It might seem like a very obvious process to pick out a pair of safety glasses, but to make sure you make an informed and detailed decision, you need to consider a few things before your purchase. However, you have nothing to worry about as we have taken notice of all the things that could affect your purchase and have decided to make you aware of them so you can make more utility-driven decisions.
Here are the top features you need to look out for when going safety glasses shopping:
ANSI Approved
As the name suggests, a pair of safety glasses have to do what they are made for: provide you with full eye protection. However, how do you ensure that the product is safe and does what it intends to do?
This is where American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a private organization that provides safety products providers with standards within the United States, comes in. They also regulate the safety standards for safety glasses. When you look for safety glasses, make sure that you opt for an ANSI-approved product.
This means that the product you have opted for has exceeded the basic safety standards and can be considered among the market's top products. To verify that your product has been ANSI approved, look for a blue or black ANSI symbol on the product's packaging or the frame of your glasses.
Durability
Another thing to consider when buying safety glasses is durability. No one would like a product that breaks apart after a month of use. Especially a product that was supposed to be durable enough to take on anything that may damage your eyes. This is why the durability of your glasses should be the most important concern when buying a pair.
For example, to make sure that the frame of your glasses is durable, check if it is made of a hard nylon material as it would enable the product to retain its shape. For your lenses, the most preferred material is highly durable polycarbonate. This quality ensures that no debris, including gravel, wood, or even metal, can pierce through the eye guard of your glasses. The impact protection that the lenses provide is directly responsible for protecting your eyes, so make sure you do not compromise on this feature.
Polarization
To be able to see clearly means that you will be able to work properly, in turn, avoid any workplace hazard from occurring.
If you are looking for a pair of safety glasses that you would be using for a long time or for work that requires you to wear them for extended periods, you must opt for a product that includes polarized lenses. Polarized lenses use a filter placed between the plastics of the lenses that filter out the light, allowing only vertically aligned light to pass through. This type of lens ensures increased visibility when you need it the most.
By blocking the horizontally aligned lights, the glasses will reduce the effects of reflecting lights and glares and make it easier for you to maintain appropriate visibility. Especially if you work indoors or in places with a lot of light, we suggest that you get a product with polarized lenses to diminish the impact of reflected lights and give you a sharper, clearer view of things.
Peripheral coverage
It is important to have all-around peripheral coverage for your eyes. This would mean getting closed in glasses that will cover up the entirety of your eyes, along with the peripherals, making sure that you are provided with complete security. You can never be too sure that the debris rushing towards your eye will come from the front of the glasses or the sides.
Regardless of the extent of risk involved with your work, we suggest using full peripheral protection glasses. These will come in handy with riskier projects, and you won’t need to go out and buy a new pair whenever you take up a new project.
UV Protection
For projects outdoors, your biggest concern would be the sun and its harmful UV rays for projects outdoors. If you have work that requires you to work outdoors, opt for a product that comes with UV protection. This UV protection will work for your eyes while applying sunscreen to take care of your body. Ultraviolet radiation can damage your eyes and cause muscular degeneration.
Scratch resistant
Safety glasses protect you from debris that is constantly flying around you;
however, this debris might scratch the lenses of your glasses, reducing their overall lifespan and visibility. We suggest always opting for a scratch-resistant pair of glasses that can withstand what’s being thrown at them.
To ensure that your product is scratch-resistant, check the packaging and determine what kind of tests the product has gone through. If the product has passed a diamond-like carbon (DLC) and polycrystalline diamond test for scratch resistance, you should consider it long-lasting and something you can depend upon.
