What Makes Safety Glasses Different from Regular Ones?

If you use lathes, saws, sanders and other power tools at home, you need protective eyewear. It should cover not only the front of your eyes, but also the sides and top, so small airborne particles can't get in.

Hardware stores sell shields that will usually fit over your glasses. But if you work with tools a lot, you'll avoid fogging problems and be more comfortable if you buy a specially fitted pair of safety glasses with polycarbonate lenses and frames from an eyecare practitioner. In some cases, you may even want a full face shield made of polycarbonate.

To be rated as safety glasses, both frame and lenses must adhere to particular ANSI standards. The frames are sturdier than "dress frames", and the lenses must be able to pass a "drop ball" test. Just as the name implies, the test involves dropping a hard ball onto the lens from a certain height. If the lens cracks or shatters, it fails the test, possibly because it's too thin or the material is defective. Any eyecare practitioner who sells safety glasses should be familiar with these standards.

What to Do if There's a Mishap

When wood or metal bits get into your eye, they can scratch or tear the epithelium. This is very painful and could affect your vision permanently.

If this happens, call your eyecare practitioner immediately for instructions. Depending on the situation, he or she may want you to flush your eye with water or saline solution. Or it may be better to get to the hospital immediately. If you wear contact lenses, tell the doctor, who will instruct you as far as removing them or leaving them in.

If you work with harmful chemicals, your workplace should have a sink area set up in case they get in your eyes and you need to flush them out in a hurry. Additionally, special face shields may be worn to protect against chemical splashes or splatters.

In workplaces that involve any kind of airborne particulate or noxious chemicals, employers must adhere to OSH (Occupational Safety & Health) guidelines for protective eyewear and emergency eyecare. If not, permanent injury, huge fines and employee lawsuits can result. If you or your employer are unsure of which guidelines apply to your workplace, check out OSH's website, where you can click to specific information.

Or, view general industry standards.

You'll note that protective eyewear standards usually require employers to provide prescription safety lenses to employees who need a vision prescription. An alternative is to provide a shield that will cover and protect the employee's own eyeglasses, if the type of work allows for this.

To make sure your glasses are protecting you, contact us today.