Prescription safety glasses

[Matthew Curtis]

Now that I am older and needing to wear glasses, I am wondering what those of you who wear glasses use for eye safety?

Do you use goggles, glasses that go over your current ones or a prescription safety pair of glasses?

Where is a cheap place to get prescription safety glasses?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

All I wear is my prescription safety glasses.

[Roger Nair]

For years I have used face shields either screen or clear plastic while wearing normal glasses. For the most part, I prefer screens.

[Ronald Blue]

My first thought is do you want to trust your eyesight to "cheap" safety glasses? I do think there are lower cost options that will give you eye protection. I am fortunate because my work supplies my prescription safety glasses. Check with your eye care provider. Almost all will have samples to show and fit you with. If they want to break the bank you can also order online. Your optometrist has to give you your eye prescription although they might try to make you feel like a heel for asking. Keep in mind that you will still need goggles or a face shield for some tasks. I have a Trend Airshield Pro for those times. Here is a link to a company that appears to be offering safety glasses at a fair price. I can't vouch for them and have no specific knowledge about them. I just googled "low cost safety glasses".

vseyewear.com/store-pres/prescription-safety-glasses.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwzcbWBRDmARIsAM6uChWf23W p1o1AjDL7-h5pORNQBWiIW4cYDMbRhs65Mllx78TYtsrrTpIaArfPEALw_wc B

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Robert,

I paid $700 for my safety glasses. I don't consider that cheap.

[Andrew Hughes]

I also just wear my prescription glasses with the safety squint. That's two layers of protection:p

[johnny means]

Cheap safety glass are pretty much a shop staple and are absolutely up to the task. Really, what do they need to do to be safe?

[Jamie Buxton]

I wear prescription safety glasses in the shop. I like the wrap-around style. I got mine from rx-safety.com , and I was quite happy with them.

I was skeptical about getting a good fit online. The solution is to buy several candidates in the "frame-only" version. Decide which one fits you best, then return them all, with your prescription. Tell rx-safety which one you want, and tell them to use the return money into putting the corrective lenses in your chosen frame. Rx-safety has a 100% return policy for thirty days, which neatly supports this process.

I didn't invent this process. When I bought the glasses, rx-safety made a fairly big deal about it. The current web site doesn't make as big a deal about it. But the "frame-only" option still exists, and the return policy still exists, so you can still use the process.

[Jacques Gagnon]

Matthew,

Your options will be somewhat dictated by your prescription. I have used various approaches over time, ranging from safety glasses with lenses in the bottom portion; drugstore reading glasses behind a face shield; more recently industrial quality frames with safety lenses (probably similar to what Ken mentioned) as a result of a more complicated prescription than before. Optical performance of various products will vary - you may need to try a few products.

[Jim Morgan]

Since our daughter turned 26 and is no longer on our health insurance, we don't dip into our FSA as much as we used to. At the beginning of March, we still had $200-odd in the account - had to use it by March 15 or lose it. Got some safety frames with wrap-around wings and single-vision prescription lenses with a scratch-resistant Crizal coating. Came to about $420 altogether (~$200 out of this year's FSA), worth it for the peace of mind.

[Wayne Lomman]

I use prescription safety glasses all the time unless grinding or welding. I use the appropriate face shield then. Grinding sparks and plastic lenses don't mix. For me I have to make sure the lenses are solvent resistant. Some aren't but I can never remember which plastic is best until I'm at the optometrist. Cheers

[Alex Zeller]

I was lucky enough to have my work pay for a set. I had to ask for glass lenses. If you are only going to use them occasionally the poly lenses would be fine but I was worried about the lenses getting scratched). I do believe mine are 3M brand (I keep them at work so they aren't handy to verify). I have to believe that any of the discount on-line places selling them as long as they meet the ANSI standard they are going to protect as well as can be expected. They may not have as nice of a protective coating on the lenses to prevent scratching.

[Jamie Buxton]

James' mention of cost reminds me that online glasses are much less expensive than buying from a bricks-and-mortar store. Online prescription safety glasses -- ANSI specs and all -- can be found for less than a hundred bucks.

If you're going for bifocals or progressives, the fitting process at a bricks-and-mortar store is nearly impossible to replicate online. But if you're just getting single-correction lenses, online is much more cost-effective.

[Thomas Canfield]

After cataract surgery 10+ years back all I need is readers except I still need trifocals for shop work. Prescription is clear, +1, and +2. I had a pair of safety glasses made that allow use of side shields and wear them when doing any type of work in shop, mowing, etc. Walmart has been the best price when checking lately to get replacement glasses, but old still work. I do have some of the cheap plastic bifocal safety glasses but the bifocal area is so small that it is only useful for doing limited reading. Side shields on safety glasses to me a requirement learned from 40+ years of having tem required in work area.

[Jim Becker]

While I don't require prescription lenses for this kind of work, I do need "cheaters" that have reading accommodation in the lower half of the lens. I'm easily able to buy that from Safety Glasses USA in styles I like...and I happen to prefer styles that have a wider reading area, rather than just a narrow window.

[Mike Kees]

I wear progressives. As a carpenter I wanted safety glasses for work. I got a wrap around plastic safety glass with a optical insert (metal frame mounts on four small posts and held in place with a rubber nose piece). I have a dark pair and clear pair. The great thing is when the safety lenses get scratched up they are only 12 bucks to replace. The important part (prescription) is protected behind them. My wife says I look like "Bubbles ''. O well I can see great and my eyes are protected.Mike.

