Prescription Safety Glasses for Protection and Style

If you suffer from impaired vision, you are with the majority of Americans. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 285 million people are visually impaired. Common causes of impaired vision include:

• uncorrected refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism), 43 %
• unoperated cataract, 33%
• glaucoma, 2%.

If you are like the majority of Americans with impaired vision, you wear glasses instead of contacts. However, wearing glasses does not have to hamper your style, fun, or safety on the job. Whether you are an active outdoor buff, participant of extreme sports, or have a high-risk job, the eyewear industry has created options suited just for you. There is eyewear to fit different lifestyles, different jobs, and different tastes. Wiley X, a leader in prescription safety glasses, offers protection and style for everyone.

Let’s take a look at prescription safety glasses  and why they are an excellent option for those in high-risk jobs or outdoor activity enthusiasts.

First, just what kind of people may benefit from prescription safety glasses? People who work in certain jobs benefit from protective eyewear. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) states that approximately 2,000 workers suffer eye injuries every day due to their job. Many of these injuries are reduced or minimized by wearing safety glasses. Industrial environments require industrial strength eye protection. The American Optometric Association states that the following occupations put workers at a higher risk of eye injury without safety eyewear.

• Manufacturers
• Welders
• Miners
• Construction workers
• Electrical workers
• Machinists
• Auto mechanics
• Carpenters
• Plumbers

What do protective safety glasses protect workers from?

Hazardous radiation: Hazardous radiation occurs in environments that involve either:

1) Heat radiation, which comes from infrared radiation (IR).

2) Ultraviolet radiation (UV)

Workers who deal with thermal cutting and welding are at risk for radiation damage and those who spend many hours outdoors are at risk for UV radiation.

Lasers: A laser is defined as “a device that generates an intense beam of coherent monochromatic light (or other electromagnetic radiation) . . . Lasers are used in drilling and cutting, alignment and guidance, and in surgery.” The laser technology that would most affect workers’ eyes is used in such jobs as drilling and cutting.

Chemicals: Industrial chemicals are toxic to the skin and eyes. Some of the chemicals used in the industrial workplace include, “acids, alkalis, organic solvents, and surfactants.” The risk of toxic chemicals splashing in the eyes is very serious and requires added protection which will be discussed later.

Dust and wood particles: Carpenters, sawmill operators, and construction workers deal with potential dust and wood particles flying up into their face and eyes. Tiny particles of wood and dust can irritate the cornea and produce abrasions. According to Patient Resources, “serious injuries to the eye may occur from sharp objects and from small flying particles hitting the eye at high speed. This can occur when drilling, sawing, chiseling, grinding.”

 Flying projectiles: A flying projectile occurs when any flying object hits the eyes. Whether at low or high speeds, it causes damage to the eye. Projectiles that are commonly found in an industrial setting include any type of metal particles like drill pieces and screwdriver blades, as well as steel rods. These objects would obviously do great damage if the eyes are not adequately protected.