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Safety glasses are a useful way to keep your eyes protected at work, on runs, and in harsh environments. Whether you work in construction, dentistry, or your eyes are easily irritated by dust when you perform outdoor sports, purchasing a reliable pair of safety goggles or spectacles can prevent eye infections and vision damage.
In this buying guide, we'll go over the difference between category A and B glasses, how to choose reliable anti-fog and UV protective lenses and much more to help you to find the best pair. We've even ranked the top 10 safety glasses in the UK on Amazon and eBay, including ones with prescription and bifocal lenses!
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Table of Contents
In this section, we will discuss the most important factors to consider when buying your own pair of safety glasses. From classes to materials, we've covered both the basics and the intricacies so you can do all the necessary research from one place - right here!
There are two main types of safety glasses that you can find online; Category A and Category B. It's crucial that you know the difference between the two as a tiny change can make a great impact on your level of safety.
In order to meet the requirements of Category A, your glasses must serve the basic level of protection by shielding your eyes from flying particles. This can either be with two lenses, a one-piece lens with side panels, or a full particle protective casing.
Providing that your glasses can guarantee a low risk of particles such as dust, wood, or metal entering your eyes, they can be classed as Category A. This is useful for science projects, DIY projects, minor construction work, or speed sports such as motorbiking and horse racing.
Glasses that belong in Category B are determined by whether or not they have a Z87+ marking. This marking shows that the glasses are designed to protect your eyes from high inertia particle hazards, also known as high impact protection.
These glasses are ideal for risky construction jobs or DIY tasks that could result flying chunks of material, such as using a breaker or a chainsaw.
However, the most important thing about buying a set of Category B glasses is that you understand the extent of their protective ability. Ask yourself what exactly you plan on doing while wearing your glasses and consider whether you need protection grade B?
If you're using safety glasses, you're probably doing something that requires your full concentration and attention. This means that you need to minimise distractions as much as possible, starting by preventing UV-light-induced headaches and fogged up lenses!
While you're cracking on with outdoor tasks, it's important that your eyes are protected from harsh UV rays, whether from the sun or a welding project. UV damage to the eyes can cause headaches, cataracts, growths and vision impairment, and these effects can be long-term.
To avoid the risk of UV damage, look to a set of UV protective glasses to ensure that your eyes are kept safe from any potential light-related hazards that could lead to complications with your sight.
During your project, you may find that your glasses start to fog due to a number of potential factors such as sweating, heavy breathing, cold outdoor temperatures, or poor ventilation. Fog is a minor obstacle as it can be easily wiped away. However, if it comes at an inconvenient time, this can lead to errors in your work from impaired vision.
Glasses that have an anti-fog coating can prevent your lenses from clouding over altogether. It's an incredibly useful feature and it makes little to no impact on the overall price of the product. For that reason, it's a good idea to shop for an anti-fog lens if you plan to use your glasses for an extended period of time.
The majority of lenses used for safety glasses are crafted with polycarbonate, which is a combination of carbonate chemical structures and thermoplastic polymers. This creates an extremely durable and strong material that's ideal for protecting your eyes during labour-intensive tasks.
Tried and tested, polycarbonate glasses can shield your eyes from flying solid particles to ensure that you're safe from physical damage. However, another top material that you can choose from is Polyvinyl Chloride, also known as PVC.
This material is a lot more difficult to scratch than polycarbonate due to its sturdy chemical makeup. That said, it won't offer the same overall durability, so select the material your glasses are made from depending on the intensity of your project.
The frame is often made from the same material as the lenses. This is highly beneficial as the material used for safety glasses lenses is exceptionally resistant to damage and difficult to break. However, these can be fairly uncomfortable to have to rest on your face all day, especially if you're grafting long hours in a manual job.
If you plan on using your glasses for long hours, such as a full day's work on a construction site, you should look for a pair of glasses with rubber on the frame. This will cushion the edges for improved comfort, so you can wear them for as long as you need without irritating your skin.
These are a fantastic pair of protective sunglasses for your everyday construction job. You can just as easily wear them out and about, as well as at work, or whilst doing other manual jobs to keep your eyes safe from hazardous particles.
The frame has rubber temple cushions to help you avoid tension headaches and the certified distortion-free lenses help to reduce eye fatigue. All in all, these are a superb pair of ergonomic glasses designed by a reputable company that specialises in industrial equipment and PPE.
