Minus swimming goggles, do you really need it?

Wear minus swimming goggles, do you really need it?

In a normal eye, the incoming light must fall directly on the lens of the eye and the cornea in order for the image to be focused by the retina. People with normal eyes can see clearly when on land because light is not obstructed or disturbed by any elements around them.

Now when in the water, even a normal view will be blurred because the optic layer of the cornea of the eye and water has almost the same level of turbidity. This prevents light refraction from occurring, resulting in blurry vision when you accidentally open your eyes underwater.

For those of you who have minus eyes, the refraction of eye light on land is not right from the start. The light that comes in falls in front of the retina of your eye, so you can't see objects that are far away clearly. This vision problem can be corrected by using minus glasses.

So just like when you wear ordinary glasses to see everything on land clearly, you need to wear minus swimming goggles if you want to swim. The principle is similar. Your eyes work best for processing images when light enters them without obstruction from the air.

When you wear goggles, you have a "barrier" of air between the cornea and the glasses. So even if the light comes from underwater, it will first pass through the air between your glasses first and then reach your eyes. So, your vision will look exactly like when you are on the ground and can see better.

In addition to helping you see more clearly, wearing swimming goggles protects your eyes from the risk of irritation from chlorine exposure which can cause red eyes.

Isn't it better to just wear contact lenses and goggles?

Not. Many people choose to wear minus contact lenses and then wear regular swimming goggles while swimming even though this is not recommended by the Foods and Drugs Administration (FDA), the food and drug regulatory agency in America.

When pool water gets into the glasses, the residue can stick to the lining of your contact lenses so that bacteria and germs from the water can enter your eyes.

If you are someone with minus eyes and swim quite often, it never hurts to invest in good quality goggles. Swimming goggles are now widely sold in a wide selection of designs and features as needed, including swimming goggles with minus lenses.

Tips for choosing good minus swimming goggles

In general, minus swim goggles come with the same round ready-to-wear (diopters) lenses as reading glasses that can be found at optical shops. Ideally, you should also get a prescription for the same grade as your regular glasses. Usually, however, the minus score for swimming goggles may not be as precise as those on reading glasses or contact lenses.

So when shopping for swimming goggles, make sure you tell the condition of your eyes and how much your glasses minus the shop assistant to look for swimming goggles with the closest minus score range. Minus swim goggles are sold with lenses sizes of -1.5 to -10.0 and have increments of 0.5.

After getting the right goggles with minus lenses, you also need to understand the correct size and how to wear them. Glasses that are too loose or the wrong way to attach them will cause water to flow into the lens chamber. This not only interferes with your eyesight, it also risks causing irritation.

Look for an eyeglass design that suits your face type and shape. Swimming goggles with a narrow nose cut are usually intended for children and adolescents to help keep the goggles in shape and position in the eye stable and not moving.

Then, research the lens color and find the one that fits your needs. Swimming goggles that are slightly dark in color are suitable for use during daytime swimming to protect your eyes from excessive sun glare.

Finally, goggles offer three types of straps. There are single straps, double straps, or single straps that are separated according to your needs and comfort when wearing them.