Use the Correct Eyewear for the Job
The proper safety eyewear is one of the most important items you can wear. Yet many workers don’t use eye protection, wear the wrong type, or think their regular eyeglasses or sunglasses will protect them.
There are more than 700,000 work-related eye injuries in the U.S. each year. Fortunately, 90% of them are preventable with the use of proper safety eyewear. Here’s how you can protect your vision.
- Assess your work area. Common on-the-job hazards are impacts from flying objects such as large chips, fragments, particles, sand, and dirt. Other common hazards are heat, chemicals, and dust.
- Choose the proper eye protection for the hazard you face. Select the kind of eyewear and protective lens that meet standard safety requirements for the hazards you encounter. Many manufacturers provide detailed information to help you choose the right product.
- Select protective eyewear that you will wear. Fit, style, lens coatings, and even prescription lenses are some of the options available. Even the best eye protection can’t protect you if it stays in your toolbox.
- Maintain a safe work environment. Follow workplace safety guidelines to prevent accidents. Make sure your protective eyewear is clean, in good condition, and fits properly.
Need advice? Make an appointment with an optometrist for help choosing proper safety glasses or for prescription lenses. Search for an in-network provider at vsp.com or call 1 (800) 877-7195.
DON’T WAIT TO BE SEEN
Even a minor eye injury can cause permanent vision loss. Get urgent care from a medical doctor if any of these signs are present:
- Obvious pain or trouble seeing
- A cut or torn eyelid
- One eye does not move as well as the other
- One eye sticks out compared to the other
- Unusual pupil size or shape
- Blood in the clear part of the eye
- Something in the eye or under the eyelid that can’t be removed
Choose Healthy 