It all started out as a simple household chore (and potentially a way to earn that coveted “yard of the month” sign), but it ended in a trip to the emergency room and an eye injury that is both inconvenient and painful.
Unfortunately, many people simply don’t realize the incredible risk associated with lawn care. Lawn care professionals usually get the lowdown from their employer, along with a pair of not-quite-amazing fitting safety glasses to use while they’re at work.
For the rest of us, we’re left to fend for ourselves, continually wavering between whether we value our sense of style more than our vision because, let’s be honest, most safety glasses make about as solid of a fashion statement as socks with sandals.
Even more important than the vibe is how uncomfortable they are. When safety glasses are uncomfortable, people opt not to wear them.
Before you put on your best “ironic nerd costume” or worse, forgo safety glasses altogether, let the team at Stoggles help you assert your dominance over both your lawn and your style.
We’ll help you understand why safety glasses are a must when you’re working in the yard and also show you how it’s entirely possible to stay pajamas-comfy while staying hard-hat safe.
It’s Just Lawn Care… Or Is It?
Pulling weeds, planting flowers, and edging your yard to perfection seems simple enough. Most people who have never had an eye injury while doing a little yard work find it hard to see the real dangers to your eye.
The Risks
Yard work is risky business, and it’s because your eye is really fragile. Although your eye is protected by the bony structure of your orbital socket, your eyelids, and the conjunctiva and cornea, the function of the eye (collection of light) makes it impossible for this gelatinous organ to be covered completely in a protective, bony casing.
As such, it’s easy for the eye to become injured from flying debris, spills and splashes, and even dirt and pollen carried by the wind. Anything that harms your retina, the structure located at the back of your eye, can even cause vision loss.
Your retinal cells are numbered, which means they don’t regenerate. Once they’re damaged, that’s it. Considering it doesn’t take a massive accident to harm your retina, we find the smart decision is to simply wear eye protection.
Here’s the thing, though: We wear loose t-shirts and cargo shorts with way too many pockets while doing yard work. Why? Because it’s Saturday morning, and we deserve to feel comfortable. Often, that means that safety glasses stay in our closet, along with other attire that doesn’t fit in with lounge chairs, lemonade, and life in the slow lane.
The Facts
Lawn care risks are more than just catching a small pebble thrown from your lawnmower, although that’s definitely reason enough to wear eye protection. According to the experts, even activities that don’t involve power tools can place your eyes at risk.
Let’s break it down:
- Power tools. It goes without saying that power mowers, rotary mowers, edgers, trimmers, and weed-eaters carry a risk of eye injury. Because of the speed with which they operate, it’s entirely possible for them to whip up a hard object like a rock, stick, or piece of trash and send it sailing toward your eyeball.
These types of eye-related injuries can result in lacerations, cuts, bruises, and even vision loss.
- Foliage. The very grasses and branches you’re pruning could also damage your eyes. Some plants, for instance, produce sap that can cause toxic conjunctivitis if it comes in contact with your eyes.
Toxic conjunctivitis causes an infection that is extremely painful and requires medical attention. If you have allergies, the pollen from the trees and grasses can wreak havoc on your eyes, leaving them itchy, watery, and red.
- UV Damage. You probably think you’re protected from UV damage if you wear sunglasses while working in the yard, but that’s only partially true. Most sunglasses have UV protection, but if you grabbed your yard work pair in the dollar bin, they might not be as protective as you think.
Even during cold months, UV damage is possible when you’re outdoors. Photokeratitis, a type of “sunburn of the eye,” can occur when sunlight is reflected off the snow or ice surface and into your eyes. In the summer, photokeratitis can happen if you’re working on a sandy or watery surface.
The risks are high, and the need for proper eye protection is great.
The Need
With more than 2.5 million eye injuries sustained per year, it’s clear our eyes are vulnerable. It’s easy to assume that the majority of these injuries are work-related and only happen in hard-hat areas.
Nope. The shocking reality is that one-half of all eye injuries occur in the home.
Simple tasks like cleaning, home improvement, and of course, yard work make our homes a scary place for our eyes. Experts say by simply wearing the correct safety glasses, 90% of the eye injuries sustained each year can be completely avoided. Safety eyewear is bulky, cumbersome, sweaty, and bulky (yeah, we said “bulky” twice). So, how can we get people to suit up?
As it happens, the team here at Stoggles knows a thing or two about safety glasses. Lawn warriors, rejoice.
