First: Stop Guessing What “Water Resistant” Actually Means

Before we dive into the dos and don’ts of pools and showers, we need to clear up the single most confusing (and misleading) term in consumer tech: IP ratings. If you don’t understand these two little letters, you’re almost guaranteed to ruin your glasses without even realizing it.

IP stands for Ingress Protection, an international standard that defines exactly how well an electronic device’s enclosure protects against two things: solid stuff (dust, dirt, sand) and liquid stuff (water, sweat, coffee spills). The rating is always written as IP followed by two digits: the first digit is for solid protection, the second is for liquid protection. Higher numbers mean better protection—with a massive catch we’ll get to in 2 seconds.

Your SpeCiC prescription smart glasses have an official IP65 rating. Let’s break that down, plain and simple.

The First Digit: 6 (Dust Protection)

A first digit of 6 is the highest possible dust protection rating. It means your SpeCiC glasses are completely dust-tight. No sand from the beach, no dirt from a hiking trail, no lint from your pocket can get inside the frame and gunk up the internal components.

This is a huge win for daily use, and it’s exactly why your glasses hold up so well on outdoor adventures. But this number has nothing to do with water protection.

The Second Digit: 5 (Water Protection)

This is where 99% of the confusion, the marketing lies, and the broken glasses happen. A second digit of 5 means your device is protected against low-pressure water jets from any direction.

In official testing terms: the device is sprayed with a 6.3mm nozzle, from 2.5-3 meters away, at 12.5 liters per minute, for 3 minutes straight. If no water gets inside to cause damage, it passes.

Let’s use a relatable analogy to drive this home. Think of your SpeCiC glasses like a high-quality rain jacket. A good rain jacket will keep you completely dry in a downpour, block wind, and survive a spilled drink. But you wouldn’t put on that rain jacket and go swimming, right? You wouldn’t jump in a pool or take a shower with it on and expect to stay dry.

That’s exactly the difference between water-resistant (your SpeCiC glasses, IP65) and waterproof (a dive watch, a GoPro, swim goggles). Waterproof means a device is impervious to water even when fully submerged—usually an IPX7 rating or higher. Your SpeCiC glasses are not waterproof. They are water-resistant.

The Big Question: Can I Use My SpeCiC Prescription Smart Glasses While Swimming?

Let’s cut straight to the chase, no fluff, no fine print: no. You cannot use your SpeCiC prescription smart glasses while swimming.

Not in a pool, not in the ocean, not in a lake, not even in a hot tub. Not for 10 seconds, not just to dip your toes in, not “just for one quick video.” There is zero scenario where wearing your SpeCiC glasses swimming is a good idea. We’re going to break down exactly why, so you don’t end up wasting your hard-earned money.

Reason 1: Submersion Destroys The IP65 Rating

We can’t say this enough: IP65 does not protect against submersion. Even if you just dip your head under water for a quick second to grab a dive ring, the water pressure will force water into every tiny gap and seam in your glasses’ frame.

The IPX5 test only covers low-pressure sprays, not the pressure of even 1 foot of water. When you submerge the glasses, water doesn’t just splash the outside—it gets pushed inside the enclosure, straight to the delicate electronics: the main processor, the AI coprocessor, the 280mAh battery, the 8MP camera sensor, the dual microphones, and the open-ear speakers.

Once water gets inside those components, it’s game over. Water causes short circuits, corrodes circuit boards, fries the battery, and ruins the camera and microphones beyond repair. Even if you dry the glasses off immediately, the damage is already done. Water can get trapped in tiny crevices inside the frame, where it will slowly corrode components over days or weeks—even if the glasses seem to work fine at first.

Reason 2: Pool, Ocean, And Hot Tub Water Is Corrosive

Even if water didn’t instantly destroy the electronics, the water you’re swimming in is full of chemicals and minerals that will destroy your SpeCiC glasses, even if they don’t get inside the frame.

Pool water is full of chlorine, a harsh chemical designed to kill bacteria. Chlorine will eat away at the high-quality matte oil coating on your SpeCiC TR90 frame, causing it to peel, discolor, and turn sticky. It will corrode the stainless steel hinges, making them rust, seize up, and break. It will cloud and scratch the coatings on your custom prescription lenses, whether you have blue light blocking, photochromic, or polarized options.

Ocean water is even worse. Saltwater is one of the most corrosive substances on the planet for electronics. Even a tiny splash can cause permanent damage, let alone full submersion. Salt crystals will form inside every seam, port, and grille on the glasses, scratching and corroding everything they touch. Even if you rinse the glasses with fresh water immediately, the salt will have already done its damage.

