About Low Vision Swim Goggles

Low vision swim goggles are specially designed to enable you to see as far as possible in low-visibility environments such as lakes and other natural water settings. There are variety of ways that goggles can help you see more clearly underwater, but low-vision goggles have a far more specific use than most types of underwater lenses. In order to get the most use and comfortable wear out of low vision swim goggles, make sure that you pick a pair that is suited to your needs.

Function

Low vision swim goggles provide clear underwater vision in cloudy water environments. They may light up the area in front of you so that you can see the bottom of a lake or riverbed. Low vision goggles can even help you see in the dark underwater using night vision technology.

Types

Low vision swim goggles come in a variety of styles and may use several different technologies. Some goggles have strong light beams that can illuminate many feet in front of you. Even if the water is filled with silt or other debris, they will at least give you an idea of the area around you. Other types of low vision swim goggles use night vision screens to indicate the location of underwater items. Finally, the simplest low-vision swim goggles have a generic or custom prescription built into the lenses to help you see with greater clarity.

Features

Low vision swim goggles are usually masks instead of individual lenses. They cover most of the upper half of the face and have wide straps to help hold the goggles in place securely. Night vision goggles actually have an entire headpiece to hold the thick lenses in place.

Considerations

Before investing in a pair of low vision swimming goggles, decide exactly what you need them for. If you will be swimming in clear water at night, then you will be able to use goggles with normal lights on them or prescription goggles in order to see clearly. However, if the visibility in the water will be clouded by dirt, mud or other debris, then night vision goggles that distinguish outlines by heat definition may work better.

Misconceptions

Most people think that low vision swim goggles will enable them to see clearly underwater regardless of the conditions. Unfortunately, this is not true. Low vision goggles will make it easier to see underwater, but if the water is very muddy or filled with particles of sand you still will not be able to see perfectly, just better than you would with normal goggles.

Warning

If you are going to be swimming in an unfamiliar area with poor visibility, then you need to prepare yourself for emergencies. If your goggles will be helping you avoid running into things, you need to swim carefully and cautiously even if the area in front of you looks clear. Water--particularly cloudy water--can bend and distort light to make things look closer or farther away than they actually are. Proceed with caution regardless of how advanced your low vision goggles are in order to be sure you do not run into anything.