You need safety glasses, but the options at the big box home improvement store are less than red carpet-worthy. We understand. Stoggles exists for the discriminating customer, who would rather risk damaging their regular specs than wear safety glasses from the “Poindexter Halloween Costume.”
Designer safety glasses are available from several manufacturers, but the price tag can put you in a state of shock. Fear not. We’ll discuss why designer safety glasses can be a good investment and how you can get a pair for less than you think.
What Are Safety Glasses?
Safety glasses are specialized glasses that you wear to protect your eyes from hazards while you work or play. Generally, you’ll find these protective glasses in large bins at your local hardware store. They’re usually available in one-size-fits-all (read: no one). They are so bulky and uncomfortable that you can hardly keep them on while you finish your project.
The problem is, you need them. Your vision is that important. There are several scenarios in which you’ll want to be certain to wear your safety glasses.
At Your Workplace
If you work in certain conditions that could be hazardous to your eyes, your employer probably issued you a pair of standard safety glasses. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) determines whether or not your job is one that requires you to wear safety glasses or safety goggles. Then, it's your employer’s responsibility to ensure you’re wearing them correctly and everything adheres to the proper safety standards. Hint: They’re going to nag you, and it’s easier to just wear the safety eyewear instead of reading a thousand emails.
Jobs that involve construction, landscaping, maintenance, healthcare, and heavy machinery usually require employees to use multiple types of personal protective equipment (PPE), including safety lenses.
Even if you’re a loose cannon gardener who doesn’t play by the rules, you should definitely make this rule an exception to your rule against rules.
Home
Home is probably the last place you think about wearing safety glasses, but even though your home is comfortable and familiar, there are still potential eye hazards.
From yard work to spring cleaning with chemicals and power tools that involve the use of gasoline, wearing safety glasses can mean the difference between spending your holiday bonus on a vacation or an ER visit.
Sometimes, it’s the home activities we least suspect. For example, parents and teachers know that glitter is a scourge on carpets, laundry machines, and furniture everywhere. But that’s not all. Next time you do those arts and crafts projects, you want to wear protective eyewear; glitter can cause extreme eye damage, including the loss of the eye.
Sports and Activities
Whether you’re a golf fanatic or an avid cyclist, the need to protect your vision while you enjoy your favorite pastime is critical. You’ll extend the time you get to play and avoid injuries if you make the smart decision to invest in protective eyewear.
Why Designer Glasses?
For some, designer glasses are about image. For the rest, they’re about buying something they know will last and will help them retain a more professional and polished image. Designer glasses are made with high-quality materials, and the designer places extra importance and care on the finished look of the product.
Here are three reasons why your eyes deserve the very best:
1. Durability
In terms of long-lasting products, designer glasses are simply more durable. Most safety glasses will be made from some type of durable plastic, but high-quality safety glasses are typically made from polycarbonate.
Polycarbonate is lightweight and shatter-resistant, making it a great material for safety glasses in both indoor and outdoor use. It’s truly the heavyweight of lightweight materials.
2. Unique
Designer glasses are unique. Unlike the box of bargain bin glasses that you’ll find at the store, designer safety glasses think outside the middle school science face protection class box. They’ll have unexpected features, like the availability of different colors and frame shapes to compliment your face shape and style preferences.
Individuality is important and also a great way to encourage a higher usage rate of your safety glasses. If you like them, you’ll wear them. It’s as simple as that. Get a few in different colors and shapes and match them to your favorite outfits!
Look like a vision; protect your vision.
3. Effective
Designer brands place their name on the line with their products. Safety glasses must be thoroughly tested to ensure they’re effective. When a designer brand has their reputation on the line to produce a quality product, they follow through, unlike mass-produced items that have a reputation of failing.
What To Look For in Designer Safety Glasses
Just like shopping for regular safety glasses, there are some features you need to ensure your protective eyewear has.
Got a pen? Great. Here’s your checklist:
Anti-Fog Lenses
Lenses that repeatedly fog are more than just annoying; they’re not safe. Removing your glasses to wipe them exposes your eyes to hazards and distracts you from the task at hand. Anti-fog lenses prevent fogging and keep your head (and eyes) in the game. Optical clarity equals decision-making clarity.
Anti-fog wipes aren’t a great solution. They are a very temporary fix for a permanent problem. Plus, taking off your glasses to wipe them basically negates the purpose of safety glasses (and regular glasses) in the first place.
Stoggles are here to clear the fog — literally. Each pair comes with a long-lasting Premium Anti-Fog coating. This coating is so strong that it won’t wear away, even when cleaned with alcohol wipes. The fog machine at your fav rock venue is no match for your powers.
Blue Light Blocking
Let’s face it — our faces are constantly bombarded with blue-light emitting devices. Computers, tablets, smartphones, and the sun all give off that annoying glare that we would all rather do without.
Blue light blocking lenses help filter blue light rays from entering your eye, keeping them in max comfort (and style).
UV Protection
We love basking in the sun's warm glow, but just like with snack foods and emails, there can definitely be too much of a good thing.
Damage from sunlight is cumulative to your eyes. Over time, you might notice your vision suffering because of sun exposure. Safety glasses should block UV rays, and if you purchase a pair with polycarbonate lenses, they will.
As a lens material, polycarbonate is naturally UV blocking and extremely transparent. This is why it’s so popular for safety glasses; even designer ones.
ANSI Z87.1 Certification
Great safety glasses should protect your eyes from high impact, even if you don’t think impact is a huge risk. Look for the ANSI Z87.1 (American National Standards Institute) certification on your glasses. If your glasses meet ANSI standards, you know your glasses have been tested for impact and proven to be shatterproof and durable. Who needs superpowers when you have science?
Side and Top Shields
Your regular prescription glasses leave areas around your eyes vulnerable. The sides of your glasses and the tops of them are areas that are unprotected. Look for safety glasses with side shields and top shields to ensure proper safety around all edges.
Get Safe and Stylish With Stoggles
Designer glasses are a great idea, but let’s be honest, they’re not cheap. Stoggles to the rescue. Our premium safety glasses are the ultimate in eye safety and wear like your favorite designer pair of specs.
Available in nine colors and three different styles, our glasses are customizable and comfortable. Need prescription safety glasses? No prob: We handle all of that in-house.
We’re convinced you’ll wear them even when you don’t actually need to. Eye protection should stop the irritants, not be the source of them.
Save your cash and boost your style with affordable, iconic Stoggles.
Sources:
ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2020: Current Standard for Safety Glasses | ANSI
Protecting your eyes at work | AOA
Eye injury: Tips to protect vision | Mayo Clinic
What happens if you get glitter makeup in your eye? | All About Vision
