Vision Protection at Home

The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Ocular Trauma recommend that every household have at least one pair of ANSI-approved protective eyewear to be worn when doing projects or activities that could create a risk for eye injuries. ANSI-approved protective eyewear can be easily purchased from most hardware stores nationwide.

Choose protective eyewear with “ANSI Z87.1” marked on the lens or frame. This means the glasses, goggles or face shield meets the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z87.1 safety standard.

Protection at Play

The eye protection needed for your sport is determined by various standards set by ASTM. The eye-safety standards by sport are as follows:

ASTM F803: Eye protectors for selected sports (racket sports, women’s lacrosse [see the U.S. Lacrosse Web site for more details], field hockey, baseball, basketball);
ASTM F513: Eye and face protective equipment for hockey players;
ASTM F1776: Eye protectors for use by players of paintball sports;
ASTM F1587: Head and face protective equipment for ice hockey goaltenders;
ASTM F910: Face guards for youth baseball; and
ASTM F659: High-impact resistant eye protective devices for Alpine skiing.

Protective glasses or goggles with UV protection should be worn when snow or water skiing. They will help shield the eyes from sunburn and glare.

Protection at Work

The eye protection needed to do your job safely is determined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). To find out what standards apply, check with your company’s human resources department, or whoever is charged with overseeing OSHA compliance.

With the exception of welding, which requires additional eye and face protection, OSHA standards may often require the same ANSI-certified eye protection you should use at home.

Last reviewed and updated in February 2009,
by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.