If you’re a swimmer and you’re wondering why your swim goggles are tinted, you’re not alone. Tinted swim goggles have many benefits for swimmers, including reducing surface glare, improving visibility, and helping those with astigmatism. Let’s take a closer look. Let’s start by defining the purpose of tinted swim goggles.
Reduces surface glare
Almost all swimming goggles have anti-fog technology, but it’s always worth checking to make sure it’s effective. Fogged lenses can cause temporary blindness during a race. If you swim outdoors, you may be tempted to forgo the goggles altogether, but natural waters are usually full of hundreds of different species of bacteria, viruses, and fungal pathogens.
A good pair of goggles will be made with different materials. While most swimming goggles are made of plastic, they should come with polycarbonate lenses. These lenses are durable and usually last longer than cheaper plastics. Another option is a clear lens. A clear lens lets light in without interfering with your vision. This type of lens is perfect for indoor swimming and undercast days.
Swim goggles for nearsighted individuals can help reduce surface glare by decreasing the size of the lenses. These swim goggles also come with three interchangeable lenses. One lens is designed for low-light conditions and another one for bright, sunny days. The lenses are mirror-coated for enhanced clarity and are available in a range of lens colors. If you’re nearsighted, you may want to opt for a pair of swim goggles that provide slight vision enhancement.
Improves visibility
There are several different ways to improve your visibility while swimming. If you want to see better while swimming in a pool or ocean, you may consider getting a pair of swim goggles with tinted lenses. The tints vary depending on the conditions you’ll be swimming in. Blue goggles reduce glare and enhance color perception. Orange goggles increase contrast and depth perception, and gray tints act like sunglasses.
Most modern goggles offer a wide field of vision. Black-framed non-panoramic goggles may produce a tunnel vision effect. Clear silicone reduces this effect. They also help to filter UV rays. But you must consider the style of the goggles before buying them. While these styles are popular, some models do not offer a wide field of vision. Some are framed on both sides, which limits the field of vision.
Helps with astigmatism
Tinted swim goggles are one option to treat astigmatism. These are made with a corrective lens similar to those found in glasses. The prescription for glasses is transferred to the goggles’ lenses, which change the way light passes through them. The proper lenses focus the light on the retina to correct astigmatism. A swimming goggle has slightly different lenses than a pair of glasses, but they’re equally effective in improving your vision in the water.
Some goggles are designed to correct astigmatism while others are only for distance vision. You’ll need a prescription for your goggles to ensure they’re right for you. Most of these goggles don’t take bifocal lenses, but many do. It’s best to have at least three or four different types of goggles in your collection so you can switch them out frequently and find one that is more comfortable. By changing your goggles often, you’ll also have a variety of options and reduce your chance of allergic reactions.
Makes swimming easier
When you’re learning to swim, remember to breathe after every stroke. If you’re doing three strokes, you should breathe on each side. This will lessen the strain on your neck and shoulders. Try swimming with your head down, too. Then alternate sides, and it will be easier to breathe. This will make swimming more effective. You should always keep your chin low. Tilting it forwards while swimming will cause you to breathe harder, so keep it low in the water.
Beau Cormier is a former NCAA I swimmer, US Open National finalist, and swim nerd. When not swimming or working for a data company, you can find him running the trails of the Pacific Northwest with his wife and dogs.