These extremely lightweight yet impressively durable glasses are a must-have! They have a UV protective filter and an anti-fog coating, making them a reliable choice when you're on the go. Plus, the protective wrap design shields your eyes from harm, whilst the curved arms fit comfortably around your head.
These glasses offer great coverage to protect your eyes from chemical splashes and debris. They're also much more subtle than a pair of goggles, making them practically unnoticeable if worn whilst on a run, performing dental work, or at the construction site.
To protect your eyes from dust and debris, these glasses are handy to have on hand. The frame has a soft, dual-injected rubber pad along the rim, to cushion them against your face and keep you feeling comfortable while you work.
But that's not all! Ventilation channels and Dewalt's XtraClear™ anti-fog lens coating ensures crystal clear vision via the wide one-piece lens. They really are the ideal pair for long construction jobs or big home DIY projects.
These glasses are Z87.1 approved, providing reassurance that these are super resilient Category B glasses. Despite being an enclosed goggle design, they have adequate ventilation for air flow, without putting your skin at direct risk from accidental splashes or liquids.
The vents are positioned slightly off centre to make sure that harsh chemicals won't come into contact with the skin around your eyes. Overall, they're a good option if you're after a high-grade pair of safety glasses.
This pair of safety glasses feature bifocal lenses, ranging from +1.0 to +3.0. This means that if you require reading glasses, you'll be able to find your prescription to help you see clearly when working on a project or practising a skill that requires attention to detail.
In addition, the one-piece moulded polycarbonate lens has an anti-fog coating and UV coating for 100% protection from harmful UV rays. For outdoor jobs that require some sort of eye guard, look to this reliable brand for ultimate safety!
This bargain pack means you can buy two pairs of safety glasses for yourself and a co-worker, or just to make sure you always have a backup pair. With a UV protective layer and anti-fog coating, these lenses are highly recommended if you require eye protection while cycling or for workshop use.
The polycarbonate lenses are extremely durable and almost impossible to scratch! And working out to less than £10 a pair, this is a high-quality product that guarantees good results at an affordable price.
These safety glasses are a useful tool for woodworking, carpentry, or any sort of activity that could put your eyes at risk of flying debris. Plus, the rubber cushioning on the frame will allow you to wear them for long periods of time without discomfort.
Providing additional protection against harmful UV rays, you're sure to appreciate the strength and durability of these glasses. They're quite pricy, but they have undergone endurance testing to guarantee their reliability, making them worth the investment.
These easy-to-wear glasses are highly efficient with rubber pads around the lens, covering the whole eye area. Thanks to their anti-fog coating and UV protective layers, you can count on these airtight glasses to keep your eyes safe from spills, dust and debris.
The strap is easily fastened, with interchangeable, quick release temples and strap. It's not advisable to use these glasses for torch welding, electrical arc welding or for tasks which may produce infrared or laser radiation. However, these glasses are ideal for motorbike racing, running and cycling.
These glasses are super reliable with their wide, side defending frames and a one-piece lens for enhanced vision. They even have UV protection to shield your eyes from harmful light rays that could potentially cause damage.
You'll be surprised to know that, despite the price, these glasses are extremely durable and are resistant to subtle damage thanks to their powerful PVC lenses. However, they have a rigid frame without any rubber coating, so they're best reserved for small projects that won't require you to wear them for long periods of time.
These PVC glasses are exactly what you'd expect to find in a school lab or in a home DIY essentials box. They provide the bare minimum of eye safety, which is all that you need to help with small projects, or if you're after something to save your eyes from things like cleaning products or paint fumes.
They're lightweight, comfortable, and they cost less than £1 per piece, making them a great option for bulk buying. These aren't the most reliable choice if you're working with chemicals or debris, but they do the job of keeping your eyes safe from dust.
When you first searched for safety glasses, you likely already had a job in mind. Whether it's sanding, pressure washing or strimming, we've found a few more guides to the best tools and DIY equipment in the UK!
Hopefully, you found the advice in our guide helpful and you now feel ready to buy a new pair of safety glasses. Whether you work in a dentist's office or a car workshop, it's crucial that you choose a reliable piece of eyewear PPE to ensure safety at all times.
Author: Annie Speight
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