Your new eyeglasses, which were made at Vision Park, are dress eyewear, NOT safety spectacles. The type and style of the spectacle frame is an important factor in determining how much protection your eyeglasses will provide. Many frames are fragile and are designed for appearance -- not for protection. Your lenses meet or exceed American National Standard Z80.1 and FDA requirement 21CFR Sec 801.410 for impact resistance, buy they are by no means unbreakable or shatterproof. Of all the materials that lenses can be made from, polycarbonate is the most impact resistant.

If struck with sufficient force, the lenses can break into sharp pieces that can cause serious injury to the eye, or blindness. Even if the lenses do not break, the force of impact may cause the lenses or spectacle frame to contact the eye or surrounding area, causing injury. The continued impact resistance of your lenses depends on how well you protect them from physical shocks and abuse. For your own protection, scratched or pitted lenses should be replaced immediately.

UV is ultraviolet radiation, produced by the sun. More and more scientific evidence shows that long-term exposure to ultraviolet radiation can damage our eyes. UV radiation contributes to the development of macular degeneration, cataracts, and skin cancer. No matter how old you are, now is the time to protect your eyes – and your children’s eyes from damaging UV radiation. Experts recommend sunglasses that block 99 to 100 % of both UV-A and UV-B rays, reduce glare, provide visual protection, be comfortable, and not distort colors.

Each year hospital emergency rooms treat thousands of victims of sports eye injuries. Athletes of all ages must wear sports eye guards. Prescription glasses, sunglasses, and even safety glasses don't provide adequate protection. As a result, special eyewear designs have been developed for a number of sports. The standards for such eyewear vary according to the sport for which they are designed, so it’s important to base your selection on how the eyewear will be used. Eye guards approved by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) or pass the CSA racquet sport standard should be purchased and worn during athletic activities.

If your occupational or recreational activities expose you to the risk of flying objects or physical impacts, your eye safety requires special safety spectacles with safety lenses, side shields, goggles and/or a full-face shield. Safety lenses and frames must meet or exceed American National Standard Z87.1. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to protect their employees from workplace hazards that can cause injury. Safety eyewear is one category of personal protective equipment (PPE) that is required under the Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910.132. Because there are various forms of safety eyewear, the standard also provides an eye and face protector selection guide that lists the type of operation, the potential hazards and the recommended protectors.
Who Pays For Safety Eyewear?
Employers are required to provide and pay for personal protective equipment required by the company to do his or her job safely and in compliance with OSHA standards - see (29CFR1910.132). However - if the equipment is very personal in nature (e.g. prescription eyewear or safety shoes) and is usable by the workers off the job, the matter of payment may be left to labor management negotiations. The employer is not required to pay for RX safety eyewear UNLESS it is specific only to the job (such as special shades for welder's helpers).