Lakes, rivers, and hot tubs are no better. Lakes and rivers are full of minerals and sediment that will clog grilles and scratch lenses. Hot tubs have even more chemicals than pools, plus high heat that will warp the frame and degrade the battery.

Reason 3: Your Prescription Lenses Don’t Make Them Waterproof

A lot of people with custom prescription lenses assume that a tight lens fit creates a watertight seal. That’s a myth.

Your SpeCiC prescription lenses are fitted to stay secure during daily use, not to create a waterproof barrier. There are tiny, invisible gaps between the lens and the frame that water can easily get through—especially when submerged. Even if the lenses were perfectly sealed, water can still get in through the charging port, microphone grilles, hinges, and buttons on the temples.

Reason 4: It Voids Your Warranty Immediately

Your SpeCiC glasses come with a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty that covers factory defects in materials and workmanship. It does NOT cover water damage caused by user error.

If you take your glasses swimming, they get wet, and they stop working, the support team will be polite, but they will not replace or repair your glasses for free. You’ll be on the hook for the full cost of a new pair, plus the cost of replacing your custom prescription lenses.

Okay, Swimming Is Off The Table. What About The Shower?

We get it. Swimming is one thing, but the shower seems harmless. You’re not submerging the glasses, right? It’s just water splashing on them, which the IP65 rating is supposed to handle. You just want to listen to your morning podcast, catch up on a work call, or not walk around the bathroom blind without your prescription lenses.

So can you do it? The official answer, straight from the brand’s guidelines, is no. It is not recommended to wear your SpeCiC smart glasses in the shower.

And while the risk is slightly lower than swimming, there are a ton of hidden dangers that can destroy your glasses, even if you never fully submerge them. Let’s break down exactly why the shower is just as risky as the pool, even if it doesn’t seem like it.

Reason 1: Most Showerheads Exceed The IP65 Pressure Limit

The IPX5 rating protects against low-pressure water jets. But a lot of showerheads are not low-pressure. If you have a rainfall showerhead, a high-pressure handheld shower, or even a standard showerhead with strong water pressure, you’re almost certainly exceeding the limits of the IP65 rating.

High-pressure water jets are covered by IPX6, not IPX5, and your SpeCiC glasses are not tested or rated for that level of pressure. When you spray high-pressure water directly at your glasses, even for a few seconds, the force will push water into every tiny gap in the frame: around the lenses, through the microphone grilles, around the buttons, into the charging port, and through the hinges.

It doesn’t matter if you’re not submerging them. High-pressure water will get inside the frame just as easily as submersion, and cause the exact same short circuits and component damage.

Reason 2: Steam Is The Silent Killer Of Electronics

This is the part that almost no one talks about, and it’s the #1 reason people’s smart glasses break after shower use, even if they never get directly sprayed with water.

IP ratings only test for liquid water ingress. They do NOT test for water vapor, aka steam. And steam is an invisible, silent killer of electronics.

Steam molecules are much smaller than liquid water molecules. That means they can slip through gaps and seals that liquid water can’t get through. The seals on your SpeCiC glasses are designed to keep liquid water and dust out, but they can’t keep out steam. When you take a hot shower, the bathroom fills with hot, humid steam. That steam seeps into every tiny crack in the glasses’ frame, through the grilles, around the buttons, and into the internal enclosure.

Once it’s inside, the steam cools down and condenses back into liquid water, right on top of the delicate circuit boards, battery, and camera sensor. The worst part? You can’t see it happening. You won’t know steam has gotten inside the glasses until it’s too late. The water will sit inside the frame, slowly corroding the components, until one day the glasses just stop working.

Reason 3: Rapid Temperature Fluctuations Ruin The Frame And Battery

When you take a hot shower, the glasses heat up to the temperature of the steam and hot water. Then, when you step out of the shower into a cool bathroom, the temperature drops suddenly.

This rapid temperature change causes condensation, both on the outside of the lenses (which we’ve all seen) and on the inside of the glasses, on the electronic components. Even if no steam got inside, the rapid temperature change can cause moisture to form inside the enclosure, leading to the same corrosion and damage as direct water exposure.

Your SpeCiC glasses are built with an aluminum heat channel system to keep them cool during daily use, but that system is not designed for rapid temperature swings from 100°F shower steam to 70°F bathroom air. Constant exposure will warp the TR90 frame, degrade the battery, and break down the seals over time.

Reason 4: Shampoo And Soap Will Destroy Your Glasses

Even if the electronics stay perfectly dry, all the other stuff in your shower will ruin your glasses. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap, face wash, and hairspray are all full of harsh chemicals that will eat away at the matte oil coating on your frame, scratch and cloud your prescription lens coatings, and clog the microphone and speaker grilles.

