We’re probably speaking for the majority when we say no one wants an eye injury. Unfortunately, the number of people undertaking hazardous activities without wearing protective eyewear says otherwise.
Eye injuries are common-so common that almost 2,000 of them happen daily on the job. Nearly 2.4 million eye injuries occur each year, and about half of those happen right in your own home (or garden) — gasp — the betrayal.
At Stoggles, we began to wonder: Why aren’t people wearing eye protection? We did a little digging and found some arguably good reasons. We’ll share those and give you the workarounds so you can protect your eyes on the job site or at home.
We’ll also fill you in on how to scope the safety glasses that look like normal glasses and not like some mad scientist on a television show.
Why People Don’t Wear Safety Goggles and Glasses
Before we developed Stoggles, we asked around. Why were people not wearing safety glasses, and what needed to change so people would wear them? We found three big reasons why most people avoided eye protection.
Style
The biggest reason people aren’t wearing protective eyewear? It’s ugly (and uncomfortable).
Safety eyewear, as an industry, has never focused on aesthetics, claiming an exemption due to the overall design, materials, and purpose don’t typically lend themselves to being en vogue. The purpose of protective eyewear is to protect; sadly, style and comfort were never factored in because it didn’t add to the primary purpose.
Even though new technologies and materials have made it possible for us to protect our eyes and retain our dignity at the same time, many companies simply don’t want the hassle of revamping their style, or more importantly, they find it unnecessarily expensive.
Understandable, but unfortunate, because to be blunt: You just ain’t gonna wear something you don’t feel good in.
Comfort
Another reason why safety eyewear often rests in a work bag or box instead of securely on the face is because of comfortability. PPE that isn’t comfortable simply doesn’t get worn, and we’d argue that isn’t really good personal protective equipment either.
At Stoggles, we understand that comfort is key to compliance. If your safety glasses don’t feel comfortable, or if the nose piece leaves marks on your skin, you aren’t going to wear them.
“I Don’t Need Them”
The last reason people forgo safety eyewear is that they simply fail to realize they need it. When you’ve been at your job for years or mowed your lawn every Saturday for a decade without an accident, it’s hard to imagine an eye injury could happen to you.
The scary fact is, they can. And if you’d rather share your favorite joke at a party instead of the story of how you lost your eyesight, wearing safety glasses is 10/10 recommended. And also probably more comfortable than a lifelong eye patch.
What Your Safety Glasses Should Have
Before we talk about safety glasses that look like glasses and not thermonuclear orbital socket protectors, let’s talk about the features they should have to keep your eyes safe.
Shatter Resistance
Possibly the most important feature of your safety glasses is their ability to resist breaking or shattering. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) tests protective eyewear to determine whether or not it is effective.
Glasses training to get the coveted ANSI Z87.1-2020 certification must pass two gauntlets:
- Weighted object test. Safety glasses are secured to a head form, and a weighted bearing is dropped onto the lenses from a particular height. No shattering or breaking can occur for the glasses to pass the test.
- High-velocity test. Using a head form, safety glasses are securely affixed and then subjected to the firing of a ball bearing directly into the lens. Again, no shattering or breaking can occur, or the glasses won’t pass the test.
ANSI is the gold standard for impact resistance and for ensuring your safety glasses meet the high-quality standards of safety that are recognized across virtually every industry. It’s like the most extreme game show for safety eyewear.
Anti-Fog Coating
Everyone got a little taste of lens fogging when face masks became “on-trend” a few years ago. No matter how frequently you wiped your lenses or what DIY concoction you tried (shaving cream, anyone?), your lenses still seemed to fog.
Although anti-fog wipes and drops might help keep your lenses clear for a few hours, the better solution is permanent anti-fog lens coating. Glasses that have a clear anti-fog coating have been treated with a chemical that changes how condensation collects on your glasses.
By breaking the surface tension of the condensation, your glasses stay clear, even when you move from indoors to outdoors on a hot day, wearing a face mask, or working in a steamy environment.
UV Protection
Admit it. You normally don’t wear safety sunglasses when you’re trimming the hedges, mowing the lawn, or gardening. We see you, weekend yard warriors, and we care about your eyes. One stray rock from the mower, a little bit of pollen from a plant, or a chance encounter with a power tool and your eyesight could be in jeopardy.
Both UVA and UVB rays from the sun can be incredibly damaging to your eyes, causing corneal burns, photokeratitis, or worse-permanent macular damage. Even if it’s cloudy, you need UV protection.
Polycarbonate material, which we use to make the lenses and frames of all Stoggles, have natural UV blocking protection and offer crystal clear lens visibility so you can keep your eyes on the prize and avoid an accident while you’re working.
Polycarbonate lenses are a better choice for UV protection because they don’t require a coating for UV protection, making them last longer.
