What are Safety Glasses?
We’ve talked about the health of the eyes in other posts. And yes, eye health is very important. But there is something just as important to the eyes… safety!
The brain relies on the eyes to see, communicate, focus, and store all sorts of information. The eyes are a critical part of our daily life, so it makes sense to protect them. However, losing an eye to injury is sometimes too scary to talk about. But here at Eyeconic, we want to remind you that safety glasses are a vital part of your eye care regimen, and we want to help.
Many people avoid or forget to use safety glasses, resulting in about 2.4 million annual reported eye injuries in the United States. The good news? By using approved and authorized protective safety glasses, 90% of those eye injuries can be prevented.
If you are in an environment that may harm your eyes—whether at home, work, or play— please make sure you have your safety glasses on.
We really care about you!
So, what exactly are Safety Glasses?
Safety glasses shield your eyes from dust, dirt, liquids, particulates, harmful light, chemicals, and foreign objects that could cause injury. They do this with special coatings, lens materials, and frame designs.There are many times when you should wear protective eyewear:
- You could be a nurse wearing an N-95 facemask with your prescription lenses and want to focus on a patient without your glasses fogging up.
- A home project you’ve been working on requires you to chisel out some old tiles from your kitchen, and you don’t want debris hitting your eyes.
- You may be fishing in a boat and want to avoid the dangerous UV glare reflecting off the water.
- Maybe you are a welder and need protection from the hot metal shavings.
There are protective eyewear options for everyone, and you’ll find both prescription and non-prescription safety glasses on the market. Here is a breakdown of lenses with varying degrees of protection that you can use to prevent eye injuries or other accidents:
Anti-fog lenses: A chemically bonded coating is applied to both sides of the lens to prevent water condensation.
Good for wearing with facemasks, under motorcycle helmets, or while biking. Anti-fog lenses are often found on snow goggles, too.
Polarized lenses: A coating that blocks horizontal light from passing through, making them great for activities that involve sun glare.
Good for fishing, boating, and golfing.
Photochromic lenses: A technology that makes the lenses automatically darken or lighten and is only activated by direct ultra-violet (UV) rays from sunlight.
Good for everyday use and are essential for those who frequently change their indoor/outdoor environments.
Safety glasses that fit over Rx glasses: Offer protection by simply wearing them over your existing prescription lenses. They are often less comfortable and bulkier but offer many of the same safety benefits that you need in a pinch.
Good for home DIY projects, gardening, hammering, and sawing.
Prescription and non-prescription protective safety lenses: A special lens that is verified and approved through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to best protect the eyes from blunt impact, dust, small particles, splashes, and droplets. These lenses will have a stamp embedded on the lens to verify their authenticity. Usually, but not always, these lenses are fitted in frames that are specifically designed for their respective environment, with extra padding, side shields, or even completely sealed against the face. Employers who require protective safety glasses will have guidelines that your doctor can review with you.
Good for working in construction, industrial settings, and dangerous environments.
Talk to your doctor today and discuss the many safety options that are available to protect your eyes. They will be glad you did—and so will we.
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Information received through VSP Vision Care's social media channels is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, medical recommendations, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.