by
Olivier Poirier-Leroy
Ready to take on the pool but want to be able to take your prescription with you? Here are the best prescription goggles for swimming.
As someone who wears prescription glasses (or contacts), you already know how important it is to care for your eyes.
This extends to the pool, where swim goggles are crucial for safety, helping you navigate and avoid collisions while shielding your eyes from irritants like chlorine, preventing itchiness and redness.
While swimmers looking for the perfect optical swim goggles don’t get the same variety as non-prescription goggles, many excellent options exist.
In this guide to finding the best prescription swim goggles, we’ll highlight goggles that are comfortable, leak-free, match your swimming goals, and, yes, have a prescription so you can see with clear vision in the water.
Whether you are an adult looking to tackle indoor or open water swimming or looking for prescription swim goggles for kids, there is a set of optical swim goggles for you.
Let’s dive right in.
Having tested and evaluated hundreds of swim goggles over the years, we narrowed down our choices for the best swim goggles with prescriptions to the following:
Next, we will cover our top choices in more detail, including prescriptions for each and some other optical swim goggles that we tested and evaluated but came up just short.
⭐ Best overall prescription swim goggles
The Speedo Vanquishers are the most popular swim goggles on the market. They are excellent all-around goggles for training and competition. They land at the top of our favorite optical swim goggles rankings, combining the Vanquisher’s legendary comfort, lens choice, and performance with clear vision.
The Speedo Vanquisher is available in a diopter range of -1.5 to 8, features a long-lasting anti-fog coating inside the lens, and a durable polycarbonate gasket.
The Speedo Vanquishers have silicone straps, which last far longer when exposed to pool chemicals like chlorine compared to latex head straps. The rubber skirt on the gasket compresses lightly against the skin to create a watertight seal, guaranteeing a leak-free swimming experience for many swim workouts to come.
The prescription Vanquisher comes with four different nose pieces, ensuring that you get the perfect fit for your particular face (mine fit right out of the box), and the goggles are polycarbonate and shatter-proof.
The goggles are available in three tints and feature the anti-fog coating you expect from swimming goggles. The Optical Vanquishers are available with a mirrored lens for outdoor swimming, reducing glare and eye strain from the sun.
Price-wise, they are incredibly reasonable, with a pair of prescription goggles costing slightly more than a regular pair of swim goggles.
| ✅ PROS | ❌ CONS |
| Best overall optical swim goggles | Smoke lens can be quite dark once the anti-fog wears off |
| Comfortable and leak-free fit | |
| Silicone head straps last forever | |
| Multiple nose pieces for custom fit |
⭐ Best budget-friendly optical swim goggles
Sporti is my favorite swim brand that makes inexpensive gear for competitive and recreational swimmers, with goggles, swim fins and even swimsuits that are often half as expensive as some of the big names on the pool deck.
The Sporti S2 Optical Mirrored Swim Goggle is another example of this, priced at just $11, which is a steal when you consider that they have the same sleek look as more expensive options. The optical range of these goggles is negative 2.0 to negative 8.0.
The Sporti S2 Optical Goggle has all the features you’d expect from an excellent swim goggle, including an anti-fog coating, polycarbonate lenses that protect against UV rays, and three nose pieces to get that perfect goggle fit.
The S2 comes in a mirrored, smoke, and clear lens, which means that no matter how bright or dark the pool, there is a prescription Sporti S2 swim goggle for you. The polycarbonate gasket is slim and hydrodynamic, making the Sporti S2 an excellent racing goggle.
The Sporti S2 Optical Goggle is available exclusively at SwimOutlet.
| ✅ PROS | ❌ CONS |
| Best budget-friendly optical swim goggles | Some users found the anti-fog to wear down quickly |
| Multiple lens options | |
| Three nose pieces for a leak-free fit | |
| Can swap lenses for variable R/L prescriptions |
⭐ Best prescription swim goggles for extra wide vision
Another set of goggles from the folks at Sporti, the Optical Pro II Swim Goggle is the perfect choice for swimmers who want maximum peripheral vision in the water.
The extra wide lens and gasket means you can see exceptionally well in all directions—both to the sides and “up” when swimming on your front.
The goggles are available in diopters ranging from negative 2 through negative 8, can be adjusted with buckles on the sides of the gasket, and the soft silicone gasket keeps water out when swimming up and down the pool.
The Sporti Antifog Optical Pro II Goggle is available in two tint colors (smoke or blue) and is super inexpensive (just $11!).
The only downside is that the Pro II’s only come with two nose piece options, making them a less ideal choice for “hard to fit” faces when it comes to swim goggles.
| ✅ PROS | ❌ CONS |
| Excellent peripheral field of vision | Fewer nose piece options |
| Available in clear and smoke | |
| Three nose pieces for a leak-free fit | |
| UV-coating to reduce eye strain and glare |
⭐ Best optical goggles for open water swimming
The UTOBest are the best optical open-water swimming goggles on the market. With an extra wide gasket that gives swimmers a large field of view for spotting and tracking open water swims, and a mirrored lens that reduces eye strain for UV rays, these goggles will help you conquer the elements with clear vision.
The lenses are polarized and available in -1.5 to -8 RX. The goggles feature the usual anti-fog coating on the inside of the goggles (be careful not to rub the inside of the lens with your fingers—you will rub the anti-fog right off), and with a soft silicone construction, you get the dual benefits of extra durability and comfort on the skin and hair.