Best Safety Glasses for Lawn Care
If you grew up hearing your old man mow the lawn, complaining about his gigantic, ill-fitting goggles, we get the hesitation with wearing them yourself. We promise: The glasses that we’ll recommend will keep your eyes safe and feel just like your favorite pair of specs.
Side and Top Shields
“Why can’t I just wear my sunglasses/regular glasses/readers?” We hear it all the time; we get it; those glasses are dang easy to wear. It’s not fun to hang out in your backyard feeling like you’re an extra in a cheesy science fiction movie, weighed down by some cumbersome safety specs.
There are a myriad of reasons why wearing these glasses in the yard isn’t a good idea, but one of the main ones is the vulnerability they create above your eyes and across your temples.
Safety glasses have specialized side and top shields that protect your eyes from spills, splatters, flying debris, and dust. If you don’t believe you need them, have a buddy spray a water bottle at the side of your eyes while wearing your normal sunglasses.
Sorry to get you wet.
Impact Resistance
To combat the ability of an object to strike your eye and cause a cut or puncture wound, you need glasses that provide impact resistance. While some glasses say they provide resistance, the true standard of impact resistance is the ANSI Z87.1-2020 seal.
Safety glasses that bear this seal have been tested in two unique ways.
- High impact. During a high-impact test, a weighted ball bearing is dropped on the glasses from a specified height.
- High velocity. The high-velocity test involves discharging a ball bearing at high speed toward the safety glasses that are attached to a head form.
In order for safety glasses to pass these tests, neither the lenses nor the frames can break or shatter. All Stoggles glasses come standard with the ANSI Z87.1-2020 certification, so loose gravel doesn’t have a chance to ruin your day (or your vision).
Sometimes, protective gear is just too heavy. Case in point: A suit of armor weighed up to 55 pounds. Captain America’s shield weighs 12 pounds. No offense to the aforementioned, but we already carry the weight of taxes, traffic, and nosey neighbors; we don’t need anything else to slow us down.
Stoggles are made from polycarbonate — a material far lighter than iron of the Middle Ages or Cap’s Vibranium (and a lot more affordable). You don’t need superhuman strength for super protection. You just need polycarbonate.
UV Protection
Just like you want shade from sunlight, you need protection from UV rays. Stoggles safety glasses are made from lightweight polycarbonate material, which is naturally UV blocking. UV protection ensures your eyes are safe, even when you’re working on a cloudy day and think you don’t need it. Turns out mom was right; you can still get sunburned when the sun isn’t out.
Blue Light Blocking Technology
You probably already know that blue light is emitted from smartphones, tablets, and computers. It’s why so many of your friends and colleagues suddenly began donning clear, blue light blocking glasses just a few short years ago.
The truth is, the sun is the largest source of blue light, and you’re exposed to it even when it is cloudy, just like ultraviolet rays. Blue light blocking lenses filter harmful blue light away from your eyes, keeping them safe.
We know that blue light can cause eye fatigue, strain, headaches, and interfere with sleep. What we don’t know is how it impacts your eye health on a long-term basis. While research continues, play it safe and protect your eyes from blue light when you’re outdoors and when indoors in front of your screens.
Anti-Fog
Nothing is worse than a pair of glasses that continually fog. Removing them to wipe them down can take you off task and leave your eyes vulnerable to injury. Anti-fog coating changes the way steam, breath, and condensation collect on the surface of your glasses, preventing them from fogging and allowing you to keep your glasses firmly on your face.
Dangers: Leaf Us Alone
You know what you need in terms of protection, but how do you get that protection without completely forfeiting your cool card? You get Stoggles, of course.
Stoggles are the safety glasses that deliver high-level eye protection while retaining style because you shouldn’t have to choose form over fashion (or comfort), even when it comes to PPE. Our glasses are sleek, streamlined, and completely comfortable.
Available in two different lens shapes and numerous colors, it’s easy to customize your look to match your personality or even your lawnmower.
Your yard is a dangerous place, but it’s no match for your precision edging, immaculate weeding, and total lawn care dominance. Make the smart decision and keep your eyes safe while you create the landscaping of your dreams. Stoggles is the solution for eye care that is both protective and comfortable. You won’t ever want to take them off. In fact, you don’t have to.
Sources:
Preventing Eye Injuries | Johns Hopkins Medicine
Keratouveitis caused by Euphorbia plant sap | NCBI
Photokeratitis: Treatment, Healing Time, Causes, Symptoms & Prevention | My Cleveland Clinic.org
