What are the characteristics of medical safety glasses, what distinguishes them from occupational safety glasses? Are there different forms of medical safety glasses? What is the structure of medical safety glasses? What are their benefits? This article deals with all these questions.
What is medical safety eyewear?
Medical safety glasses are used to protect the eyes and the eye region by means of a close-fitting frame. Medical safety goggles as part of the work clothing are occupational safety goggles. It is used to protect the eyes and the eye region through a close-fitting frame. Medical safety glasses are characterized by lenses and a frame made of plastic, which are resistant to chemicals, heat, cold and flying particles.
Shapes, types and styles
The employer is required by the Occupational Safety and Health Act to provide the employee with personal protective equipment (PPE), which must comply with DIN EN 166. In the medical field, this includes medical safety goggles. For better adaptation to the head shape and coverage of the eye area, the temples are flexibly adjustable in inclination and length. The ergonomic forehead support also serves to improve the fit. The upward closure works against annoying light reflections or dust and chemicals. Nose loops allow a non-slip fit in any head position and prevent pressure points. Soft temple ends also increase comfort without pressing on sensitive areas behind the ears. This allows support for the individual’s range of motion: the fitted goggles sit firmly and stay put, high wearing comfort is guaranteed. Wearing the medical safety glasses for long periods of time is possible without any problems – not least due to their light weight. Some glasses have an anti-reflective coating. These are characterized by high transmission: Almost 100 percent of the visible range of light with a wavelength higher than 400 nm is transmitted. All high-energy light rays up to 400 nm are completely blocked, as with the 400 nm edge filter. This prevents disturbing light reflections. Glare-free, low-fatigue vision at the workplace with a mix of artificial and natural light is thus made possible. Wearing medical safety glasses improves performance and safety in the activity to be performed, for example manual activities such as operating, dental technology, reading data and working in the laboratory. Some glasses for laboratory use additionally block the other end of the spectrum: the range of infrared light. The glasses / lenses meet the highest optical quality class according to DIN EN 166. Distortion-free images prevent fatigue at the workplace. If high-impact polycarbonate is used in accordance with the standard, the goggles also offer maximum protection against mechanical hazards. The lenses must be scratch-resistant, impact-free and antistatic. Some safety glasses are compatible with the user’s regular eyeglasses as over-the-eye glasses. In other medical safety glasses, optical correction can be incorporated into the lenses. Various plastic materials are injection molded into the frame. Thus, interesting for allergy sufferers, metal-free medical safety glasses are produced. A few models are available in metal or metal / plastic versions. Certain models offer panoramic lenses for an unrestricted field of vision with integrated side shields. Because they seal tightly all around, they have a system of vents, fold easily and can be stored in the gown when needed. For medical steam pressure sterilization work, medical safety goggles are being developed that do not fog up during autoclave work. This property is ensured by a special coating. The lens shape of some frames is adapted for particularly high cheekbones, similar to sports half-face glasses, while other frames are optimized for narrow faces. In other models – as with some sports glasses – the plastic lenses can be easily changed. Some lenses are equipped with nano particles so that they can be cleaned quickly. The lenses have different designs: In addition to conventional shapes in a frame that encloses the entire lens, there are also curved lenses that extend into the side of the face. These lenses can, but do not have to, be completely enclosed by a frame.Thus, a sporty design, often still in different colors and shapes of frame and lenses.
Structure and operation
Medical safety glasses consist of a frame – usually made of plastic – and lenses, which are usually also made of plastic. Some frames can be worn as over-glasses over the user’s optical correction. Depending on the application, different plastics are used: impact-resistant polycarbonates, cellulose acetate, glass or tempered glass for the lenses. Coatings are possible to provide “scratch resistance”, “anti-fog”, “resistance to chemicals”, “protection against dirt” and “polarization” properties. Very similar design – but with different lenses – can be found for sports, water sports, alpine and skiing, and the field of therapeutic edge filters for people with visual impairment or blindness. The frame provides reliable protection of the eye area against external influences such as UV and IR light, chemicals, heat, cold, dust and particles. Different tints of the lenses – or clear glass – are available depending on the application.
Medical and health benefits
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers must equip their employees with medical safety glasses, for example. In this way, he fulfills his duty of care to ensure the operational occupational safety of employees. The employee himself benefits from more relaxed vision and less stress in the workplace. Safe, non-stressed, glare-free, fatigue-free vision increases the productivity of the work performed. This applies to activities in the laboratory such as carrying out or evaluating experiments, activities in the operating room or in dental technology. Both the employer and the employee benefit from the increased security of data quality and more efficient performance. The patient in the operating room and the surgical team benefit from increased safety during surgery.
