When do I Need Polarized Safety Glasses?

Polarized safety glasses help to prevent eye fatigue and reduce glare. This increases the ability to see, and increases overall safety in the work environment. Any jobs outdoors will usually require polarized safety glasses. When light shines off a surface, it becomes polarized. All light planes move in one plane. Normally, light moves on many planes until it hits a reflective surface. When you wear polarized safety glasses, only one plan of light passes through the lens reducing reflection.

This is what eliminates glare and eye fatigue. Vision is vital in any work environment to maintain safety. Polarized glasses are very common in construction and outdoor jobs where the sun is bright and there are many surfaces. Light becomes polarized off of surfaces into different components. There is more of a horizontal component that is reflected than a vertical component. This is what makes reflective light polarized.

In order to eliminate glare, polarized safety glasses need to be vertically polarized. If glasses were polarized vertically and horizontally, no light would be transmitted. Normal sunglasses only decrease light intensity using a uniform percentage. Polarized glasses eliminate reflection off of various surfaces. Polarization is maximized when the sun is approximately 37 degrees from the horizon. If the sun is too low or too high, polarization is not as affective. These glasses will not help you if you are staring directly at a light source. They are not intended to block UV rays or infrared light. Sometimes people think polarized safety glasses will work for welding. This is not the case and can cause serious eye damage. There are safety glasses specifically made to protect from the infrared light that a welder deals with.

Polarization is a benefit when light comes at you between 30 and 60 degrees. Many outdoors workers experience reflections from the road, water, vehicles, and more. This is where polarized safety glasses increase visibility and safety. Workers who wear polarized glasses will have greater clarity, color definition, and reduced eye fatigue.

Rule of thumb is that if you are working outside in bright light, polarized safety glasses are best for your situation. Glare can really affect the ability to see when clarity is crucial for safety. This is especially true when it comes to highway work. Workers need to keep themselves safe, but also think about the drivers on the road. If vision is hindered even for a moment, disastrous results could occur.

If you work anywhere outdoors, polarized glasses aren’t going to hurt. As with any dark tinted glasses, they are not recommended in low levels of light, or in weather conditions that may further impede vision such as snow and rain.
Once people know how polarization occurs, they then realize why polarized safety glasses should be used instead of regular tinted glasses for the sun. It is not so much about brightness and it is increasing clarity by reducing glare. Glare is what impedes vision the most while leading to eye fatigue.

What Are The Right Type Of Side Shields For Me?

There are so many types of side shields out there! You can find just about anything if you look hard enough. It is very important to know what is best for you, so that you can maintain the highest safety levels while working. Eye damage can be very serious even if an accident or injury seems small. It is not worth taking a chance.

If you already wear glasses, there are slip-on sideshields that will fit any type of prescription glasses. This is an easy and quick way to maintain safety. The only issue with these is that you have to remember to keep them on you for when you need them. Many people just leave them on their glasses, if they are flexible enough to bend when glasses are folded.
There are many generic protective glasses with side shields that fit most people. These are great if you are just protecting your eyes from particles and debris. These are very commonly seen in the work place. These precautionary glasses are the most commonly worn.

If you are going to be working in welding areas, there are side shields to protect your vision against the welding flame. Many people don’t think of the fact that you do not have to be looking directly at a welder to obtain damage. If it is in your line of vision, it is best to protect your eyes. It surely can’t hurt.

If you are working with chemicals, you will want to make sure that your side shields are chemical resistant and fit in a way that will protect your eyes from splatter and droplets. This is important in lab settings, hospitals, and many companies that use chemicals on a regular basis.
If you work in a hospital, there are various molded frames with shield that will protect you against body fluids. These are very similar to those used for chemicals, but the material make-up is different.

You should always ask your employer what types of side shields are right for your environment. This should be something that you are taught before you start working. If you need them for personal use, you can contact any company that makes side shields. They are very informative and will be able to give you the very best of suggestions.

As long as you are wearing side shields for nothing but protection from particles, you will just need a generic one fits all type. If you are welding or in certain types of light, then you need to make sure that your side shields accommodate that.

If you wear glasses, you will want to get a goggle style that fits over your existing frames. If for some reason you do not like this choice, you can get prescription glasses with side shields on them made specifically for your job.

If you are unsure of whether or not you should put on side shields in a working environment, go ahead and ere on the side of caution. Your eye are a major part of your function. Do not loose them due to lack of safety.

Safety Glasses: The Right Tint

You already know that safety glasses are a vital part of personal protection, protecting your eyes from potential injury at the work place. But you have many options to consider when choosing your safety glasses. In addition to finding a style you like, you must also select an appropriate lens tint for your safety glasses.

There are many different lens tints available for safety glasses, and each tint is suitable for different applications. Clear lenses, for example, are recommended for general purpose (mostly indoor) work environments, while polarized lenses are ideal for outdoor applications.

Below is a brief description of some popular lens tints available for safety glasses today – because choosing the correct safety glasses is just as important as choosing to wear them.

Clear Lenses are recommended for general purpose mostly indoor (and some outdoor) work environments where normal to low light conditions exist. These are the most popular type of safety glasses lenses because of their low cost and high functionality. Another benefit of clear safety glasses is their ability to provide true color recognition.

Indoor/Outdoor (I/O) Lenses offer protection for both indoor and outdoor environments because they are light enough to wear indoors, but dark enough to shade you eyes in the daylight. These lenses can be described as being darker than a clear lens, but lighter than a gray lens. The I/O safety glasses tint is ideal for a person who is constantly changing environments.

Polarized Lenses are ideal for outdoor applications because they block reflective glare so wearers see more clearly and experience less eye fatigue. Glare produced from snow, water, cement, ice and other reflective surfaces can cause "blind spots" that may impair vision. Safety glasses with polarized lenses prevent blind spots by blocking glare.

Amber Lenses are recommended in low light conditions where enhanced contrast is needed. Safety glasses with amber lenses are perfect for working at dawn and dusk, or on a hazy, overcast day. However, they are not recommended for night driving or bright light environments.

Gray Lenses provide general purpose sunglass protection in sunny, outdoor environments. Gray safety glasses are great for landscaping, construction, utility workers, airplane pilots, transportation and many other applications.

Brown Lenses are similar to gray/smoke lenses, but provide enhanced contrast and depth perception.

Mirror Lenses also provide general purpose sunglass protection, but feature an enhanced lens color. In addition, safety glasses with mirror lenses reflect light, reducing even further the amount of light that passes through the lens.

Blue Lenses are commonly used in work applications where there are high levels of yellow or sodium vapor lighting and glare. These conditions exist in the semi-conductor industry and sometimes in food processing plants.


Orange Lenses offer high contrast and low light image resolution. Orange safety glasses offer high visibility, and are perfect for target shooting or other activities where clarity is a must.

IR 3.0 and 5.0 Green Lenses block infrared (IR) light and are designed for certain welding affiliated operations such as brazing and cutting. These safety glasses tints are the darkest lenses available.

Anti-Fog Coated Lenses are ideal for humid environments or when moving from one extreme temperature to the next. Anti-fog coatings are usually available on most safety glasses.

Written by Carissa Kelley