The UTOBest Optical Goggles have adjustable head straps, which can be lengthened or tightened with buckles at the side of the head, and each set of goggles also comes with three nose pieces to help you get that perfect, waterproof fit.
What sets the UTOBest apart from other prescription goggles (besides the price, which is only $12–check here for today’s pricing and availability on Amazon) are the added bonus features, including a nose clip, swim goggle case, and a pair of earplugs.
While most reviews are excellent, some users find it challenging to get that perfect leak-free fit with the nosepieces the UTOBest goggles ship with.
| ✅ PROS | ❌ CONS |
| Extra wide peripheral vision | Some reviewers find the goggles leak a little |
| Easy to adjust | |
| UV lens to eliminate glare and eye strain from the sun | |
| Bonus accessories; earplugs, nose clip, and goggle case |
⭐ Best TYR optical swim goggles
Made with 100% silicone head straps and gasket, which is extremely durable against harsh pool chemicals, the TYR Blackhawk Optical Swim Goggles are the prescription version of the popular TYR racing goggles and are available in both positive and negative prescriptions.
Other key features of these swim goggles include a low-profile lens, a watertight gasket to prevent leaks while you are churning up and down the pool, adjustable head straps for a custom fit around the head, and UVA/UVB protection.
The TYR prescription goggles are priced competitively, and with their reputation for quality swim gear, you will be swimming with clear vision in no time (check SwimOutlet for current models and pricing).
| ✅ PROS | ❌ CONS |
| Optical version of their popular Blackhawk racing goggles | Pricer than the other optical goggles on this list |
| Available in diopter 1.5-8.0 | |
| UV protection | |
| Wide peripheral vision for a pool goggle |
Next, we have the Dr. B Barracudas Optical Swim Goggles. Dr. B is one of the smaller players in the swim goggle market, catering to recreational and casual lap swimmers.
I’ll admit–they are a unique set of goggles (and I mean that in a good way).
The field of vision is quite good, particularly when looking out the sides. The goggle straps are made of silicone, and the rubberized gaskets are comfortable against your face, making them great for those longer swims. Most importantly, they are available in a wide range of corrective diopters, from -0.0 to -8.0 for short-sighted swimmers.
The mirrored look is a solid bonus–especially for open water and outdoor swimmers. The goggles also have the same bracket and side arm on the side of the goggle gasket seen on premium swim goggles like the Arena Cobra Ultra goggles (the straps meet the “bracket” halfway around your head instead of the straps looping into the gaskets).
The Dr. B Barracudas is a pricier optical swim goggle compared to the Vanquishers and Sporti S2s, but with three nose pieces, a soft rubber skirt to keep water out of the lens, and tons of corrective diopters, are an excellent alternative for swimmers who haven’t found luck with the other more popular swim goggle brands.
| ✅ PROS | ❌ CONS |
| Mirrored lens for reducing eye strain | Pricier than comparable goggles |
| 14 corrective diopters | Reviewers frequently have issues with the lenses clouding |
| Multiple nose pieces for custom gasket fit | |
| Side arms for reduced drag | |
| Swim goggle case included |
Prescription swim goggles are the perfect option for farsighted and nearsighted swimmers who don’t want to wear contacts or glasses at the pool.
Choosing the right optical swim goggles involves prescription strength, lens type, comfort, and protecting the goggles from scratches and damage.
Here is a look at the key things to look for when choosing the right optical swim goggles for you and your swimming:
Prescription strength. Consult with your optometrist or eye doctor to determine the exact prescription strength for underwater vision. The primary benefit of optical swim goggles is clear vision, so start with the correct prescription.
Lens and tint. Swim goggles have different lenses and tints to reduce eye strain and enhance visibility. Clear or colored lenses help brighten dimly lit pools, while swimmers doing laps outdoors will want to opt for a polarized or mirrored lens. Most swim goggles come standard with UVA/UVB protection to shield the eyes, which is essential for swimmers who train under the sun.
Lens shape. Swim goggles come in varying gasket and lens shapes. Wider gaskets allow for a greater field of view, ideal for open water swimming and busy lanes. Swimmers looking for racing optical goggles should look for a gasket design that is slim and hydrodynamic.
Adjustable. Nothing ruins a good swim workout faster than leaky swimming goggles! Seek out goggles with adjustable head straps and multiple nose pieces to get that perfect, leak-free goggle fit.
Case. Prescription swim goggles are unique to the individual, so you should be extra careful to protect the goggles between swim workouts. Look for goggles with a case to protect them from scratches and dirt, increasing their lifespan.
Swimming is one of the best activities and sports on the planet. (Yes, I may be biased in this regard 😉.)
Swim goggles are one the essential types of swim gear to getting the most from your time in the water, whether that is doing a relaxing noon-hour lap swim or training for international competition.
Fortunately, there are some excellent swim goggles for swimmers with a prescription looking for clear vision and comfort in the water.
To recap our choices:
🏆 Top Pick: The Speedo Vanquisher Prescription Swim Goggles lead the pack thanks to industry-leading performance and comfort, tons of diopter options, and a leak-free fit.
Swimmers on a budget will love the Sporti S2 Optical Swim Goggles. High on quality and short on price.
And swimmers who want maximum field of vision and protection from the sun for outdoor swimming will opt for the UTOBest Swim Goggles.
Choose the optical swim goggles that match your prescription, budget, and goals in the water, and swim on!
Olivier Poirier-Leroy Olivier Poirier-Leroy is the founder of YourSwimLog.com. He is an author, former national level swimmer, two-time Olympic Trials qualifier, and swim coach.
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