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Protective eyewear

The goal of most protective eyewear (including high-end sunglasses) is to provide a particular light transmission profile that yields the highest protection and perfect vision under all light conditions. Protective eyewear is highly useful in many industrial, sports and leisure activities, and in numerous of these activities use of protective eyewear is mandatory under industrial and/or governmental regulations. For example, athletes often wear protective eyewear while participating in sports. Protecting players from injury is a primary concern for any sport. The most vulnerable part of the body is the head, face, and eyes. Thus, protective face masks and eyewear are common in sports such as baseball, hockey, football, racquetball, squash, and lacrosse. Doctors, dentists, and their assistants often wear protective eyewear while performing medical or dental procedures. Many industrial personnel also wear protective eyewear to guard the eyes and face from flying debris. And recreational swimmers wear protective eyewear to help keep water out of the eyes. Protective eyewear in infectious environments, such as hospitals and operating rooms, is imperative to protect employees from hazardous exposure when working. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation requires employees to wear protective masks and eyewear whenever splashes, spray, spatter, or droplets of blood or other potentially infectious materials may be generated and eye, nose, or mouth contamination can be reasonably anticipated. Different varieties of protective eyewear are worn to protect the eyes from different hazards, such as mechanical injury, chemical damage or radiation exposure. Increasing levels of protection against mechanical injury are afforded by ordinary safety glasses, safety glasses with sideshields and safety goggles. Protection from chemical damage is also available at different levels with safety glasses with splash shields to protect against liquid chemicals splashing into the eyes and sealed safety goggles which also protect the eyes from vapors and fumes. Eyeglasses and sunglasses are generally known in the art and are commonly used to correct vision problems and to provide protection to the eyes, both from air borne objects, and from harmful electromagnetic radiation.

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