But keep in mind that it may not be as close as the glasses you got from your optician.
Dioptre lenses are cheaper than having custom-made lenses and are easily accessible in the market. However, the most common prescription swim goggles have negative dioptre lenses. They are most ideal for people with short-sighted vision.
2. Find The Ideal Dioptre Strength
The most demanding part about choosing prescription swim goggles is finding a set with the correct dioptre strength. It may sound a bit technical and you are probably confused as to which dioptre strength works well with you. To do so, you need to factor in two aspects of your prescription; the sphere (sph) and the cylinder (cyl).
The sphere is the primary part of your prescription and will be either negative for near-sightedness and positive for long-sightedness. The cylinder is the secondary part and it refers to how much astigmatism you have.
These are the metrics you should use to choose the best prescription swim goggles for you.
3. How Well Do They Fit
From a safety perspective, swim goggles are important. They will allow you to see well when swimming thus helping you see other swimmers and pool walls. They also act as a barrier between irritants such as chlorine that leave people with bloodshot eyes. Protecting your already weakened vision is important so no further damage is done to your eyesight.
As such, it is very important that you get prescription swim goggles that are a great size and fit around your eyes and head to make your swimming experience a lot more comfortable. If possible, try and get swim goggles that have an adjustable strap for easy adjustments.
In Summary
With prescription swimming goggles, there is no reason for you to compromise enjoyable swimming experiences because of poor vision. So that your goggles serve you well for a long time, you need to take good care of them.
Make sure they are always clean, avoid wiping the inside of the lens, and allow them to dry naturally. Observe these tips after you’ve chosen your ideal prescription swim goggles and they will help achieve a fulfilling swimming experience.