Even a tiny splash of shampoo can leave permanent marks on your lenses that you can’t buff out. The only fix is to replace the lenses entirely, which can cost just as much as the glasses themselves.

Wait, What *Can* My SpeCiC Glasses Handle When It Comes To Water?

At this point, you might be thinking, “Wow, so my glasses can’t handle any water at all?” That’s not true! We’ve spent a lot of time talking about what your glasses can’t do, but it’s important to celebrate what they can do—because the IP65 rating is actually incredibly useful for daily life.

Your SpeCiC glasses are built to handle all the water, sweat, and splashes you’ll encounter in a normal day, and they do it really well. Let’s break down exactly what they’re designed for, so you can use them with confidence.

1. Sweat From Even The Toughest Workouts

Your SpeCiC glasses are 100% built to handle sweat, even from the most intense runs, bike rides, or gym sessions. The IP65 rating means sweat can’t get inside the frame, and the matte oil coating on the TR90 frame resists sweat and fingerprints, so the glasses stay looking clean even after a long workout.

The dual microphones have ENC noise cancellation that filters out wind and heavy breathing, so you can take calls mid-workout without anyone hearing background noise. The open-ear speakers are sealed to keep sweat out, so your audio quality stays crisp no matter how much you sweat.

2. Rain, From A Light Drizzle To A Heavy Downpour

Your SpeCiC glasses are perfect for rainy days. Whether it’s a light drizzle or a heavy downpour, the IP65 rating will protect the glasses from rain coming from any direction. You can walk, bike, or commute in the rain without having to take your glasses off and fumble with an umbrella.

The only caveat here is to avoid hurricane-force rain with extremely high wind, which can push water past the seals—but for 99% of rainy days, your glasses will handle it with no problem.

3. Accidental Splashes And Spills

We’ve all been there. You’re at a restaurant, and someone spills a glass of water on the table. You’re at the pool, and a kid splashes you while running by. You’re cooking in the kitchen, and you splash water from the sink onto your face.

All of these accidental splashes are completely fine for your SpeCiC glasses. The IP65 rating is designed exactly for these scenarios: low-pressure, short-duration water exposure from any direction. Just wipe the glasses off with the included microfiber cloth after, and they’ll be good as new.

4. Regular, Safe Cleaning

You can safely clean your SpeCiC glasses with water and lens cleaning solution, as long as you do it correctly. The brand recommends using the included microfiber cloth to wipe down the lenses and frame regularly, and for tough smudges, you can use a small amount of lens cleaning solution or clean water.

Just make sure you don’t spray water directly into the charging port, microphone grilles, or speaker grilles, and dry the glasses off completely after cleaning. Avoid harsh chemicals like window cleaner, alcohol, or bleach, which will damage the lens coatings and frame finish.

The Hidden Risks No One Tells You About (It’s Not Just Water Damage)

We’ve talked a lot about the obvious risk of short circuits and completely broken glasses. But there are a ton of hidden, less obvious risks of exposing your SpeCiC prescription smart glasses to swimming or showering, even if the electronics keep working perfectly.

These risks will still cost you time and money, and they’re just as important to understand as the risk of total failure.

1. Prescription Lens Coating Damage

Your custom prescription lenses, whether they’re plano, myopia, hyperopia, blue light blocking, polarized, or photochromic, have special coatings on them to reduce glare, resist scratches, block UV light, and repel smudges.

These coatings are incredibly delicate, and they’re easily damaged by harsh chemicals, extreme temperatures, and prolonged water exposure. Chlorine, salt, and shampoo will eat away at these coatings, even with minimal exposure. At first, you might notice small spots or cloudiness. Over time, the coating will peel, crack, or scratch, leaving you with blurry, distorted vision that can’t be fixed.

The only solution is to completely replace the lenses, which can cost just as much as the glasses themselves. Even if the electronics are perfectly fine, you’ll be stuck paying for new lenses because you wanted to wear them in the shower once.

2. Permanent Frame Degradation

The SpeCiC glasses are built with a high-quality TR90 flexible frame, with a premium matte oil coating that resists fingerprints and scratches, and gives the glasses a smooth, premium feel.

This coating is designed for daily use, but it’s not designed to handle prolonged exposure to chlorine, salt, soap, or high heat and humidity. After even a few trips to the pool or shower, the matte coating will start to peel, discolor, or become sticky to the touch. The stainless steel hinges will start to rust and corrode, making them stiff, squeaky, or even completely broken. The frame itself can warp from heat and humidity, making the glasses fit poorly on your face, or even making the prescription lenses no longer align correctly with your eyes.

