I have pretty crappy vision: -5.5 / -6 power. I can’t see anything without correction. I’ve been using the Aquasphere Eagle goggles with the replaceable lenses of the appropriate powers. These have worked great. I can read the pace clock, and identify my wife from 50 feet away. Since they aren’t custom, prescription lenses…they are a reasonable price ($45 ish all-in). They are a bit oversized, so they even work decent for the limited OWS (calm waters) I’ve done.
Unfortunately, I got hit in the nose with an angle grinder which required surgery (longish story involving blood and bone) and has left a bump on the inside of my bridge where the goggle is supposed to seal to my nose. Now that I’ve been cleared to return to swimming…I’ve learned that my Eagles won’t seal on my left eye (where the bump is). Sometimes I can get it to stay sealed for 100-200 yds, but eventually it releases and leaks. Besides, the area is still kind of tender from having been cut in half and put back together.
So, I’m looking for something to swim in that doesn’t seal to the inside of the nose (in the tear duct area), doesn’t look like a scuba mask, and might have options for off-the-shelf-power lenses.
Have you thought about contacts? I have even worse vision that you, and contact options as well as ease of ordering and price have improved drastically through the years for those of us who have poor vision.
First off ouch! An angle grinder to the nose sounds pretty gnarly!
As far as larger goggles that don’t seal to the inside of your nose, I’m not sure that there are a lot of options on the larger goggle side unfortunately.
Have you tried adjusting the Eagle a few times? Loosening/ Tightening the straps?
I know you said no masks, but a mask might just be the way to go. Have you tried one?
I think that it may be easier to find something that seals first, and then find a version with correction. Is that something you are willing to try?
Yes, it was gnarly. Cut through the bone on the right side of my nose and across the bridge just below the eyes. But, surprisingly not as painful as you might think or perhaps could have been—and damn lucky it didn’t get my eye. I didn’t need any pain meds (other than standard Tylenol) until AFTER surgery the next day. Everything is back where it should be, and I can breath out of both nostrils. I just have this bump the size of a VERY large zit right where the goggles try to seal.
Yeah, I’ve tried adjusting the eagles every which way from Sunday. If I get them juuuussst right, they will seal for 200y or so. Even still, that spot is still somewhat tender (and the skin is still “thin” there)…so, taking the pressure off is still desirable. The surgeon said the bump is temporary, but it will be several months before it goes down.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to say NO masks—Just not a giant scuba mask. I’m okay with a tri-mask. I have an old Mdot-brand mask that I was fiddling with last night to see if I could glue an old pair of lenses into. It still seals to the nose, but its in a different spot—more across the front/bridge and not on the side. Its still a little uncomfortable, but MUCH more tolerable than the eagles.
I haven’t found any OTC corrective tri-masks, and no one has suggested any. So, I may try gluing my old lenses into the tri-mask tonight with some silicone (removable) and see how that works. They are old, pitted, and kinda foggy, so If it works, I’ll buy a new pair and reglue the lenses into them. I don’t need to see great…just well enough to identify shapes (landmarks when OWS) and read my Garmin.