What are prescription swim goggles?
Prescription swim goggles are swimming goggles that can correct for refractive errors such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) or astigmatism while you swim. You can buy premade or custom prescription goggles for swimming.
Do I need prescription swimming goggles?
If you’re an avid swimmer and you have trouble seeing without your glasses or contacts, you may want to consider prescription swimming goggles.
Benefits of prescription swim goggles
Prescription swim goggles help protect your eyes from chlorine, water and microbes while offering vision correction in a range of strengths. Benefits include:
Premade and custom ordering options
Ability to customize lens tints and coatings
Wide range of prescription strengths available
Some allow prescription lenses to be swapped out
Perhaps more importantly, prescription goggles make it possible for swimmers who need vision correction to see more clearly during a swim.
Can I just swim with contact lenses instead?
If you need prescription lenses to see clearly, you may be tempted to just wear your contacts in the water without any goggles.
But keep in mind that swimming with contacts poses risks to your eye health. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that contact lenses should not be exposed to any type of water — including tap, bottled, lake, ocean or pool water — and that lenses should be removed before swimming. Water exposure can lead to eye infections like pink eye or introduce harmful organisms, including Acanthamoeba, which can cause a serious and difficult-to-treat eye infection.
You can also find information on this topic and more in your contact lens package insert and instruction guide.
READ MORE: Why you should avoid swimming with pink eye
Cost and coverage for prescription swim goggles
The price of prescription swim goggles often depends on the type you get: pre-made or custom. Pre-made, or step-diopter, prescription swimming goggles are similar to reading glasses. Since pre-made lenses only have certain strengths available, you pick the prescription strength or power that is closest to your actual prescription.
While they tend to be more popular and less expensive, they aren’t for everyone. If you have a complex prescription or astigmatism, or you need a different-strength prescription in each eye, premade prescription swim goggles may not work for you.
Custom prescription swim goggles are custom-made according to your exact prescription. They typically cost more and take longer to make but the end result can be a higher-quality product designed support clearer vision.
How much do prescription swimming goggles cost?
Starting prices for premade prescription swim goggles are variable depending on the prescription strength of your lenses, geographic location and where you shop, whether it is online, at a doctor’s office or a retail optical shop.
Custom swimming goggles can cost more, depending on the brand, style, lens tint, prescription strength and any extra features you choose.
Additional features that can increase the cost of custom prescription swimming goggles include:
Lens tint
Lens polarization
High prescription strength
Are prescription swim goggles worth the cost?
Before you invest in a pair of custom prescription swim goggles, you may wonder if they're worth it. That answer will vary based on your situation.
Consider factors such as:
How much vision correction you need
How your refractive error impacts your swimming (competitiveness, enjoyment, safety, etc.)
How often you swim and how much you'll use the prescription goggles
How large of a budget you have to spend on the goggles
If you decide the cost of custom prescription swim goggles isn't worth it, you may want to try less expensive premade prescription swim goggles instead.
Does vision insurance cover prescription swim goggles?
Vision insurance may cover prescription swimming goggles. Coverage varies by company and plan, so you need to check with your provider. Many vision plans offer an annual allowance for frames with prescription lenses or contact lenses. If they do cover prescription swim goggles, you may not be able to get coverage for glasses or contacts in the same year.
You may be able to use your health savings account (HSA) or your flexible spending account (FSA) to pay for prescription swimming goggles in some cases. Check with your plan provider to be sure.
Shopping for prescription swim goggles for adults and kids
There are many options when shopping for prescription swim goggles for adults and kids.
Where can I get prescription swim goggles made?
If you want custom-made prescription goggles, you can go to:
Your eye doctor
An optical shop
An online retailer of prescription swim goggles
In order to get prescription goggles, also known as prescription swimming glasses, you'll need to get a copy of your current glasses prescription. If you don't have a current prescription, see your eye doctor.
How long it takes to get prescription swim goggles
If you order premade prescription goggles for swimming, you could get them as quickly as a day or two later depending on the shipping speed you choose.
If you order custom prescription swimming goggles, you need to count on time for them to be made just like glasses. So they can take a week to two weeks or longer to arrive, depending on the type of shipping.
Is there a prescription strength limit for swim goggles?
For ready-made swim goggles, available prescription strength varies based on brand and style, but some swim goggles are available in up to +/-10.00. However, custom swim goggles can be made in just about any prescription. You can get progressive lenses and even correct for some astigmatism.
Can you get prescription smart swim goggles?
Smart swim goggles are a relatively new technology that allows swimmers to track their training metrics in front of their eyes on a screen on the goggles’ lenses. At this time, smart swim goggles are not available as prescription goggles.
Ready to buy?
If you’re considering prescription swim goggles, talk to your eye doctor about your options. They can help you find the ideal brand, fit and features for your needs, and they may be able to place an order for you.