3. Irreversible Battery Degradation

The 280mAh high-voltage lithium polymer battery in your SpeCiC glasses is designed to last for hundreds of charge cycles, with up to 6 hours of music playback, 15+ hours of call time, and 6 days of standby time on a single charge.

But lithium batteries are extremely sensitive to high heat, high humidity, and water exposure. Prolonged exposure to the hot, humid environment of the shower, or the high heat of a hot tub, will degrade the battery’s capacity dramatically. What was once a battery that lasted all day will start to die after just 1-2 hours of use. The battery can even start to swell, which is a serious safety hazard, and can warp the frame of the glasses, break the internal components, and even cause the battery to leak or catch fire.

4. Microphone And Speaker Failure

Even if no water gets inside the internal components of the glasses, chlorine, salt, soap, and mineral deposits can clog the tiny microphone and speaker grilles on the temples of the glasses.

These grilles have tiny holes that are designed to let sound in and out, while keeping dust and water out. But when these holes get clogged with residue, the sound quality will drop dramatically. Your call quality will get worse, with the person on the other end struggling to hear you. Your music playback will become muffled and quiet, with no bass or treble. The ENC noise cancellation will stop working correctly, because the microphones can’t pick up sound properly.

You can try to clean the grilles with a soft brush, but once the residue is caked in, it’s almost impossible to remove completely. You’ll be stuck with glasses that have perfectly working electronics, but can’t make calls or play music correctly.

But I *Really* Want Audio In The Shower/Underwater! What Are My Safe Alternatives?

We get it. The whole point of smart glasses is convenience, and having to switch between multiple pairs of glasses, earbuds, and cameras is a hassle. You want to listen to music in the shower without taking your glasses off. You want to take underwater photos without having to carry a separate camera. You want to see clearly in the pool without having to wear bulky prescription swim goggles.

The good news is: there are tons of cheap, reliable alternatives that are actually designed for these environments, so you don’t have to risk your SpeCiC glasses.

For The Shower: Cheap, Waterproof Audio Solutions

If you want to listen to music, podcasts, or take calls in the shower, there are two perfect alternatives that are way cheaper and more reliable than wearing your smart glasses in the steam.

• Waterproof Bluetooth shower speaker: You can buy a high-quality, IPX7 waterproof Bluetooth speaker for $20-$50, and they’re designed specifically for the shower. They hang on the wall or showerhead, are completely waterproof and steam-proof, have great sound quality, and built-in microphones for taking calls. You can pair it with your phone, leave your phone and SpeCiC glasses outside the shower, and listen to whatever you want with zero risk.
• Waterproof wireless earbuds: If you prefer a more private listening experience, you can buy IPX7 or IPX8 waterproof wireless earbuds for $30-$100. These earbuds are designed to handle sweat, water, and steam, and many of them are specifically rated for shower use. Pair them with a cheap pair of non-electronic prescription shower glasses ($20-$30), and you can see clearly and listen to your favorite content with no risk to your expensive smart glasses.

For Swimming: Underwater Audio & Video Solutions

If you want to take photos and videos underwater, or listen to music while you swim, there are dedicated devices that are built for this exact purpose, and they’ll perform way better than your smart glasses ever could.

• Waterproof action camera: A GoPro, DJI Action, or other waterproof action camera is the gold standard for underwater photos and videos. These cameras are rated IPX8, meaning they can be submerged in up to 10 meters of water (or more, with a housing) without any damage. They shoot 4K video, have underwater color correction, image stabilization, and wide-angle lenses that are perfect for capturing sea life, pool parties, or water sports. They’re designed to be mounted on your head, chest, or wrist, so you can shoot hands-free video just like you would with your smart glasses.
• Waterproof phone case: If you want to use your phone to take underwater photos and videos, you can buy a high-quality IPX8 waterproof phone case for $20-$50. These cases are fully sealed, so you can submerge your phone in up to 10 meters of water, and they still let you use the touchscreen and camera. They’re way more reliable than trying to use your smart glasses underwater, and they let you use all the camera features of your phone, which are way better than the 8MP camera in your smart glasses.
• Prescription swim goggles: If you need to see clearly while swimming, the only safe option is a pair of custom prescription swim goggles. You can buy them for $30-$100, with lenses tailored exactly to your vision needs. They’re fully waterproof, designed to be submerged, and have anti-fog coatings that keep the lenses clear underwater. They’re way more comfortable and reliable than wearing your smart glasses in the pool, and they won’t get damaged by chlorine or saltwater.

Oops! My SpeCiC Glasses Got Wet Accidentally. What Do I Do Now?

