Does Wearing Safety Glasses All Day Harm Your Eyesight?
We have heard some workers have complained that wearing safety glasses all day is harmful for their eyesight. Is this true?
The concern appears to focus on plastic lenses of safety glasses which are alleged to:
Be of poor optical quality, and
Be uncomfortable, and
Distort images eg make it more difficult to correctly place a foot on a stair step or judge distances.
As a regular wearer of prescription glasses, I understand the possible discomfort, particularly on the bridge of the nose and behind the ears. This concern can be minimised by selecting the best option for the person’s face shape and ensuring correct fitting.
The effect of a new prescription can temporarily change the perception of distance. This feeling generally fixes itself, but it takes time to adjust.
In regard to the even more important concern about potential damage to eyesight the relevant authoritative standards provide some comforting guidance on this point.
The Australian Standards on workplace eye protection include:
AS/NZS 1336: Recommended Practices for Occupational Eye Protection,
AS/NZS 1337: Eye Protectors for Industrial Applications,
AS/NZS 1338: Filters for Eye Protectors.
Section 4.7(a) of AS/NZS 1336 states; “the long-term use of eye protectors which meet the requirements of AS/NZS 1337 & 1338 and are selected and fitted in accordance with the standard will not harm or weaken the eyes of the wearer”.
Therefore, you can confidently assure your workers that wearing approved safety glasses for long periods of time will not harm their eyesight.
If you want the final proof, most people wear sunglasses (with plastic lenses) all weekend and all summer holidays with no complaints or harmful effects.
