Prescription safety glasses are a shield that protect your eyes from hazardous work and home environments. The most common hazard is flying projectiles from operating power tools or machinery. Others include harmful dust, splashing chemicals, laser light, and radiation. However, a poor fit compromises your eye safety in a number of ways. These include:
Eyewear Gaps
The gap between the protective lens and your face shouldn’t exceed one-third of an inch (about the width of a pencil). Large gaps expose the eyes to hazards coming from above or below your face. If you momentarily look down at the floor, then a large gap at the top of your glasses exposes your eyes to hazards directly in front of you. In situations involving severe dust or chemicals, the glasses should seal against your face.
Loose Fit
Loose fitting eyewear can slide down your nose, especially when perspiring. Obviously, this exposes your eyes to work environment hazards. Constantly readjusting your glasses distracts you from your work, which can cause an accident. If your work requires both hands, then a quick readjustment of your glasses is impossible should they slide down your nose. Another problem with a loose fit is that a quick head movement could dislodge or cause the glasses to fall off.
Discomfort
Discomfort distracts you from your job. This is potentially dangerous to yourself or others. For example, if you’re operating large equipment such as a crane, a moment’s distraction could injure another worker. Discomfort also causes worker fatigue and induces some people to remove their safety glasses.
When buying prescription safety glasses, make sure none of the above problems exist and there are no pressure points along the side of your head or behind your ears. The nose piece should not pinch or otherwise cause pain. For assistance in finding prescription safety glasses with the right fit, contact us.
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