Mistakes happen. Maybe you got caught in a sudden downpour that was way heavier than you expected. Maybe someone splashed you with a bucket of water at a pool party. Maybe you forgot to take them off before jumping in the shower, and you realized it immediately.

If your SpeCiC glasses have gotten wet accidentally, don’t panic! There are steps you can take to minimize the damage, and potentially save your glasses from permanent failure.

First, a quick note: if you just got a little splash on the frame, or got caught in a light rain, you don’t need to panic. The IP65 rating is designed for exactly that scenario. Just wipe the glasses down with the included microfiber cloth, dry off the charging port, and they’ll be good as new.

The steps below are for more serious exposure: full submersion, heavy exposure to high-pressure water, or prolonged exposure to steam. Follow these steps exactly, in this order, to maximize your chances of saving them.

1. Turn Them Off Immediately, And Don’t Press Any Buttons
   The very first thing you need to do is turn the glasses off, and do not press any other buttons. Pressing buttons will send electrical current through the circuit board, which will cause a short circuit if there’s water inside the frame. Even if the glasses seem to be working, turn them off immediately, and don’t touch any of the buttons or touchpads after that.
2. Wipe Off All Surface Water With The Included Microfiber Cloth
   Use the included microfiber cloth to wipe off all visible water from the outside of the glasses. Wipe down the frame, the temples, the lenses, the charging port, the buttons, and the microphone and speaker grilles. Get as much water off the surface as possible, to prevent it from seeping further into the frame. Do not use paper towels, toilet paper, or tissues—these have tiny fibers that can scratch the lens coatings and get stuck in the grilles.
3. Remove The Magnetic Charging Cable, And Do NOT Charge The Glasses
   This is the single most important step, and the one that most people get wrong. Do not, under any circumstances, plug the charging cable into the glasses while they’re wet. Charging a wet device will cause an immediate short circuit, which will fry the battery and the circuit board beyond repair. Even if you think the glasses are dry, do not charge them for at least 24 hours.
4. Let Them Air Dry In A Cool, Dry Place For At Least 24 Hours (72 Hours For Full Submersion)
   Once you’ve wiped off the surface water, place the glasses in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, and let them air dry completely. Do not use a hair dryer, a fan, an oven, a microwave, or any other heat source to dry them. Heat will warp the frame, degrade the battery, and push water further into the internal components. Do not put them in a bowl of rice—this is an old myth that does more harm than good, as rice dust will clog the grilles and ports. Silica gel packets (the ones from shoe boxes) are a safe alternative to speed up drying, but plain air drying is the safest option.
5. Inspect The Ports And Grilles For Residual Water Or Debris
   After the drying time is up, inspect the charging port, microphone grilles, and speaker grilles for any residual water, dust, or debris. If you see any water, use the corner of the microfiber cloth to gently dab it up. If you see any dust or debris, use a soft, dry toothbrush to gently brush it out of the grilles. Do not use a toothpick, needle, or any other sharp object to clean the grilles—you will puncture the microphone or speaker diaphragm.
6. Turn Them On And Test All Functions
   Once you’re 100% sure the glasses are completely dry, inside and out, you can turn them on. Pair them with your phone via Bluetooth, and test every single function to make sure they’re working correctly: Bluetooth pairing, music playback, microphone and call quality, touch controls, camera photo and video capture, AI voice assistant, recording and translation features, battery life, and charging. If all functions are working correctly, keep an eye on them over the next few weeks for any signs of corrosion. If they don’t turn on, or if some functions aren’t working, contact SpeCiC customer support immediately.

Debunking The Most Common Myths About Waterproof Smart Glasses

By now, you know the truth about what your SpeCiC prescription smart glasses can and can’t handle when it comes to water. But there are still a ton of myths and misconceptions floating around online about waterproof smart glasses, and it’s time to debunk them once and for all.

Wrapping Up: Your SpeCiC Glasses Are A Daily Sidekick, Not A Dive Camera

At the end of the day, your SpeCiC prescription smart glasses are an incredible tool for daily life. They let you capture moments, connect with people, explore the world, and get things done, all without touching your phone. They’re built to handle the chaos of daily commutes, tough workouts, rainy days, and accidental spills.

But they’re not built for the shower, the pool, the ocean, or any other environment where they’ll be exposed to submersion, high-pressure water, or steam. Trying to use them in these scenarios isn’t just risky—it’s a waste of the incredible daily utility they provide.

The 10 minutes of shower podcasts or the 30-second underwater video isn’t worth losing your $239 hands-free sidekick for months to come. Use the right tool for the job: your SpeCiC glasses for daily life, and dedicated waterproof devices for the shower and the pool.