Eye Protection with RX built in

[Glen Blanchard]

I am unfortuantely an eyeglass wearer and have been for over 30 years. I force myself to put on my protective goggles over my regular eyeglasses when using the router, table saw, etc. I hate those things. I would like to find some kind of eye protection with the RX built in the lenses. I would just wear these anytime I am in the shop and would prevent my searching for the darned goggles - but I am not looking some kind of huge RX goggles. Am hoping for something a bit more stylish. I got to thinking about a product some of you may know about - "RecSpecs". These are protective eyewear designed for sports such as racquetball and the like. I wonder if they would suffice for woodworking. Anyone know? Anyone have other ideas?

[Rob Millard]

Try www.heavyglare.com . I bought some Eye Armor safety glasses that fit over my regular glasses, and these have been very comfortable. They also have frames that can be fitted with RX lenses.
Rob Millard

[Mike Cutler]

Glen.
Your optician can make you a pair of safety glasses with an Rx built in. They meet all of the OSHA standards and can even be had in Progressive/tri focal Rx's. These are standard sized glasses. The El Cheapo versions are just slightly larger that a cheap sunglasses.
We have safety glasses here at work that have an RX built into them. They aren't very expensive $10-12 bucks, of course you probably get $10-12 bucks of quality also.
I think our friend Tyler would be able to provide more info. Hopefully he see this.;)

[Matt Day]

Try WileyX. They have all the latest safety certs. I have a pair for work. http://wileyx.com/ I have the Romer II.

[Al Willits]

These are all manufacturs that sell safety glasses, maybe try a shooting forum and see who like what.
I get mine at work, but most of the shooters I shoot with are pretty knowledgable about safety glasses.


Decot
Knobloch
Oakley
Randolph Ranger
Tasco
Wiley-X
Zeiss

Al

[Glen Blanchard]

Thanks Al. What makes these "safety" glasses? As I understand it, anything I would buy (with woodworking in mind) would have a polycarboante lens. If the safety glasses you referenced have polycarb lenses, since I can get this type of lens at my local optician, then the only difference is in the protection the frames themselves offer. As woodworkers, we are looking for something that protects us on the sides as well as directly in front of our eyes. This can be had with a wrap-around configuration like the Recpecs or can be obtained from frames that facilitate clip-on side protection pieces. As such, what would be the difference between the safety glasses you referenced and frames that offer some type of side protection along with polycarboante lenses?

[John Bush]

Hi Glen,
I recommend the Orascoptic Research 4.0 tilt-ups!! But seriously now, I use a full face shield that allows use of your conventional glasses and protects all the other pretty parts, like those centrals you had avatar'd previously. Happy Holidays, JCB.

P.S.: Most glasses are made with shatter resistent lenses now.

[Steve Dewey]

http://www.rx-safety.com/

They'll send you frames to try on before they fill your RX. They were much cheaper than my local optomitrist - even if I supplied the frames & just had them do the lense work.

Regarding protection there is a spec ANSI Z87.1-2003 that covers how well they need to protect your eyes - (wrap around design or side shields etc).

[Glen Blanchard]

Hi Glen,
I recommend the Orascoptic Research 4.0 tilt-ups!!

Got em already...with the Zeon light too. :p

[Al Willits]

I'm a newbie at woodworking, but been shooting for over 40 years, and I can say imho that woodworking has pretty much the same problem as shooting, objects can come from any direction.

If you wear a face shield, then the basic eyeglass with the side Shields would probably work fine, if your like me (and I know I am) you don't always wear the added shield, and you need all the safety you can get.

Other posts have mention spending thousands on safety saws and DC, spend a hundred or what ever it takes to get a top notch wraparound set that encloses the eyes completely.

And that would be the the shooter style of glasses, I used to wear the side Shields and had a piece of brass sneak by, luckily no damaged was done, but I threw those glasses away.

Plus, a good set of shooting glasses will feel more comfortable and resist fogging.

Stop and close one eye, then think about how much its worth to spend on keeping your sight.

Only my thoughts, fwiw.

Al

[Lee Schierer]

Take your prescription to any optician and ask fo safety glasses with side shields. The y will have polycoarbonate lenses so wash them iwth warm soapy water never wipe them when dry or they will scratch. I don't know if the discount lense places can make them or not. These will protect your eyes the same as goggles and will have the same clarity you have in your regular glasses. I think the cost will be a bit more than $12 though. You can get a variety of frames for them.

[Glen Blanchard]

Take your prescription to any optician and ask fo safety glasses with side shields. The y will have polycoarbonate lenses

That is what I was thinking of doing, but I am wondering if it is sufficient (in regards to the material for the lenses (polycarb) as well as the peripheral protection they would offer).

