Eye protection
Encyclopedia
Eye protection is protective gear for the eye
s, which comes in many types depending upon the threat that is to be reduced. The threats can be particles, light
, wind blast
, heat
, sea spray
or some type of ball
or puck
used in sports. Eye protection was invented on November 2, 1880 by P.Johnson.
are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the eye area in order to prevent particulates, infectious fluids, or chemicals from striking the eyes. For example, when swimming, goggles protect the eyes against water
.
is sensitive to intense
light because it damages the retina
and can even blind the individual. There are many different types of eye protection against light suited for different applications.
The most common forms of eye protection against light are sunglasses
. These primarily protect against UV
light from the sun and help increase visibility in bright conditions. They often tend to be fashionable as well as practical. Laser protection eyewear
is similar but will filter out a particular (or small range of) wavelength(s), customized to the laser
being viewed. Laser protection eyewear is particularly important because of the extremely high intensity of laser light.
Welding
glass protects against glare and flying sparks. Its a more extreme implementation of the same idea as sunglasses
, suited to the more intense light generated during welding
. Grade 14 welding
glass (which is much stronger than sunglasses) can also be used to stare directly at the sun (i.e. to view a solar eclipse
). Arc welding goggles must be much darker than blowtorch goggles.
s also protect the eyes:
Human eye
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...
s, which comes in many types depending upon the threat that is to be reduced. The threats can be particles, light
Light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. Visible light has wavelength in a range from about 380 nanometres to about 740 nm, with a frequency range of about 405 THz to 790 THz...
, wind blast
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
, heat
Heat
In physics and thermodynamics, heat is energy transferred from one body, region, or thermodynamic system to another due to thermal contact or thermal radiation when the systems are at different temperatures. It is often described as one of the fundamental processes of energy transfer between...
, sea spray
Sea spray
Sea spray is a spray of water that forms when ocean waves crash.-Make up:As a result, salt spray contains a high concentration of mineral salts, particularly chloride anions.-Effects:...
or some type of ball
Ball
A ball is a round, usually spherical but sometimes ovoid, object with various uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used for simpler activities, such as catch, marbles and juggling...
or puck
Puck (sports)
A puck is a disk used in various games serving the same functions as a ball does in ball games. The best-known use of pucks is in ice hockey, a major international sport.- Etymology :The origin of the word "puck" is obscure...
used in sports. Eye protection was invented on November 2, 1880 by P.Johnson.
Goggles
GogglesGoggles
Goggles or safety glasses are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the area surrounding the eye in order to prevent particulates, water or chemicals from striking the eyes. They are used in chemistry laboratories and in woodworking. They are often used in snow sports as well,...
are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the eye area in order to prevent particulates, infectious fluids, or chemicals from striking the eyes. For example, when swimming, goggles protect the eyes against water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
.
Protection against light
The human eyeHuman eye
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...
is sensitive to intense
Luminous intensity
In photometry, luminous intensity is a measure of the wavelength-weighted power emitted by a light source in a particular direction per unit solid angle, based on the luminosity function, a standardized model of the sensitivity of the human eye...
light because it damages the retina
Retina
The vertebrate retina is a light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye. The optics of the eye create an image of the visual world on the retina, which serves much the same function as the film in a camera. Light striking the retina initiates a cascade of chemical and electrical...
and can even blind the individual. There are many different types of eye protection against light suited for different applications.
The most common forms of eye protection against light are sunglasses
Sunglasses
Sunglasses or sun glasses are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can sometimes also function as a visual aid, as variously termed spectacles or glasses exist, featuring lenses that...
. These primarily protect against UV
Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...
light from the sun and help increase visibility in bright conditions. They often tend to be fashionable as well as practical. Laser protection eyewear
Laser protection eyewear
Laser protection eyewear are glasses or goggles used to protect eyes from damage from visible and invisible wavelengths of laser light. They can be similar to goggles or be lenses incorporated into other pieces of protective eyewear. Intrabeam viewing of lasers usually requires a low power laser...
is similar but will filter out a particular (or small range of) wavelength(s), customized to the laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
being viewed. Laser protection eyewear is particularly important because of the extremely high intensity of laser light.
Welding
Welding
Welding is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes...
glass protects against glare and flying sparks. Its a more extreme implementation of the same idea as sunglasses
Sunglasses
Sunglasses or sun glasses are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can sometimes also function as a visual aid, as variously termed spectacles or glasses exist, featuring lenses that...
, suited to the more intense light generated during welding
Welding
Welding is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes...
. Grade 14 welding
Welding
Welding is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes...
glass (which is much stronger than sunglasses) can also be used to stare directly at the sun (i.e. to view a solar eclipse
Solar eclipse
As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun as viewed from a location on Earth. This can happen only during a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. At least...
). Arc welding goggles must be much darker than blowtorch goggles.
