With over 200,000 eye injuries each year caused by DIY jobs gone wrong it is easy to see why it is important to wear safety glasses when you are working. You may be prone to thinking that it is “just a small job” or that you will “make sure to be careful” but accidents can happen!
Your eyesight is essential, and with good quality safety glasses relatively cheap to purchase, there is really no excuse to not invest in a pair to keep your eyes safe from dust, debris and chemicals when you are working! Safety glasses are so important for a wide range of jobs, whether you are completing woodwork, trimming hedges in your garden, or more complex jobs, safety glasses will help to keep you safe whilst you work.
Best Pick – NoCry Safety Glasses
- STRONG, DURABLE DESIGN. Thanks to the tough, polycarbonate wraparound construction, these hard-wearing safety glasses provide superior eye protection from both direct and peripheral threats, mimicking protective safety goggles functionality.
- LIGHT, COMFORTABLE AND ADJUSTABLE. These protective glasses have extendable arms and an adjustable soft nose pad so you always get the perfect fit. They're also armed with non-slip rubber grips so your protective eyewear stays on.
- VANGUARD PLUS COATING. Compared to most anti fog clear safety glasses, the premium coating on our eye UV protection glasses is 5x more fog resistant and 2x more scratch resistant. No fog, no scratch, and zero optical distortion.
- COMPLETE UV380 PROTECTION. The clear lenses block 90-100% of harmful UV radiation. They make great lab glasses, shooting glasses, and work glasses. They’re great for construction, dental work, lab, cycling, woodworking, squash, airsoft and more.
- BUILT TO LAST. Your safety glasses for women and men come with a limited lifetime warranty. If there’s an issue, we’ll replace them or refund you because we stand behind the high quality of every product and we’ve got your back, no matter what.
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Only Got 5 Minutes?
We get that you are in a rush to buy your safety glasses now – we would be too – and that is why this part of the article is so essential. We have filled it with all the information as essential as the glasses themselves so that you can quickly purchase a pair that is going to be right for you.
Safety Glasses or Safety Goggles?
One of the first things that you need to think about is whether you should be buying safety glasses or safety goggles. Safety goggles are going to offer you the utmost protection as they will completely enclose your eyes, protecting them from any dust, debris or liquids that come flying your way. However, these can limit your peripheral vision considerably and, personally, are more uncomfortable than glasses to wear!
You will also find that if you already wear glasses to aid your vision then you may struggle to find a pair of goggles that fit comfortably, whereas many of the safety glasses will just “prop up” on top of your actual glasses!
We would say that for most DIY jobs you will be safe wearing just safety glasses, as these will offer you more than enough protection. However if you are working somewhere that is VERY dusty, or completing jobs where there is a risk of materials flying out of control – it can happen – then you may be better opting for goggles to be on the safe side. Equally, if you are going to be working with any dangerous substances then these will normally come with a disclaimer to make sure that you DO wear goggles when in use.
Safety Standards
It is important to make sure that the safety glasses you opt for actually meet certain safety standards and regulations. Unfortunately there are many pairs of glasses on the market that actually don’t, and although these may offer some levels of protection, they are unlikely to be able to actually help you when things get serious! Look out for safety glasses that offer these standards if you are serious about keeping your eyes safe…
- EN166 – The overarching european guidance for eye protection when working
- EN175 – Eye and face protection
- EN379 – Personal eye protection for anyone that is welding
Glasses will also be labeled with various codes determining whether they come with UV Filters, Infrared Filters or Welding Filters. If you think that you are going to be needing any of these specific levels of protection at any point then they are well worth opting for. If you are struggling to know what code and shade you need then keep reading…
- For welding there won’t be a code number, so you just need to make sure to go for shade between 1.2 and 16.
- UV filters come with a 2 or 3 code (2 for without good colour recognition and 3 for with good colour recognition). But, you will also need a shade code of between 1.2 and 5.
- Infrared filters have a number 4 code number but you also need a shade between 1.2 and 10.
- If this is all sounding a bit confusing then think of this….If you are needing safety goggles with a UV filter, without colour recognition, and low to moderate shade protection then you would be looking for a pair that says 2-5.
TOP TIP: If you are still struggling to understand the coding then most product descriptions will go into more detail on exactly what the safety glasses will protect you from, but we think it is easier to be prepared and know what you are looking for!
Additional Safety
There are many other ways in which your safety glasses will be there to protect you – as well as just the physical barrier that they create to protect your eyes from any dust or debris that is flying your way! For anyone that is completing more than just basic DIY or gardening, here are some of the features that you may need to consider.
- Strength – Different safety glasses and the materials that they are made from will offer different levels of protection (more on the materials below). So it is important to think about whether you need glasses that can protect from high speed particles or high energy impact, as well as just standard debris and dust. If this is the case then you may find that you are limited to purchasing safety goggles instead of glasses!
- What are you protected from? – All safety glasses are going to protect you from standard dust and debris that is created when doing DIY. But there are specialist glasses and goggles that will protect you from liquid droplets (with a code of 3), coarse dust particles (4 code) and some will even protect against gas and molten metals (codes of 5 and 9).
Lens Material
There are 4 main materials that the lenses of your glasses (or goggles) will be made from, all of which have their pros and cons so it is important to consider what is going to be right for you.
