Prescription Swim Goggles in Waterloo
Swimming in blurred vision means missing the pace clock, the lane rope and the person walking towards you on the pool deck. Prescription swim goggles fix that — and having them fitted by a licensed optician means the correction actually matches your eyes, rather than the nearest available number. Come and try them on at 330 Phillip Street.
Two ways to get prescription goggles
There are two routes, and the right one depends entirely on your prescription.
Ready-made optical goggles come with corrective lenses already moulded in, sold in fixed steps — typically half-diopter increments. You choose the step nearest your prescription. They are the cheaper and faster option, and for a straightforward short-sighted prescription with little or no astigmatism they work well.
Custom-glazed goggles have lenses ground to your actual prescription and fitted into a goggle frame. This is what you need if you have significant astigmatism, a marked difference between your two eyes, or a prescription outside the ready-made range. It costs more and takes longer, and for a lot of swimmers it is the difference between “better” and “right”.
We fit both. The point of coming in is that a licensed optician reads your prescription properly and tells you which one you actually need.
How to read your prescription for swim goggles
Goggle lenses are sold by a single diopter number per eye, while your glasses prescription has several. Here is how they relate.
The number that matters is SPH (sphere), the first figure on your prescription. A minus value means short-sighted, a plus value means long-sighted. If your right eye reads −3.25 and your left −3.00, those are the numbers you are shopping against.
Ready-made goggles usually come in half-diopter steps, so a −3.25 has no exact match. The convention is to round towards zero — down in strength, not up. A −3.25 takes the −3.00 goggle. Over-correcting in water is more uncomfortable than being very slightly under-corrected.
CYL (cylinder) is your astigmatism. Ready-made goggles cannot correct it at all. A small amount is usually tolerable in the pool. More than that, and ready-made goggles will still leave things soft — custom lenses are the answer. Bring your prescription in and we will tell you which side of that line you are on.
Two eyes with very different prescriptions is the other case for custom. Most goggles let you order a different diopter per eye, which covers moderate differences; beyond that, custom glazing is more comfortable.
If any of this is unclear, bring the prescription in. Reading it correctly takes us thirty seconds and saves you buying the wrong thing.
Goggles for astigmatism and stronger prescriptions
If off-the-shelf goggles have disappointed you before, astigmatism is the usual reason. Ready-made optical goggles correct sphere only — so a swimmer with meaningful cylinder gets a picture that is brighter but still soft, and concludes that prescription goggles simply don’t work. They do; the ready-made kind just wasn’t the right tool.
Custom-glazed goggles carry your full prescription, cylinder and axis included. The same applies at the ends of the range: ready-made goggles stop at a certain strength, and anything beyond that has to be made to order.
We glaze lenses in our own lab, so we can also fit prescription lenses into a goggle frame that you already own.
Brands we fit
We fit MOSI prescription swim goggles, and we can order other brands and models on request. The right model depends on your prescription — call or visit the store and we will match you to one that fits.
Prescription swim goggles for children
Swimming lessons are hard enough without being unable to see the instructor. Children who wear glasses often manage lessons by squinting and following the child in front, which slows down everything they are meant to be learning.
Children’s prescription goggles work the same way as adult ones — ready-made in diopter steps, or custom-glazed. The difference is fit: a goggle that leaks or presses is a goggle a child will refuse to wear, so it is worth trying them on rather than ordering by size chart. Bring your child in with their current prescription and we’ll fit properly.
Fitting, anti-fog and looking after them
A good seal comes from the eye socket, not from tightening the strap. Press the goggles gently onto your face without the strap; they should hold briefly on suction alone. If they don’t, the gasket shape is wrong for you and a tighter strap will only give you a headache and a ring around your eyes.
Prescription goggles come with a factory anti-fog coating on the inside of the lens, and the fastest way to destroy it is to rub the inside dry with a towel or a finger. Rinse in fresh water after every swim, shake the water out, and let them air-dry out of direct sunlight. Treated that way the coating lasts far longer, and you can top it up with anti-fog drops when it eventually fades.
Chlorine is hard on the gasket over time. If the seal starts to feel stiff or leaves marks, the goggles are due for replacement even if the lenses are still perfect.
What they cost and how long they take
Ready-made optical goggles are the quicker and cheaper route. Custom-glazed goggles are made to your prescription and take longer.
Price and availability depend on the model and on your prescription, and the range changes as suppliers update it. Call or visit the store for current pricing.
Prescription swim goggles are eyewear, so depending on your plan they may be claimable. We direct bill most major insurance providers — worth asking when you come in.
FAQ
Can you get prescription swim goggles?
Yes. They come two ways — ready-made goggles with corrective lenses moulded in fixed diopter steps, or custom-glazed goggles made to your exact prescription. Premier Optical fits both at our Waterloo store.
How do I know what strength swim goggles to buy?
Use the SPH (sphere) figure from your glasses prescription, and round towards zero if it falls between the available steps — a −3.25 takes the −3.00 goggle. Bring your prescription in and we'll check it for you.
Do prescription swim goggles correct astigmatism?
Ready-made ones do not — they correct sphere only. If you have meaningful astigmatism you need custom-glazed lenses, which carry your full prescription including cylinder and axis.
Can I get different prescriptions in each eye?
Yes. Most ready-made goggles can be ordered with a different diopter per eye, and custom-glazed lenses handle any difference.
Can I wear contact lenses instead?
You can, but it isn't recommended. Pool water can wash lenses out and carries a real risk of eye infection, particularly with soft lenses. Goggles keep the water off your eyes entirely, which is the safer choice.
Will they fog up?
All goggles fog eventually. The factory anti-fog coating lasts much longer if you rinse them in fresh water after each swim and never wipe the inside of the lens dry.
How long do prescription swim goggles take to get?
Ready-made goggles are the quicker option. Custom-glazed lenses are made to your prescription and take longer. Call the store and we will give you a time for your prescription.
Can you put prescription lenses into goggles I already own?
Yes. We glaze lenses in our own lab in Waterloo, so we can fit your prescription into a goggle frame you already have. Bring the goggles and your prescription with you.