Blue Light Blockers
Just like ultraviolet rays, blue light rays can penetrate the eye and reach the retina. Blue light comes from the sun and from sources like LED light bulbs, televisions, and smartphones. Our exposure to blue light is increased because most of us use computers and smartphones more than we’d probably care to admit.
OSHA suggests that wearing protective glasses is a good safety measure anytime you are exposed to blue light. Blue light-blocking glasses have become a cult favorite for office employees who sit behind a computer all day, and wearers say they experience less eye strain and fatigue when wearing these types of specs.
When we created Stoggles, we knew including blue light-blocking technology was a must-have. That’s why you’ll find it in every pair of Stoggles we sell. No matter how much social media debating you do, your eyes will be protected.
Scratch Resistance
The best safety glasses don’t need replacing on a monthly basis. If you're fed up with lenses that repeatedly scratch right in the middle, look for a better option.
Ultra-durable polycarbonate material offers anti-scratch lens protection and a lightweight feel that will make you forget you’re even wearing a pair of safety glasses. The next time your glasses decide to double as the 1’s and 2’s for DJ Debris, you’ll be protected against all the dirty scratching.
Side and Top Shields
Regular glasses leave your eyes vulnerable in a few important spots. Just above your eye, where your lens extends near your eyebrow, and on the sides of your face, near your temples. You may not think these areas are important, but they offer an unsafe opportunity for debris, droplets, and allergens to enter your eye area.
Side shields provide wraparound technology that keeps your eyes safe on the sides. At Stoggles, our eyewear sports side shields and top shields to protect that little area near your eyebrows, too.
Top and side shields aren’t only for protecting us from acid spills and the splash zone at amusement parks. These shields also protect from wind, debris, fog, and UV rays. Come wintertime, side and top shields protect against harsh winds and frigid air, helping prevent cases of dry eyes.
After all, rogue debris could really mess up your sleek eyebrow game.
Prescription Ready
If you wear prescription lenses, you may have tried to wear safety goggles over glasses. This almost never works. Not only is it incredibly uncomfortable to wear, but it’s also literally uncomfortable to see on someone’s face.
Traditional Rx safety glasses in the wrap-around shape fall flat where they curve. The curved version warps the prescription on the sides, giving you a not fun fun-house mirror effect.
Most often, it's really hard for labs to put a prescription in a curved lens and will often not, hence the compromise: Either safety or prescription.
This is where Stoggles has the advantage: Our lenses are flat (aka accommodating prescription perfectly), and the side shields do most of the safety work.
Prescription safety glasses offer a secure fit that you can depend on for protection without the need for heavy layers of plastic. At Stoggles, we offer all of our eyewear with prescription strengths, and we use your eyeglass prescription in-house to save you time and money.
No flops. Just eyewear that pops.
Safety Glasses That Look Like Glasses
You know what they need to do to protect you, but what do they need to look like so you’ll actually wear them? While some stylistic issues are purely subjective, there are a few key features that high-quality frames will have to keep you looking sharp (and keep your eyes safe).
Streamlined Design
Some safety glasses just look like safety glasses. We mean no disrespect; anything that protects your eyes is a step in the right direction. But at Stoggles, we crafted our eyewear to look like your favorite specs.
You’ll find our protective eyewear has a streamlined polycarbonate frame and lenses that are streamlined for comfort and ultimate wearability. No weird, removable parts or nose pads that eventually need replacing.
Shape Options
Our motto has always been safety first, but style also first. Why should you have to choose function over form? Our commitment to style and protection is why you’ll find several different lens shapes to pick from (including cat eye).
We think you should both feel great in your frames.
Color Choices
Black frames and clear frames are the industry standard, and standard is exactly how they feel. Stoggles offers numerous color choices so you can fully customize your look. The best part, our eyewear still retains crystal clear vision, even if you pick a trendy color.
The Perfect Fit
The safety glasses you buy at the hardware store usually come in a one-size-fits-most measurement that we’d say fits virtually no one. Because we recognize that size matters, we offer the Stoggles Rectangle in different sizes.
When you’ve got protective eyewear that fits, you’re more likely to wear it when you need it instead of shelving it because it constantly slips and slides.
Stoggles: Your Favorite Eyewear, But Make it Protective
All you really want is safety eyewear that doesn’t break in half, break the bank, or break your image. Stoggles delivers stylish eyewear that provides the ultimate in protection and more style options than virtually any competitor.
The next time you think, “Maybe I should wear eye protection,” it’s probably a good opportunity to trust your gut and cover your eyes. Stoggles make it easy for you to keep safe, feel your best, and stay stylish at the same time.
Sources:
Eye Health Statistics | American Academy of Ophthalmology
Blue Light: What is it and How Does it Affect Us? | Occupational Health & Safety
Home | American National Standards Institute
ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2020: Current Standard for Safety Glasses | ANSI
