How to Choose Prescription Safety Glasses

There are numerous occupations as well as physical activities that require protective eyewear in the form of prescription safety glasses. Everyone from surgeons and sports enthusiasts to athletes and welders benefit from wearing safety prescription glasses. Prescription safety glasses are obtained from an optical professional and perform a dual function. Not only do they provide the wearer with corrective vision they also help protect the wearer's eyesight from injury or damage. The only other option to wearing prescriptive eyeglasses and remain safe in high risk occupations is to wear goggles over your regular prescription eyewear. Prescription safety glasses are a much more desirable option.

Warp around prescription safety glasses differ from everyday eyewear in a number of ways. First, they wrap around your eye to protect you from flying debris or other dangers coming at you from the side. Also, both the lenses and the frames used in making prescription safety glasses must be able to withstand a prescribed level of impact from force or flying debris. No matter how large or sturdy regular or dress eyeglasses may be, they cannot be considered safety glasses. Among the most effective lenses used in safety glasses are polycarbonate impact-resistant lenses which also protect the wearer from the UV rays of the sun. A SCT cobalt tint should be added to the safety glass lens if the wearer will be exposed to extreme heat in such occupations as welder or glass blower. This added safety feature protects the eyes from strain and fatigue. Also ask your eyewear provider that the lenses be scratch resistant for increased lifespan.

The lenses on prescription safety eye glasses are usually made from plastic that is shatter resistant. This means that if a projectile or flying object hits the lens with any degree of force, the eye is protected. The lenses in safety glasses must also be at least one millimetre thick at their thinnest point, no matter if they are made from plastic or other material.

Among the most popular material to fashion frames for prescription safety glasses is nylon. Nylon frames tend to be lightweight and flexible and return to their original shape even when exposed to pressure. Additional qualities required in prescription safety glasses are frames that pass a high mass impact test. This means that they can be hit with an object of a certain weight from a specific height without having the lenses dislodge from the frames. Frames used for prescription safety glasses must also pass several tests of durability, including resistance to flame and resistance to chemical corrosion. Frames for safety glasses must also be able to perform well in high velocity impact testing in which an object travelling at least 150 feet per second from 10 feet away strikes the frame.

If an individual normally wears prescription eyeglasses, they are required by law in certain professions to wear either prescription safety glasses or safety goggles over their regular eyewear. Such professions include carpenters, laborers, millwrights, machinists, pipe fitters and plumbers. Most people in these occupations opt for prescription safety glasses that feature removable side protector shields for added safety. Also, if you are working outside, there are prescription safety sun glasses available.

With more than three quarter of a million eye injuries happening at the workplace annually, prescription safety glasses enable workers to not only correct their vision but to protect their valuable eyesight by wearing one pair of eyeglasses that can do both. Prescription safety eyeglasses are also extremely beneficial to sports enthusiasts such as horseback riders, sailors and tennis and racquetball players to protect their eyesight while enjoying physical activity.

If you enjoyed this article and found it helpful or interesting, be sure to check out my other articles on “is laser eye surgery safe” and Vigamox eye drops.