Swimming goggles are an essential element if you plan to spend time in the water. They not only protect your eyes from chlorine or seawater, they also assist your vision underwater, ensuring that you don't bump into any hazards. This ubiquitous piece of equipment includes an extensive list of man-made materials and requires a rather comprehensive manufacturing process.
Lenses and Gaskets
The lenses are made of polycarbonate material. This ensures that they are relatively light, which is useful if you're using your goggles in competitive swim. The downside is that these lenses are easily scratched, however. The process of creating the lens involves combining materials and then pouring them into a mold to create the basic form. During the curing process, lenses can have color added to provide sun protection and protect from glare. Most lenses also include an anti-fog chemical to ensure that a swim workout doesn't make the lenses foggy.
The edges of the lenses are then covered in rubber, silicon or neoprene gaskets, all are created by an extrusion manufacturing process. These adhere to the eye orbit to ensure that the lenses don't leak when pressure is applied during a swim. Each lens receives its own gasket, connected by a nose piece. Often, the nose piece is one molded piece of silicon continuous with the lens gasket, though there are models with separate nose pieces that are adjustable.
Lenses can also be made for those who require prescription lenses. They are manufactured using standard optical manufacturing processes of forming the lens to fit your prescription. You can either have lenses custom made or purchase pre-made lenses that are similar to reading glasses and are manufactured to step-diopters. They're less expensive than custom goggles; you simply choose the one closest to your prescription.
Head Piece
The lenses are secured to the head with straps that are made of silicon or rubber, which are also manufactured using an extrusion process. Straps are manufactured in one of three types: either one, continuous piece with an adjustable buckle, usually made of ruber; one strap that extends beyond the temple and then splits to cover the crown of the head, usually made of silicon; or one simple strap, usually found only on children's goggles, that is made of rubber.
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