Recommending prescription safety eyewear to the right patient could be the difference between a minor and major mishap. Wayne Puxty provides an overview of this at-times overlooked eyewear category.
As qualified optical dispensers, our remit is to offer the most appropriate eyewear options. A significant part of our day involves collecting information and synthesising that into a product recommendation. Prescription safety eyewear is one of those. With Bolle Safety Australia stating that “9/10 eye injuries can be prevented with proper protection” and that of all head injuries, 45% are eye injuries, prescription safety eyewear has an important role to play.
This eyewear is the combination of a safety frame and prescription lenses tested to comply with the requirements of Australian Standards (AS/NZS1337.6:2012 Personal Eye Protection, Part 6: Prescription eye protectors against low and medium impact).
This means the frame has been tested by a third-party certifier like SAI Global to ensure they meet the minimum requirements for protection and durability. The lens material has also been tested in various prescription combinations when fitted to a specific frame. This provides the manufacturer with a range of prescriptions for a specific frame option. The certified prescription range can vary from frame-to-frame and supplier-to-supplier.
Certified prescription safety eyewear can only be supplied by a licensed manufacturer. There are several in Australia, including some of the larger lens suppliers as well as other companies dedicated to prescription safety eyewear. When a prescription falls outside the certified range, a compliant product can be manufactured. Hoya Safety Eyewear states that “in this instance the manufacturer is declaring that their product is compliant and must be able to substantiate the claims of conformance”. The third-party certification is not provided in this instance. Simply edging lenses into a safety frame will not provide the certification or guarantee of eye protection and should be avoided.
Frames
Gone are the days when practices held their obligatory six safety frames. Manufacturers are continually adding new frames style options, so hiding them away should no longer be the ‘norm’. With expanding options, suppliers have made finding the most appropriate option easy.
Lenses
Lens options and designs vary among suppliers. Single vision, bifocal, progressives, occupational progressives and anti-fatigue are all available with different treatment options.
Clear, photosensitive and sunglasses are all available. Sunglasses are typically supplied in a polarised version however some manufacturers can also offer a dye tint version for those who prefer or require non-polarising. Photosentive options are readily available along with anti-reflection and anti-fog coatings.
The lens range options in prescription safety eyewear are smaller than those available in conventional eyewear, but there are options to suit most applications.
Lens Materials
Lens materials are based on the tested protection that each provides. Typically, for medium impact protection, Trivex (1.53n) or Polycarbonate (1.59n) are used. These lens materials provide protection from an object travelling at 40 meters per second (medium impact). Trivex offers superior chemical inertness and a higher Abbe number (less birefringence and chromatic aberration). Some suppliers offer a low impact alternative which provides protection from an impact travelling less than 12 meters per second. The main material for this is CR39 1.5n.
Is the eyewear certified?
Safety frames are marked with the standard they comply with and the license number of the manufacturer. This way you can confirm they have been tested and will provide the appropriate protection.
Lenses are marked as well. Usually in the upper temporal area out of the general line of vision. These markings are a combination of letters that denote particular characteristics of the eyewear. A logo or defining symbol defines who the manufacturer is. The letter ‘R’ denotes the lenses are corrective/prescription. An ‘I’ or ‘F’ indicates the lenses are compliant to provide medium impact protection. And the letter ‘O’ relates to the lens colour, outdoor and untinted. Some lenses may have a number (1-3) which shows their tint density as per the sunglass standards.
Who should we recommend to?
Discussing the customer’s workplace and job tasks is the best way to uncover the information for a recommendation.
PSG suggests that “working with metal is one of the most common sources of work-related eye injuries”.
When should it be replaced?
Trent from RxSafety suggests prescription safety eyewear should be replaced in the following instances:
- If it’s received an impact, as it may not withstand a subsequent impact.
- If the prescription requirements have changed or expired
- If the eyewear is two years or more in age.
Most of us understand what a potential risk might be to our customers’ eyes and vision of our customers. Don’t ignore it, discuss it and recommend prescription safety eyewear.
More reading
Why professional development matters for optical dispensers
Discussing tints with your patients
Creating personalised eyewear – Gladys Mak
