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The Vision Council  >  Consumers   >   Eyewear Options   >   Protective Eyewear

Eye Protection

Thousands of eye injuries occur each day – 90 percent of which could have been avoided with proper eye protection. Eye injuries can occur on the job, at home or while playing sports, so it’s important to invest in and regularly wear protective eyewear.

Protective eyewear must be made of the proper materials, and fitted correctly for each wearer. Make sure all protective eyewear you use meets the Z87.1 standard set by the American National Standards Institute. Choose safety glasses, goggles, safety shields and eye guards with:

• Lenses made from polycarbonate, a type of clear plastic that is impact resistant.
• 100 percent ultraviolet (UV) protection and a scratch-resistant coating.
• Padded or rubber bridges to keep the eyewear comfortable.
• Deep-grooved eyewires to keep the lenses from falling out if the frame is hit hard.
• A face-formed shape to provide a wider field of view.
• Headband attachments to keep the frames from slipping.