Protect your Kids Early with Safety Glasses

What exactly makes safety glasses different from regular glasses? There are several reasons glasses will be rated as safe. They must not only cover the front of the eyes but also the top and sides as well so small particles can't enter the eye. You can find inexpensive shields from a home improvement store that will also go over your regular eyeglasses. These types of glasses fog easily making them difficult to see out of. Safety glasses with polycarbonate lenses are very protective and more comfortable if professionally fitted. There is an industry ANSI standard that must be adhered to if glasses and frames can be rated as safety. They need to be sturdy and survive a test where a ball is dropped on the lens. Whatever job you have where safety glasses are required, you will know if you need high impact or basic impact lenses.

Bits of wood or metal can easily fly into the eye. Chemicals emit gases or can splash into the eye creating serious problems. You should have water accessible if you work with chemicals as flushing them quickly helps alleviate some of the damage done by the chemicals. Special face shields may be what you need to prevent this from happening. If you have a prescription lens, some companies require prescription safety glasses also. Your eye doctor can find these for you. If you require a prescription lens and need safety glasses but you can't see because of the safety glasses requirement, you will be less efficient at work and less safe. If laser pointers are something you use in your job, know that staring into one for a short period of time may cause temporary blindness. Flying cork bottles can rupture an eyeball and fireworks have also been known to damage the eyes of children and adults.

There are many styles on the market for sports enthusiasts and this is one of the fastest growing industries in the field of safety glasses. Shooting glasses should feature side temple guards as well as high impact lenses. The frames will feature a sweat bar across the top and smooth rounded edges so sharp corners don't dig into the face. Many shooters like colored lenses because they block glare and haze. Protective goggles and masks are good for the swimmer or scuba diver, and snow skiers need total goggles for protection from wind, snow and ice. If you thought you looked funny when you wore protective eyewear while playing handball or other fast action sport, consider the thought of what it would feel like to be blind and not being able to see much of anything from a sports injury. Make sure the fit is proper so they actually perform the function they are meant to do. The loose fitting safety glasses will fall off easily or if they are uncomfortable you won't wear them. Parents are concerned about helmets for their children for many sports; just don't forget about your children wearing safety glasses as well. Check the fit every year as they won't fit as the child grows. Start them early thinking about caring for their eyes and they will be safer and think about it more as they grow into adults.

By Beverly Marshall