How are safety glasses different from safety goggles?

How much effort do you put in when it comes to the safety of our eyes? Well, we could agree at the same level that our eyes are one of the most important parts of our body. A critical organ is essential to survive, but do we take care of this organ as it should be? 

That is one important question when it comes to our eyes. Truth be told, we are least bothered about our eyes, most of us tend to wear eyewear and think as if it is quite enough for the eyes. Most of us fail to recognise our eye care needs. 

But now, to this day, eye safety has become one of the main concerns and it is not just limited to wearing random eyeglasses. 

Personal protective equipment

PPE or Personal Protective Equipment is a much-discussed topic in the last two years and we all know why, but how is this related to your eyes? This equipment is used to protect a person from any harmful substances affecting the body from an external source, and the eyewear equipment we will be discussing is a part of PPE. 

Safety glasses and safety goggles, these glasses are specialised in working as shields to protect the eyes from any type of object or debris that might cause any harm, injury, or irritation to the eyes. 

These glasses are toughened and laminated, and they can have varied lenses as well such as bifocal, cleared, polarised, anti-fog, shooting, low light, and many more. 

Your eyes cannot be replaced by anything, so the equipment becomes more important than you have ever thought of, protecting your eyes from potential hazards. 

Safety glasses vs. safety goggles

Another important debate is a differentiation between these, where these glasses and goggles are almost the same, there are small differences that make them separate from each other, yet serve the same purpose of protecting the eyes. 

So let us understand them in detail. 

Safety glasses

The majority of eyewear protection needs involve wearing safety glasses. These side shields are specialised in providing adequate protection from any sort of external object. There are multiple types of protective coating for the lens, providing the required protection. 

Safety glasses are very much strong but they have a low impact rate when compared to safety goggles. These glasses were held to the face by the arms and a nose pad. Usually, these types of glasses do not seal against the face, they are the most commonly used form of protective glasses and are used by the workers. 

Safety goggles

Safety goggles are high-impact resistant glasses, they do not provide complete protection from all the elements due to the small gaps at the top and bottom. They are specialised in providing a complete 360-degree coverage around the eyes. 

Generally, safety goggles are held onto the face using an adjustable strap that could be elastic as well. These goggles have multiple sealing designs that allow varying amounts of air to filter into the eye area. There are chances that they might become unforgettable after long periods of wear. 

Goggles altogether provide a seal against the face, protecting against chemical splashes or any other hazardous incidents. 

As they are experts in providing 360-degree protection, these are best used in situations such as metal grinding, dusty conditions, and even chemical exposure. They won’t make the best fashion impression but neither do they let any harm affect your eyes. 

Why are they important? 

Have you heard of sports glasses? Many of you might not have, but if you are from a sports background then you will be very much aware of the sports glasses. 

Sports glasses are also a kind of safety equipment, they might not come under PPE, but they are protective equipment. They protect the eyes during sports, protecting the eyes from any sort of unwanted object or debris during the sports. Such an incident can also affect the eyes and can affect the performance in sports as well. 

Sportspersons never miss carrying their glasses as per their sports requirement, as they do realise the importance that these glasses carry and how essential they are to be protected. 

In the same way, it is essential for one working in the factory or doing hard jobs to equally protect their eyes from any external harm and to keep the critical organ safe.