Other protection
- Eye protectors used in sportSportA Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s like orienteeringOrienteeringOrienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
and cyclingCyclingCycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
to protect eyes from insectInsectInsects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s, dustDustDust consists of particles in the atmosphere that arise from various sources such as soil dust lifted up by wind , volcanic eruptions, and pollution...
and windWindWind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
blast. - Infection control glasses
- Eye shields used in External beam radiotherapyExternal beam radiotherapyExternal beam radiotherapy or teletherapy is the most common form of radiotherapy. The patient sits or lies on a couch and an external source of radiation is pointed at a particular part of the body...
to shield sensitive parts of the eye from ionizing radiation
Helmets and visors
Some helmets and visorVisor
A visor is a surface that protects the eyes, such as shading them from the sun or other bright light or protecting them from objects....
s also protect the eyes:
- Armor visorsVisor (armor)A visor was used in conjunction with some Medieval war helmets such as the bascinet. The visor usually consisted of a hinged piece of steel that contained openings for breathing and vision. Visors protected the face during battle. Most knights or warriors who wore visors usually were spotted on...
were used in conjunction with some Medieval war helmets to protect the eyes from impact. - Batting helmetBatting helmetA batting helmet is the protective headgear worn by batters in the game of baseball or softball. It is meant to protect the batter's head from errant pitches thrown by the pitcher...
with full face coverage is used by the catcher in baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and softballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
games to protect the eyes and face from impact. - EyeshieldEyeshieldAn eyeshield is a piece of football equipment. It is a visor that attaches to the helmet of a player to protect the eyes. It leaves the mouth exposed and covers the eyes and nose. Only clear eyeshields are allowed in high school football. On the college level, a clear eyeshield may be used if the...
is a piece of footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
equipment which attaches to a player's helmetFootball helmetA football helmet is a protective device used primarily in American football and Canadian football. It consists of a hard plastic top with thick padding on the inside, a face mask made of one or more plastic bars, and a chinstrap. Some players add polycarbonate visors to their helmets, which are...
to protect the eyes from impact. - Fighter pilot helmetFighter pilot helmetA flight helmet, sometimes nicknamed a "bone dome", is a special type of helmet primarily worn by military aircrew.A flight helmet can provide:...
includes a visorVisorA visor is a surface that protects the eyes, such as shading them from the sun or other bright light or protecting them from objects....
for protection from the sun and from wind blast in case of an ejection from the aircraft. - Some firefighter's helmets have visors which protect the eyes from heat and impact.
- Hockey helmetHockey helmetA hockey helmet is worn by players of ice hockey and inline hockey to help protect the head from potential injury when hit by the puck, sticks, skates, boards, other players, or the ice.-Construction:...
s have visors, shields, cages and masksGoalie maskA goaltender mask, commonly referred to as a goalie mask or a hockey mask, is a mask worn by ice hockey, inline hockey, and field hockey goaltenders to protect the head from injury. Jacques Plante was the first goaltender to create and use a practical mask in 1959. Plante's mask was a piece of...
to protect the eyes and face from impact. - HurlingHurlingHurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
helmets protect the eyes from the ball and from near contact with other players. - Lacrosse helmetLacrosse helmetA lacrosse helmet is a protective headpiece worn primarily in men's lacrosse, but also worn optionally by women's lacrosse players in Australia. Modern helmets consist of a hard plastic, non-adjustable shell with thick padding on the inside, a face mask made of metal bars, and a chinstrap used to...
used primarily in men's lacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
have a visor to protect the face and eyes from impact. - Lifeboatman's helmetLifeboatman's helmetA lifeboatman's helmet is designed to protect the heads of lifeboatmen at their work in rough sea.The sort described here is currently in use at Southport lifeboat station in England....
has a transparent visor to keep sea spraySea spraySea spray is a spray of water that forms when ocean waves crash.-Make up:As a result, salt spray contains a high concentration of mineral salts, particularly chloride anions.-Effects:...
out of the eyes. - Motorcycle helmetMotorcycle helmetA motorcycle helmet is a type of protective headgear used by motorcycle riders. The primary goal of a motorcycle helmet is motorcycle safety - to protect the rider's head during impact, thus preventing or reducing head injury or saving the rider's life...
s have face shields that protects the eyes against wind blast, dust, insects and impact in the event of a crash. - Riot protection helmets have visors to protect the eyes and face from projectiles and impact.
- Safety helmets, also called hard hatHard hatA hard hat is a type of helmet predominantly used in workplace environments, such as construction sites, to protect the head from injury by falling objects, impact with other objects, debris, bad weather and electric shock. Inside the helmet is a suspension that spreads the helmet's weight over the...
s, used by chainsawChainsawA chainsaw is a portable mechanical saw, powered by electricity, compressed air, hydraulic power, or most commonly a two-stroke engine...
operators and construction workers often have visors to protect the eyes from impact. - Space suitSpace suitA space suit is a garment worn to keep an astronaut alive in the harsh environment of outer space. Space suits are often worn inside spacecraft as a safety precaution in case of loss of cabin pressure, and are necessary for extra-vehicular activity , work done outside spacecraft...
helmets have gold-impregnated face shields to protect astronauts from the direct rays of the sunSunThe Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
.
Pricing
Prices depend on the manufacturing cost, quality, wavelength protection, and type of goggle/lens and may range from US$20 for a single lens to thousands of dollars for a set of specialized goggles.See also
- GlassesGlassesGlasses, also known as eyeglasses , spectacles or simply specs , are frames bearing lenses worn in front of the eyes. They are normally used for vision correction or eye protection. Safety glasses are a kind of eye protection against flying debris or against visible and near visible light or...
- HelmetHelmetA helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries.Ceremonial or symbolic helmets without protective function are sometimes used. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from...
- VisorVisorA visor is a surface that protects the eyes, such as shading them from the sun or other bright light or protecting them from objects....
- Protective headgear
- Personal protective equipmentPersonal protective equipmentPersonal protective equipment refers to protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garment or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury by blunt impacts, electrical hazards, heat, chemicals, and infection, for job-related occupational safety and health purposes, and in...