Health Topics for Personal Safety

Department of Emergency Medicine

Emergency Medical Services Learning Resources Center

Safety glasses and goggles

Many do-it-yourself projects around the home and yard can create hazards to the eyes, if they include chemicals, dust, or flying objects. Always wear good eye protection when engaging in any of these types of projects.

Safety glasses, goggles, and face shields are the basic types of eye protection devices. Most are available from hardware or safety supply stores.

Safety glasses are available with lenses without correction or lenses with your corrective prescription. They look similar to regular eyeglasses, but they have impact-resistant lenses. Choose a pair with side panels to provide additional protection from the side.

Goggles provide better protection. They fit snugly to the face around each eye, offering little opportunity for a small object to reach the eye. They also provide good protection from dust, fumes, and chemical splashes.

Face shields protect the entire face as well as the eyes from frontal impacts. They do not offer good protection from the sides. They can be used with goggles for maximum protection.

These protective devices should always be used when:

• sawing lumber
• using a power sander or grinder
• hammering anything
• working underneath an automobile
• scraping old paint from a wall and
• working with chemicals, such as paint stripper, that give off vapors or may splash into the eyes

Take the time to prevent injury to your eyes. Invest in the proper safety equipment and wear it each and every time.

Last Reviewed 2005

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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