Have you found yourself wondering whether you can wear safety glasses over your eyeglasses? Maybe your employer has said that you need to and you want to know if this is true? Or are you curious and want to know more?
Whatever the reason might be that brought you here today, we have the answer for you!
Safety glasses are an important part of uniforms, especially for those that work around flying dirt, debris, or dangerous chemicals and lasers.
But the thought of wearing safety glasses over your eyeglasses can sound bulky, annoying, and a little uncomfortable. You start to wonder if it is even possible for you to be wearing safety glasses over your eyeglasses.
So you head online to see what you can find out but are met with conflicting and contradicting information.
You start to wonder if you will ever know if you can be wearing safety glasses over your eyeglasses or if you will spend the rest of your life not knowing.
Well, no more! Today we are here with the answers that you need. Keep reading to find out if you can be wearing safety glasses over eyeglasses and everything else you need to know about them.
What Are Safety Glasses?
Before we dive into today’s article, let’s have a quick recap for those that need it! Prescription safety glasses are strong and thick glasses that are placed over your eyes to protect you while you work.
These thick prescription glasses will cover your eyes and the skin surrounding them, fitting snugly on your face. They also boast thick prescription lenses.
The purpose of this safety eyewear is to protect your eyes from any harm while you work. This might be from chemicals, debris, dirt, or any harsh rays like UVA and UVB.
Typically woodworkers, lab technicians, experimental scientists, and even some builders will wear some form of safety eyewear, like safety glasses, or they may wear safety goggles.
The last thing you want is some wood dust or a harsh chemical getting into your eye and causing damage, so you will definitely want to wear safety goggles or some kind of safety eyeglasses!
Safety eyeglasses tend to be made from durable polycarbonate, which offers a clear field of vision, excellent protection, and durability, without being too heavy on your face.
After all, if these glasses are going to be on your face all day, then you need them to be comfortable and easy to wear.
Employers are expected to provide their employees with safety eyeglasses and other forms of protective equipment needed to do their job safely.
If you are self-employed or own a small business, then make sure you have risk-assessed your environment to determine whether your employees need safety eyewear or not.
You can purchase safety glasses and prescription safety goggles online easily, or you can head into stores to try a few different pairs on to see which ones feel the most comfortable for your face.
Now that we have established what safety glasses are, let’s move on to see if you can wear safety glasses over your eyeglasses.
Can You Really Wear Safety Glasses Over Eyeglasses?
Let’s get straight into it! Yes, you can really wear safety glasses over your eyeglasses! We know that it can seem a bit excessive, but trust us, it is better to be safe and protect your eyes than risk getting hurt while you work.
As the lens in your safety glasses will be clear, you don’t need to worry about it impacting your prescription eyeglasses in any way. Instead, think of the safety glasses as another buffer, designed to keep your eyes safe from any harm while you work.
You should still be able to see as you would through your eyeglasses, just with an added layer of protection.
You might be wondering why you need to wear safety glasses if you already have a pair of glasses on your face protecting your eyes. But unfortunately, your eyeglasses aren’t always going to cut it in terms of protection. So let’s look at why that is now.
Why Do I Need Safety Glasses Over Eyeglasses?
There are a few reasons why you need to wear safety glasses over your eyeglasses. Let’s take a look at these reasons now to help you understand the importance of safety glasses.
Safety Glasses Cover More
First up, your safety glasses will usually have a larger lens than your eyeglasses. Safety glasses are designed to cover more than just your eyeballs, but the area around them too, preventing any dust or debris from entering your eyes.
Unless you have a huge pair of glasses, the chances are your safety glasses will always cover a larger area.
Safety glasses also fit differently compared to eyeglasses. Safety glasses are designed to prevent any debris from entering your eyes, so they tend to fit snugly on your face.
This prevents any debris or dust from entering your eyes, and they will usually have a tiger fit than your eyeglasses. But don’t panic, you will still have room for your glasses underneath!
Safety Glasses Offer More Protection
Safety glasses also offer more protection than your eyeglasses. We mentioned earlier that safety glasses are usually made with polycarbonate, a durable and lightweight material that is designed to stand the test of time.
Safety glasses also feature coated lenses that help to offer even more protection.
The type of coating varies depending on the glasses that you choose, but generally, they will offer protection from UVA and UVB rays and other harmful substances.
You can always check the type of coating the glasses have and the protection they offer by reading the product information or manual that comes with your glasses.
Safety glasses also need to meet certain standards set out by the ANSI and OSHA that determine what your glasses need to be suitable for work.
As these safety glasses will have passed rigorous testing, you can be sure they will offer you more protection than your standard prescription eyeglasses will.
Safety Glasses Are More Durable
Finally, safety glasses are designed to be more durable. These glasses can take a drop or two and are designed to be scratch-resistant too, so you don’t need to worry about any marks clouding your vision.
As the glasses are so durable, you don’t need to worry about cracks, broken legs, or any other damage that could befall your glasses.
Think how often you have needed to replace or repair your eyeglasses, you won’t have to worry about that with safety glasses!
They are designed for the workplace and designed to be durable, so even the most clumsy person should be able to keep their safety glasses in one piece!
Final Thoughts
And there you have it! You can wear safety glasses over eyeglasses. Sure, there might be times where it is uncomfortable and it might feel a little bulky on your face, but it is the best way to ensure your safety and protection while you work.
Your safety glasses will act as another barrier between your eyes and your work environment and keep you safe at all times.
These durable glasses will protect you from any dust, debris, and harsh chemicals, without impacting your sight! It’s a no-brainer to us, wear the safety glasses over your eyeglasses!