- Optical Glass will be more or less scratch resistant, meaning that your glasses are going to be able to last for a long time without becoming so marked and distorted that you can’t see through them! They also offer distortion-free vision as it is the same type of glass that would be used in a pair of vision glasses, so if you are completing more intricate jobs, or just want to be able to see properly when working, then this is the way to go! However, they will be slightly heavier than other materials and tend to be more expensive!
- Acrylic is really one of your cheapest options and also lighter than optical glass. It will be resistant to solvents and keep you protected from dust and debris. However, you are going to get some image distortion and acrylic isn’t as durable as other materials. If you know that you won’t often be needing your safety glasses and you are never completing any seriously big jobs then you can probably get away with this option but otherwise it may not prove to be good enough!
- Polycarbonate is probably the middle ground in terms of price and also optical clarity, so are a good option if you are not wanting to spend a fortune but also need decent protection. It will be impact and scratch resistant, plus nice and light on your face when working. Not only that but it can protect against UV rays as well!
- NXT Polyurethane (Trivex) is the lens material used if you are SERIOUS about eye protection. Offering amazing levels of impact and scratch resistance these glasses will probably outlive you! They also offer the best optical clarity so are perfect for even the most intricate of jobs and are so lightweight you won’t even know that they are there. However, this level of protection and visibility does come at a price, so you need to have the budget for them!
The Glasses
It goes without saying that once you have considered the safety aspects, you need to consider the actual glasses themselves, as you want to make sure that they are comfortable and a good fit – otherwise it could just become too tempting to remove them when you are working!
Look out for glasses with an ergonomic design that are going to sit comfortably on your face without digging in or affecting your vision with a large frame. It is also worth looking out for glasses with padded nose pieces made out of softer material, so that they can sit comfortably on the bridge on your nose for longer periods of time – this also applies to the ears!
Safety glasses will normally come in sizes varying from small, medium and large, but don’t be put off as this is actually more options than you would get with prescription glasses! Most manufacturers will provide a measurement guide so that you can work out roughly which size is going to be right for you.
Best Budget – DeWalt SGRFC Reinforcer Clear Glasses
- Soft rubber nosepiece
- Handgrip pattern on temple
- Cushioned rubber temple pads
- Lightweight sleek design
- Tough Polycarbonate Lens
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Additional Features
Now that you know the main things that you need to consider before purchasing your safety glasses, here are some of those extra features that we found on only the best safety glasses. Not all will be applicable to you, as safety glasses are a personal thing that depends on the user and the jobs that you will be completing!
- Prescription Safety Glasses – If you wear glasses in everyday life then it may be worth considering prescription safety glasses or goggles. These can be customized to your prescription so that you simply remove your normal glasses and replace them with these when you are working. This will save you from having to wear two pairs of glasses when you are working – but they do come at a price!
- Lens coatings – If you want your glasses to last then it is definitely worth opting for ones that have anti-scratch coatings. Even if you go for a material that is scratch resistant, your glasses are going to be dealing with a lot so that scratch-resistant coating will just provide an extra level of protection. There are also anti-fog coatings that you can go for, which are worth their weight in gold as there is nothing worse than steamed up glasses – particularly if you are having to wear a mask when working as well!
Best of the Rest
- With uvex supravision excellence coating: anti-fog inside, extremely scratch-resistant and chemical-resistant on the outside
- Certified to EN 166 (personal eye protection) and EN 170 (UV filters)
- Labelling: W 166 F CE – 2C-1.2 W 1 FKN CE and UV 400 protection
- Soft, non-slip tempes end (uvex duo component technology) prevent pressure points and ensure a comfortable fit
- Narrow frames enables ear defenders, helmet and bump caps to be worn comfortably
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
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- New Lighter GT 2020 model with hidden tilt adjustment function and improved adjustable earstem.
- Professional lightweight adjustable wrap-around style bifocal safety glasses with wide field of vision - great for all trades.
- The angle and length of each temple/earstem may be adjusted individually to achieve maximum comfort. Includes clip on safety cord.
- One piece moulded anti-fog coated Polycarbonate lens. UV400 lens, provide 100% protection against harmful UV rays.
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Safety Gear!
If you are serious about safety gear when you are working then it may be that just purchasing safety glasses isn’t enough. If you have a big job planned then you could need other safety equipment too such as safety boots or work gloves. Below you can find some of our favourite products to help you stay safe when working.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get safety glasses with a guarantee?
Many safety glasses do actually come with a guarantee that lasts for between 6 months up to a couple of years if there is anything that goes wrong with them. However this won’t cover against any extreme damage that occurs from misuse. Some also have a money-back guarantee for a month purely if you don’t like the glasses so you know your purchase is protected.
Can you get safety glasses with a mask attached?
Yes! There are many different pairs of glasses that will also come attached to a mask in case you are needing full face protection for the jobs that you are planning on completing. You can also purchase glasses and goggles that attach to hard hats so that you aren’t trying to balance the both together awkwardly.
Can you get bifocal safety goggles?
Yes! There are a couple of manufacturers that offer bifocal prescription safety goggles for anyone that needs that extra eye-sight support when they are working. Admittedly these are slightly more expensive but well worth it if you need support with both long and short vision! They come in a range of prescriptions so that you can find a pair that are closest to your natural prescription.
What will safety glasses protect you from?
Safety glasses are going to be able to protect you from a whole host of things when you are working including chemicals, dust, flying debris and smoke. They won’t however protect you fully from sparks or from UV lighting when welding – you need a special type of mask for these types of jobs!
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