Guard Your Vision: The Non-Negotiable Benefits of UV Protection in Swim Goggles
Honestly, we don’t even think twice and apply sunscreen before going out. We are aware that the sun is harmful on our skin. Moreover, pick our hats and may even our trustworthy sunglasses, religiously. However, when we reach the pool, the lake, or the open sea, many of us totally forget about one of the most vulnerable organs of our body, that is, our eyes. One may think that the water or the deck of the pool will somehow protect us. That’s just not true. Actually water only exacerbates the problem by a lot! This is where it is totally necessary to select the right pair of swimming goggles, that have an inbuilt UV protection. There is more to it than that momentary relief, you are safeguarding your long-term, non-renewable eye health. In this blog we are going to discuss the benefits of UV Protection Swim Goggles.
Why Swimming Magnifies the UV Risk
The UV rays of the sun do not beat you directly on the face; rather the sun is reflected and scattered on the surface of the water. This is because UV light strikes your eyes at both the bottom and at the sides- a compounding effect. This is an extremely strong effect and it poses a significant risk of damage even on a slightly overcast day. We should take our eye protection in the water as seriously as we take a sunscreen of high SPF. It is the day-neutral of secure and sustainable swimming.
More Than Just a Tint: Serious Protection Against Eye Damage
By UV protection in goggles we are referring to preventative medicine to your eyes, covered directly over your swim kit. The long-term unprotected exposure to the Ultraviolet-A (UVA) and Ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation can lead to certain truly painful and prolonged complications. The UV light is a source of energy. Therefore, when the energy reaches the sensitive tissues of the eyes it literally damages the DNA and cells.
1.We prevent Temporary Suffering: The Sunburn of the Eye
Have you ever experienced that desperate gritty, burning or reddish feeling at the end of a hard day by the water without wearing an eye protection? It might very well be photo keratitis otherwise known as a sunburn on your eye. It is minute, yes, but very much agonizing and at times it seems that sand has been sprinkled in your eyes, it may even make you blind temporarily.
2.Guard Against Chronic Conditions: Saving Your Sight
It is in this place that the long-term and non-negotiable benefits of UV protection swim goggles come out. The chronic, repeated and unprotected exposure to UV directly correlates with the heightening of the risk of a number of serious eye diseases. Moreover, that have the potential to permanently impair your sight. These are not conditions that come out of the blue and are rather a product of years of accumulating exposure.
Cataracts: It refers to a clouding of the natural lens of the eye; the lens is located behind the iris and pupil. It is one of the causes of loss of vision in the world. Although these are commonly linked with age, UV damage would be a major cause of their development, with surgical intervention taking place earlier.
Pterygium: It is a non-cancerous wing-shaped tissue composed of fleshy tissue and may begin on the white of the eye and, like alarms, later cover the cornea. it may give you a distorted and blurred vision when it comes to the cornea.
Macular Degeneration: Although the association is still under study, the evidence is strong indicating that cumulative UV exposure causes Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). That impairs the central part of the retina, blurring central vision required to perform activities such as reading and driving.
See Clearly, Swim Better: Performance and Comfort
The most important health-enhancing aspect is eye protection. However, UV-protected lenses will also help you enjoy your real swimming experience. Moreover, performance and enjoyment will be enhanced instantly. If you want the best sunglasses, consider Swans. They are popular for making high quality products.
Consider a summer afternoon training, a blazing pool deck or a sunny open water race. The blind flash of the water does not merely irritate you it overwhelms your eyes. This causes your eyes to continue straining and face to squint. Therefore, your mind is no longer focused on your stroke, your pace or technique. A fine pair of UV-shielded goggles slices that glare down radically.
Mirrored Lenses: These are lenses with a reflective coating which significantly diminish overall brightness but does not render the world too dark. They are best used in hot sunny days such as noon swims or in open water tournaments of clear water.
Polarized Lenses: These are the standard of glare reduction. Polarization filters are horizontal light waves (those that produce blinding reflections on flat surfaces such as water) and blocks vertical light waves (useful light).
The Critical Difference: Not Every Tint is the same
The following is an important fact and point that we need to focus on: a tinted lens, one that is dark or even a mirror does not necessarily imply that it is protective of the UV rays.
Colored glasses are terrific at lowering the amount of light perceived and decreasing the light intensity, which is comfortable, and unless they include a special, scientifically coated UV-blocking filter, you are subjecting your eye to those damaging rays.
As a matter of fact, a dark lens that does not have certified UV protection is sometimes even worse! Why? Since the dark shade calls your eye to notice that it must open its eyes- your pupils enlarge to allow more light to enter so that you could be able to see better. Unless that black lens is also filtering UV. Then you are virtually throwing open the doors and letting in more unfiltered UV radiation straight on to your retina. It is one of the usual and dangerous illusions that we should not create.
Protect: Your Kids, Protect Your Gear
All this discourse is, perhaps, even more significant when we start thinking about children. Children spend a lot more time outside and their children have young eyes that are in the process of developing. Their lenses are many times clearer as compared to adult lenses and UV rays are able to hit the retina with ease. It is our duty to make sure they have high quality and full UV covered goggles on the first day. It is a safety measure that cannot be compromised by any junior swimmer.
Rinse Gently: Rinse the goggles with fresh water after each swim in order to get rid of chlorine or salt. Do not rub hard of the inside as it may wear off the anti-fog coating.
Air Dry: They can be allowed to dry naturally when not in the exposure of the sun.
Ready to Upgrade your Eye Protection?
Don’t wait until the next blinding swim or when painful eye irritation hits. Your eyes need the same kind of care your skin does. We urge you to check your eye gear and get a confirmation that is has 100% certified UV protection. It is doesn’t have this feature, make a switch right now. Give yourself the gift of clear vision and lasting eye health. Shop the latest in UV protection swim goggles and safeguard your sight.
FAQs
Q: Are UV protection swim goggles necessary for indoor pools?
Yes, absolutely! While the intensity is lower than direct sun, some UV rays can still penetrate through pool building windows and skylights, so we strongly recommend protecting our eyes for every single swim, regardless of location.
Q: Does UV protection wear off over time?
The high-quality UV-blocking compound is typically integrated right into the lens material (polycarbonate), so it won’t rub or wash off. However, we should replace our goggles if the lenses get scratched, as scratches compromise visibility and can sometimes reduce effectiveness.
Q: How do mirrored lenses differ from polarized UV lenses?
Mirrored lenses primarily reduce brightness by reflecting light away from the eye, great for intense light. Polarized lenses are the best choice for drastically reducing glare (the reflection off the water), offering a superior clarity and comfort highly favored by open water swimmers.