Frequently Asked Questions
To help you choose the best prescription goggle or mask for your needs we have complied a list of the question we are most frequently asked. But don't worry if this does not help, please simply contact us and we will send you an answer as soon as possible.
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 How do I know your advice is correct?
We are owned and run by a qualified optometrist and really understand your visual needs.
Our staff are trained to handle most queries themselves but also when they need to refer for more specialist knowledge.
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How do I choose the right power for me?
A spectacle prescription is usually written in the following form:
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sphere |
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cylinder |
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axis |
| R |
-3.00 |
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-0.50 |
x |
180 |
| L |
-3.50 |
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-1.00 |
x |
180 |
In order to calculate the power you need to take into account the two aspects of your prescription.
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The sphere (or sph) is the main part of your prescription and will be ‘–’ for short-sightedness (myopia) and ‘+’ for long-sightedness (hypermetropia). |
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The cylinder (or cyl) is the secondary part of your prescription and refers to the amount of astigmatism you have. |
You should base the power you order primarily on the amount of short or long sightedness you have. If you also have a moderate degree of astigmatism (up to 2.00), incorporate up to half of this to choose the most appropriate power. Most swimming goggles come in 0.50 steps so you may have to select the nearest power. You need to know the power and sign (+ve or -ve) of both parts of the prescription.
Here are some examples:
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-3.00/-1.00x90 |
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the best power would be -3.50 (-3.00 plus
half of -1.00 so -3.00 plus -0.50) |
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-3.00/+1.00x90 |
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the best power would be -2.50 (-3.00 plus
half of +1.00 so -3.00 plus +0.50) |
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+3.00/-1.00x90 |
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the best power would be +2.50 (+3.00 plus
half of -1.00 so +3.00 plus -0.50) |
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+3.00/+1.00x90 |
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the best power would be +3.50 (+3.00 plus
half of +1.00 so +3.00 plus +0.50 |
Unless you have a very basic prescription, most swimming goggles will not provide the same level of vision as your glasses or contact lenses. However, they will provide adequate vision for use in and around a swimming pool.
If you are in doubt please contact us with your prescription and optometrist owner James Sutton can make a recommendation.
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I have astigmatism, does that matter?
Yes and no, it will depend on the degree of astigmatism.
None of the 'off the shelf' goggles correct astigmatism so if the majority of your prescription is astigmatism, or you have astigmatism over 2.00 dioptres you will need a custom made product for best visual results.
If your astigmatism is less that 2.00 or is not the majority of correction then an 'off the shelf' goggle should be fine. See the question above on 'How do I choose the right power for me?' or contact us with your full spectacle prescription. |
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Which goggles/masks have anti-fogging treatment?
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The majority of our 'off the shelf' swimming goggles offer UV protection.
The custom made ones and diving masks do not.
Look for this symbol next to the product image. |
Over time all the anti-fog treatment this can break down so supplementing with an anti-fog solution can prolong the effects.
Our custom made swimming goggles and diving masks do not come with anti-fog treatment so a supplementary anti-fog solution will be needed. |
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What colour will the goggle/mask lenses be?
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All of our diving masks are supplied with clear toughed glass lenses.
All custom made swimming goggles are supplied with clear plastic lenses.
The lens colour for the 'off the shelf' goggles will depend upon the model and colour chosen. They generally come in either grey, blue or clear. Where there is more than one colour option for a model, a blue goggle will come with blue lenses and a black/grey goggle with grey lenses.
Look for these symbols next to the product images to know which. |
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Why are the lenses tinted?
The lens colour is dictated by the model you choose. Some only come in one colour, some have a choice.
If the goggles are tinted the level of tint is designed to be dark enough to help reduce the brightness if used outside, but pale enough that they are suitable for indoor use as well.
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How much will it cost and how long will it be before my order to be delivered?
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Can I get spare parts?
If you have a broken or damaged swimming goggle then we may be able to help.
Some of the goggles and masks we sell are supplied as kits so we can supply spares.
Details of the models we can get Spare Parts for are available online.
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Can I keep the frame and change lenses when my prescription changes?
If the goggle is supplied in kit form we can often get spare parts and new lenses.
To view the products which you can order individual lenses for (if you needed due to a change in prescription) see our Spare Parts section.
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Do you do non-prescription goggles?
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We specialise in optical/prescription goggles, but we do have a couple of non-prescription models which can be viewed online.
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How deep can I use the diving masks?
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The diving masks do not have specific depth rating as with equalisation they can be used to most depths.
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Which goggles/masks are latex free?
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The majority of our goggles and diving masks are latex-free.
Look for this symbol next to the product image. |
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Which goggles/masks have UV protection?
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The majority of our 'off the shelf' swimming goggles offer UV protection.
The custom made ones do not.
Look for this symbol next to the product image. |
The diving masks do not have UV protection although, as they are all made with toughened glass lenses, some protection is offered.
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What are the lenses made of?
All of the swimming goggles are made with plastic lenses.
All of the diving masks are made with toughened glass lenses. |
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What is the highest prescription you can do?
In our 'off the shelf' goggles the highest we can do is -10.00 for short-sighted corrections and +8.00 for long-sighted corrections.
In our 'off the shelf' diving masks we can do -10.00 for short-sighted corrections and +4.50 for long-sighted corrections
In our custom made models we believe that we can make almost any prescription simply contact us with your full spectacle prescription and we will be able to confirm availability. |
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What age is junior and adult?
In the product description for each junior goggles we have an 'age guide' but typically they are for ages 4-12 years. Over this adult goggles are likely to be best.
As we appreciate this will vary greatly depending upon the size of the child, or adult. So if you order a goggle, try on before use and if it is too small/big you can send back for exchange. Read our returns policy for more details.
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What is the best way to care for my goggles/mask?
There are several things that you can do to help prolong the life of your goggles and masks.
For diving masks: Rinse with tap water after use and store in the storage case supplied.
For swimming goggles: Rinse with tap water after use and leave to air dry. Never rub the inside of the lenses as this can damage the anti-fog treatment. Use an anti-fog solution regualrly. Do not use or leave in hot conditions e.g steam room, jacuzzi, bath.
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Why are some of the goggle/masks more expensive than others?
Generally the more expensive goggles are either more specialist, have special features, are branded or made of higher quality materials.
However, this is not always the case, some of the cheaper products are still of excellent quality it is just the companies sell them at a better price.
This is especially true for the Sutton Swimwear brand. As this is our own brand we are able to offer a better price even though they are an equivalent quality to much more expensive goggles.
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Which goggle/mask has biggest head-strap/nose-bridge?
This is a very difficult question to answer. All the the goggles and masks have an adjustable head-strap so can be loosened or tightened to fit most people.
Swimming goggles: If you do have a particularly large head then one option is to order a Swimmi with a spare component kit - this will then allow you to add an extra section to the head-strap. The nose bridges are again all of similar size (and can be adjusted or exchanged for nose width) but as the Aquasphere Eagle has a soft nose bridge it might be slightly better for those with a larger nose.
Diving masks: In the diving masks the nose sections are all very similar and should fit most people. |
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What if I don't like the products I have ordered when they arrive?
For all products (except custom made ones), so long as they are unused you can return for a full refund or exchange within 14 days of receipt.
Please our section on returns for more information. |
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