[Daniel Thompson]

I recently had a pair of Rx safety glasses made at Lenscrafters for my new prescription. They have polycarbonate lenses and removable side shields. They are wire frame and don't look all that different from my normal glasses but are a little heavier. There were a variety of frame styles to choose from. I got lined bifocals but progressive lenses were available at a significantly higher price. As far as I know, these conform to the current safety requirements.

Dan Thompson

[Hank Knight]

That is what I was thinking of doing, but I am wondering if it is sufficient (in regards to the material for the lenses (polycarb) as well as the peripheral protection they would offer).

Glen,

I think your local optitian will have products that are specifically designed to be safety glasses, not just regualr glasses with polycarbonate lenses. I've looked at some at my optitian's shop and they are clearly designed to be safety glasses.

My $.02

Hank

[Ron Jones near Indy]

I have no line bifocals with side shields, polycarbonate lens and safety frames that I got from the optical dept. at Sam's Club. I took in my RX and picked up the safety glasses in less than a week. Sam's was less than half of what my ophthalmologist wanted. Love them.:)

[Jim Becker]

AAA discount at Lenscrafters is also good when you need glasses made up...there is likely a similar deal for AARP if that applies, but I fortunately have not quite attained that privilege. Yet.

[Aaron Beaver]

http://www.rx-safety.com/

They'll send you frames to try on before they fill your RX. They were much cheaper than my local optomitrist - even if I supplied the frames & just had them do the lense work.

Regarding protection there is a spec ANSI Z87.1-2003 that covers how well they need to protect your eyes - (wrap around design or side shields etc).

Do you know how much the lenses cost? I went to Lens Crafters and the frames with side shields were not that bad but the lenses costed a lot.

[Andrew Shaber]

I've done a little investigation on this. I plan to buy a pair of the WileyX in January when insurance will pay ($35 out the door!!) I will get the WileyX with a polycarbonate lense. VSP insurance will pay for transitions coating which gives me photo-chromatic and scratch coat.

I mountain bike and ski and will also use these glasses for low light use when not wearing goggles. I particularly like there is a non-bulky foam surrounding the lense which fits very close to my face, closer than my over glasses protection.

To be official safety glasses, they have to have Z87 stamped on the frame and have a safety lense. A safety lense must be poly carbonate and have a 3mm center thickness. Standard lenses are 2.2mm.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I am unfortuantely an eyeglass wearer and have been for over 30 years. I force myself to put on my protective goggles over my regular eyeglasses when using the router, table saw, etc.
In the last decade things have changed.
Every pair of glasses you buy has to have an impact rating of some kind and is a safety glass. Most all are eyeglasses polycarbonate which standing alone is the impact resistant material used in any "rated" safety glass.

[Chris Barton]

Hi Glenn,

If you currently have lenses in your glasses that were described at purchase as "light weight" or plastic or such... you have polycarbonate lenes. And, all polycarbonate lenses will meet basic requirements for strength. However, glasses are very poor protectors of your face and eyes. I would suggest considering a flip down face shield; cheap, available at any borg and the best safety device for the money.

[Robert Mahon]

I've had my last 3 sets made by Sears and have been extremely pleased with them. I got the "Occupational grind", meaning tri-focals. The lower grind is for reading, the center grind for normal distances and the upper for use with the computer and viewing the high-mounted navigation and electronic equipment on my boat. I did not get blended lenses because I like the distinct lines.

All have been safety lenses and came with side-shields. My latest set has the non-glare coating which allows me to use them at night with no difficulty.

Just a suggested alternate source.

[Matt Day]

In the last decade things have changed.
Every pair of glasses you buy has to have an impact rating of some kind and is a safety glass. Most all are eyeglasses polycarbonate which standing alone is the impact resistant material used in any "rated" safety glass.

I'm not sure this is correct, or at least you have to be careful when you say safety glass. To be rated an ANSI safety lense, it needs to pass a drop ball test performed by the institute; it's not simply using a type of material. Just as important, these lenses need be used in conjunction with an ANSI rated frame that can withstand impacts and allow your super strong lenses to smash into your eyes when a projectile hits them.

It took me a while to find a pair of RX frames and lenses for work that were ANSI rated (I have to wear them for our company safety policy), but also weren't styled in the 20's. I ordered the WileyX Romer II's and got the lenses cut at my optometrist. My optometrist liked the WileyX's so much they now stock them.

Just make sure you get something that is comforatable enough to acutally wear!