If you work in a medical setting or are exposed to potential eye hazards at home, it’s crucial to understand the importance of eye protection and what type of safety eyewear you should be wearing.
Medical eye protection is necessary for reducing the risk of visual impairment or other serious risks associated with operating equipment or being in a hazardous environment.
Whether it’s due to chemicals, UV light, debris, or other contaminants, there are numerous risks involved with working in a medical setting. And while your primary focus as a worker may be to help others and provide excellent care, if you fail to take precautionary steps to protect yourself, you could suffer permanent vision damage or even lose your sight entirely.
If you work in a medical setting or are exposed to potential eye hazards at home or work, it’s crucial that you understand the importance of medical eye protection glasses and the benefits it provides.
UV filters in eye protection
When shopping for safety goggles, one of the most important features to keep in mind is that the product should contain UV light filters. UV light can be hazardous to your vision and even cause cancer.
The best medical protective eyewear will contain UV filters that’ll help reduce the amount of UV light entering your eyes. You should also look for goggles that contain anti-reflective coating to shield your eyes from UV light bouncing off walls, floors, and other surfaces.
Chemical resistant eyewear
When selecting safety goggles, you should ensure the product is chemical resistant. If you work in a laboratory or other medical setting where hazardous chemicals are present, you want to make sure your protective eyewear will shield your eyes from these harmful substances.
You can search for safety goggles that are certified to be chemical resistant for the best protection. If you work in a medical setting where you’re exposed to blood-borne pathogens, you should also look for medical protective eyewear that’s designed to prevent contamination. This will help to prevent the transmission of contaminants, such as blood-borne pathogens, from one person to another.
Eye disease risk
In certain medical settings, you may be exposed to viruses or bacteria that can lead to vision-threatening eye diseases such as contagious retinitis, cytomegalovirus retinitis, or even porphyria, a rare metabolic disorder.
While the risk of contracting one of these diseases is low, it’s still crucial to wear the proper safety eyewear. You should also wear eye protection in certain non-medical settings, such as when caring for children or pets.
This will help protect your eyes from being scratched or droplets of saliva or urine. Be sure to wear safety eyewear while gardening or working with power tools to prevent eye injuries caused by flying debris or chemicals.
Anti-fog technology
Most safety eyewear comes with anti-fog technology to prevent your lenses from fogging up, especially if you’re in a humid environment. This can be a major problem if you’re trying to perform delicate procedures, such as suturing or administering injections.
If you’re wearing non-fog lenses and your vision becomes blurry or distorted, you risk making a mistake that could have serious or even fatal consequences for a patient. Avoid this by investing in protective glasses that resist fogging.
Heat resistance
Certain medical settings may require you to wear heat-resistant safety eyewear, such as when working with lasers or other high-temperature equipment.
Thankfully, medical eyewear features heavy-duty materials that are resistant to high temperatures, ensuring your eyes are kept safe when it’s most necessary. Don’t risk suffering vision damage or even blindness. Invest in protective medical eyeglasses so that you can continue to provide the very best care in your field.
Polycarbonate construction
Polycarbonate is a hard material used to construct many of the lenses in protective eyewear, including medical eye protection. It’s a great option for eye protection because it’s shatter-resistant, lightweight, and impact-resistant, so it’s perfect for operating in hazardous environments.
Depending on the type of medical eye protection you’re using, you may need a shatter-resistant lens to protect your eyes from a direct impact.
In many cases, it’s important to wear shatter-resistant eyewear when operating machinery, working on construction sites, or performing other high-risk activities. Polycarbonate provides the high level of protection needed to keep your eyes safe in these types of settings.
Takeaway
When it comes to your vision and safety, you can’t be too careful. If you work in a medical setting or are exposed to potential eye hazards in any capacity, it’s crucial to take steps to protect yourself.
Thanks to medical eyewear, you can be sure to keep your eyes safe from harm; whether you work in the medical field or another industry where your vision is at risk.
Ellen Diamond did her degree in psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. She is interested in mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.