[Mike Null]

I wear tri-focals and will have cataract surgery shortly. If I have any concern about what I'm doing--lathe or table saw--I keep the face shield handy

[Dave Cav]

I have about four pair of Rx safety glasses. Teaching shop, I always had two pair at school, and the older ones went home. Polycarbonate lenses and Z81 rated frames with clip on side shields, progressive lenses. I still wear them 100% of the time in the shop. I checked with Costco, where I get my regular glasses, and they don't do safety glasses, but I think Wal Mart does. Next time I get new regular glasses I will probably take the Rx to Wal Mart along with a couple of frames and have them fit polycarbonate lenses to them. Unfortunately Costco told me they wouldn't fit lenses into any safety glasses frames.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I pay less than $200 for eye exam, and safety glasses at Walmart. The Walmart ones are better than the $$$$ from eye place across town.

[Ronald Blue]

Cheap safety glass are pretty much a shop staple and are absolutely up to the task. Really, what do they need to do to be safe?

The question was about prescription safety glasses. But in answer to your question they need to be ANSI certified if they are in a box of a dozen. Yes they can be inexpensive and safe. But I wouldn't trust my eyes to safety glasses from the dollar store.

[Bob Stanny]

I really like Honeywell Titmus prescription safety frames (which claim to meet ANSI Z87.1 standard), which are available from several online sources. I wear mine 16 hours/day (mostly without, I'm afraid, the side-shields they came with). Seems to me I've paid something over $200 for a pair with simple bifocal lenses. A potential problem with them is that the more stylish frames with smaller lenses are less effective against objects coming from off angles. I think I will order my next pair with large, aviator-style frames.

That said, if your only problem is presbyopia, you can put stick-on reading lenses on those wrap-around safety glasses with soft nose pieces they have at Lowes and Home Depot and have a fine pair of impact-resistant bifocals for around $30. I have a clear pair of these and a tinted pair.

[Bill Dufour]

FYI: Zeni does not carry safety glasses for some reason, but they are the cheapest around for regular glasses.
Bill D.

[Mac McQuinn]

Before I retired, I wore my shop safeties with side shields which were progressive lens. Now I wear my regular frame w/ progressive lens with a Uvex OTG (over the glasses)
safeties. These have excellent clarity and wrap around my regular frames very nicely and provide protection against flying debri from all sides. https://www.amazon.com/Uvex-S2500C-Astrospec-Eyewear-Anti-Fog/dp/B000RMFER0/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1523767208&sr=8-6&keywords=uvex+otg+safety+glasses
Mac

[Dave Lehnert]

I have an RX pair I got at Walmart 5 or 6 years ago, They are in a safety glasses frame that kinda wrap around. not like the ones that look like regular glasses with side shields attached. Not sure how much I paid but think they were less than $100.
If I think about it I will take a pic of them Monday. I have them at work.
That said, I use this over the glasses pair now. About a year ago I had to get progressive RX glasses and have trouble reading prints through my RX safety glasses. Next time I get my eye exam I do plan to get a new pair from Walmart.
The advantage with the cheap pair from HD , I can keep a pair by each tool like a bench grinder and by my weed trimmer stored in different shop/ shed.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Clear-Frame-with-Clear-Lenses-Over-the-Glass-Eyewear-47110-WV24/300246523


(https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Clear-Frame-with-Clear-Lenses-Over-the-Glass-Eyewear-47110-WV24/300246523)

[Matt Day]

Before I got lasik, I got my work to pay for some prescription safety glasses. I got them from Wiley-X, because they were reasonably fashionable and worked for mountain biking too. Just an option for brand to look at. This was 10-12 years ago but it looks like they carry more glasses now.

[Jim Becker]

I wear tri-focals and will have cataract surgery shortly. If I have any concern about what I'm doing--lathe or table saw--I keep the face shield handy
There's a chance you will no longer need corrective lenses once you have your surgery, Mike...my father was able to take advantage of that when he had his done. When they replaced the lens, it was "corrected" to normal vision in the eye.

[Wayne Jolly]

For most things I am ashamed to say that I just use my regular glasses. The bad part of this is that I also have prescription safety glasses sitting right there on the shelf for easy access. Don't ask me why I don't use them because I have no answer to that question, not even a bad answer. As for a cheap place to get them? I get one free pair of glasses annually from the VA and that would include safety glasses if I chose them. If I want an additional pair, the cost is modest.

Wayne

[Herb Smith]

I'm one of those with a large head (7¾) and also wear bi-focal prescription glasses. I wanted safety glasses that could be worn over my regular glasses (wrap around styles don't work very well) and purchased Elvex OVR-Spec Safety Glasses several years ago. Here is a link: https://www.safetyglassesusa.com/elvex-ovr-spec-safety-glasses-with-clear-lens/ For those with a large noggin, these work.

[Charles P. Wright]

I get mine at Wal-mart for $90. That's without an exam; because I go to an ophthalmologist each year anyway for my regular checkup. They have side shields and are ANSI certified.

I use them whenever working in the shop, around the house or in the yard. If nothing else, getting dirt/paint/etc. on them is much less expensive than if I damage my normal glasses which cost a lot more.

[Mitchell Garnett]

Ditto for Walmart. I buy my prescription glasses at Costco but they don't do safety glasses. I buy basic safety frames and bi-focal lenses at Walmart for around $100 here in northwest washington.

[Warren Lake]

carpenter kept telling me how great some bifocal safety glasses were that ended when he nearly cut a finger off on the table saw depth perception changed with the glasses

[Charles Wiggins]

When I got glasses for the gift time a few years back I had to go straight to bifocals because I am far-sighted. I ordered prescription safety glasses at the same time. They have larger lenses than my regular glasses and side shields on the front of the ear pieces. Got both pair through the Wal Mart Vision Center. I don't recall the total cost.

[Bruce Wrenn]

During the day, only time my safety glasses (from Walmart) come off is for cleaning and when welding. When welding, I use a cheap pair of readers from $Tree under my shield.