Mermaids wearing swimming googles

[Echidna]

I'm really unhappy with my goggle-situation right now.

Going without isn't an option in pools (I can't see straight for days after from the chlorine) or in the seedy, gross lakes hereabouts.
I would swim without only in the ocean, or really clean lakes, and those are far away, so boo.

Usually I had some small swimmer's goggles, which give me glass-clear sight, but these are not supposed to be worn when diving (even just a few inches under the surface can be damaging), so I bought really large goggles for medium depth (pools), and a diving mask for real depth.

The big goggles fill constantly with water so much they're practically useless (probably because my face is narrow), I've tightened and tightened the straps until the blasted thing nearly split my skull, and still it leaked like no tomorrow.

The diving mask is halfway ok (only leaks sometimes and if I go deeper), but somehow it's very murky.
It has clear glasses, but looking through them is like being in a dense fog
Even worse, it prevents the diving reflex.
It literally halves my underwater time. And each time I surface, I have to fumble the thing off so I can breathe through the nose.

All in all, it's a gigantic bother

How I do wish I could have a private lil' saltwater pool. I could go without blasted goggles and masks, and even without the swimcaps (those are so tight I get headaches)

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Have you looked at other brands of goggles? There are some that don't sit on your eye sockets, and some that are bigger than regular swimming goggles but smaller than a diving mask.

The prescription ones I ordered also come in just the core. That is, they don't have the prescription insert inside of it, just the goggle.

[Mermaid Galene]

Ireneho, did you get your Sportviz goggles? How do you like them? I'm an extremely nearsighted mermaid, and I am shopping around for goggles.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Ireneho, did you get your Sportviz goggles? How do you like them? I'm an extremely nearsighted mermaid, and I am shopping around for goggles.

Yes I did. Two pairs actually! Let me explain...

The Sportviz goggle don't sit on your eyeballs. Instead they go on your skull around the eye ridge area. It's more like a mask, and you get a wider view.
The prescription inserts clip onto the goggle from the inside, so you can remove it for easy cleaning. I had problems with mine not fitting right so ended up with a lot of leaking...

The first goggle was the one I paid for and had custom made for my prescription. My eyesight is -10.00 and -9.00.
They worked great until I went underwater. It was flooding in my eyes, the water rushing in! Not so great if you have no nose bridge like me. I was told by the rep that the pair I got is made for Western faces and therefore will leak no matter what seal I would try to fit in the nose part.

Second goggle was sent to me free of charge, as I said it was a nice fit and I wanted to continue using it but the leaking was annoying so they sent me a prototype to test. This one is made for Asian faces or those with low nose bridges.
I must have a really bad face because it still leaks a little bit at the nose part, but not as much the first one. This pair I don't have to empty every time I go under water like the first goggle.

The Asian fit goggles isn't on the market yet as there are a few things they have fix before they can sell it.

In the meantime, I got spare goggles from Eyeline. They go right up to my prescription and even have in between dioptres.
http://www.eyeline.com.au/Shop/Search.aspx?cid=22

[Mermaid Galene]

I definitely want to get some prescription goggles. There's a nice thread over in the Makeup area of the forum about decorating goggles with a filigree mask so you can wear them during performances.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I definitely want to get some prescription goggles. There's a nice thread over in the Makeup area of the forum about decorating goggles with a filigree mask so you can wear them during performances.

I don't understand why you would go without, especially if you need to wear glasses to see.

One is just making it worse for one's self if you avoid wearing them during swimming.

[Starfrit]

I've been trying to practice swimming with my eyes open underwater, without goggles... I can't do it. It burns my eyes way too much and I'm worried that the chlorine will cause my eyesight to get worse than it already is.

I found I was having a major leaking problem with my goggles too when I first bought them (I can't remember what the brand is, it was just a cheap Wal-Mart brand)... then I discovered on my second swim that that problem was only happening because I was wearing them upside-down. Oops.

I might look into getting a pair with prescription lenses, but I'm not 100% sure yet; I can see pretty well wearing normal goggles without prescriptions, though I've found in my diving practices (only in the shallow end of the pool though, I'm still struggling with getting over my phobia of being fully submerged in water so I'm not going anywhere near the deep end unless my head is above water!) I've been getting a little disoriented and having trouble measuring distance. I scraped my collarbone off the bottom of the pool at one point because I underestimated how shallow it was and then I bumped my shoulder off the side because I couldn't tell how far it was. Not sure if that's more to do with my eyesight (depth perception isn't nearly so bad without my glasses above water) or if it's just some sort of trick with the water that will get better with more practice.

