Safety at Work

Safety in the workplace is obviously important. Following the home environment, the workplace is the next most dangerous place for eyes. Fortunately however, work-related injuries are much less common now as on-site safety officers regularly enforce safety procedures.

It is the duty of industry to cover the costs of safety spectacles for their workers. Generally managers will provide for single vision or bifocal spectacles but not varifocals.

Safety at home

Without a safety officer around the home environment to advise that eye protection be worn during certain tasks, many injuries occur to the eyes. The home environment is a dangerous place for eyes, as hospital casualty lists of eye injuries indicate.

At home it is unlikely that the objects which threaten to injure the eye will contact the eye at the force/speed of sheered-off parts of factory machines. Therefore, at home it is usually sufficient just to shield the eyes, which can be done by wearing either prescription spectacles or plain, clear lenses. Plastics lenses are a must though, as glass lenses will shatter if hit with any force. It is sensible to wear plastic safety goggles when carrying out tasks such as hedge trimming and strimming or other DIY jobs where there is a danger of objects penetrating the eye.

Safety spectacles for sport

Another dangerous place for eyes is the sporting field, in particular the tennis court, squash court, the vicinity of the dartboard, and rugby scrum. Racquetball sports are dangerous to the eyes because the ball moves at high speeds and fits into the globe area of the eye. The force of the ball hitting the eye can cause a detached retina. Or a 'blow out fracture' when the bones of the delicate orbit break, causing injury to the globe and trapping the muscles that move the eye, leading to double vision. Rugby and darts are dangerous due to the risk of penetrating injuries. Here again, what counts is shielding the eyes, which can be done with clear plastics or prescription lenses.