I'm thinking of incorporating goggles into my mersona, but I don't know about the filigree mask for me... I might see if I can find/make a pair of water-friendly steampunk-style goggles, or something!

[Mermaid Danielle]

When doing events in the pool, you could just tell kids the truth; like for humans, mermaids eyes are sensitive, and chlorine hurts too much to swim with eyes open long term. Using goggles helps protect your eyes, just like for them.

If they say anything along the lines of 'well I can do it', just remind them your a mermaid that is usually swimming in the ocean.

In murky lakes it shouldn't matter. The kids probably won't be able to see your eyes anyways. Or you could just keep redirecting their attention and putting it off till later.

[Mermaid Wesley]

chlorine wont effect your eyesight long term, but if you dislike it then go for goggles.

[Ilyena]

Danielle: That is the same explanation I've used for why I wear goggles .

Even though he's not a mermaid I bought my partner a pair of prescription goggles for christmas because every time he's swum with me all he can see is blurry shapes and he always went on about not being able to see how we move underwater.

[Nixie Pixie]

Love this!

[Ashton]

I wear googles when practicing in pools. When I am doing an event with children in the pool I just do my best to not go under as much, I still stay in mermaid character but after a while the choline really burns my eyes.

But I have no problem having my eyes open in the ocean.

[suzanne86]

I'm near-sighted--blind without my glasses. Do my swim workouts with regular non-prescription goggles. They fog up sometimes, and deposits can form on the inside surfaces of the lenses. I don't care. Swimming freestyle in the pool doing the "black line fever" thing, as long as I can see the lines, I'm fine. Doesn't matter to me whether the vision is totally clear or not. The pool is indoors. With backstroke, if I can see the roof rafters, then I can swim in a straight line. If I have to share a lane, then I look to the side at the lane line so I won't bump my lane partner. When swimming in the tail, tell the kids that some mers have to wear glasses, because they spend too much time reading when they're not in the water! :-)

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I'm near-sighted--blind without my glasses. Do my swim workouts with regular non-prescription goggles. They fog up sometimes, and deposits can form on the inside surfaces of the lenses. I don't care. Swimming freestyle in the pool doing the "black line fever" thing, as long as I can see the lines, I'm fine. Doesn't matter to me whether the vision is totally clear or not. The pool is indoors. With backstroke, if I can see the roof rafters, then I can swim in a straight line. If I have to share a lane, then I look to the side at the lane line so I won't bump my lane partner. When swimming in the tail, tell the kids that some mers have to wear glasses, because they spend too much time reading when they're not in the water! :-)

I rinse my goggles with a tiny drop of Johnson and Johnson Baby Shampoo (Original, not the pinkish colored one) in each eye cup, but don't wash out all the bubbles. Leave some in, so it feels little bit slimey when you touch it.

[theMerFanc]

Anyone remember these?

I just HAD to have them when I was younger even though I was a little past the target age and it was all to small for me >.< Something like the goggles in this set could be made by an experienced top or accessories maker!

[mermanmike]

I usually wear goggles when I swim. Mainly because I never liked the idea of getting anything in my eyes and I like to play better safe than sorry. It's probably also because I'm really cautious on things so I really don't want to dive in without them and suddenly have something in my eyes from it.

[Ashton]

If I knew this existed when I was a kid I would have had it!

[Mermaid Mystery]

I used to wear those! major throwback haha

[Mermaid Olivia!]

Anyone remember these?

Oh my gosh, yes! My Nana got these for me for my birthday when I was 6 or 7! I loved them and used them all the time, even though the goggles always leaked and the gloves and flippers were a bit big on me LOL!

[AptaMer]

One brand you might consider is the Eagle by AquaSphere

http://www.prescription-swimming-gog...ere-eagle.html

You can change the prescription lenses yourself, if you need to.

I have tried them without prescription lenses and they have fit leak-free for me and they've worked for another person after I popped some prescription lenses in for her.