Safety and Sports Eyewear: Standards, Impact Ratings and Choices

Eye injuries happen in a fraction of a second: a fragment from a grinder, a splash of cleaning chemical, a squash ball, a branch while mountain biking or an elbow on the basketball court. Many of these injuries are serious and some cause permanent vision loss. Yet eye care organisations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, consistently point out that the great majority of eye injuries could be prevented with appropriate protective eyewear.

The key word is appropriate. Ordinary glasses and fashion sunglasses are not designed to protect against impact and can shatter or be driven into the eye. Real safety and sports eyewear is tested to recognised standards and marked to show what it protects against. This guide explains the main standards, what impact ratings mean, how to get protection if you wear prescription glasses, and which eyewear suits different sports.

Why ordinary glasses are not enough

Standard spectacles are built for vision and comfort, not protection. Their frames are designed to be light and flexible, and their lenses are mounted in a way that may allow them to pop out backwards under force. Even impact-resistant materials such as polycarbonate do not make a pair of everyday glasses into safety eyewear, because the frame, hinges and lens retention have not been tested as a system. Fashion sunglasses carry the same limitations.

Protective eyewear is tested as a complete unit: the lens must withstand specified impacts without breaking or being dislodged, the frame must hold, and the design must cover the eye adequately, often including side protection. For an overview of eye risks in different workplaces and sports, see our guide to eye safety at work and in sports.

EN166: the European standard

EN166 is the European standard for personal eye protection, widely used in the UK and many other countries. It sets basic requirements for strength, optical quality and coverage, and defines optional protections. Eyewear that complies is marked on both the frame and the lens.

Understanding EN166 markings

A typical frame marking might read something like [manufacturer] EN166 3 4 5 B. Lens markings include the optical class and the mechanical strength. The most important symbols are summarised below.

Spectacle-style safety glasses can achieve a maximum impact rating of F; goggles can reach B and face shields A. If a frame and lens carry different impact symbols, the lower one applies to the whole device. Filter lenses for welding, ultraviolet or infrared radiation and sunglare are covered by related standards (EN169, EN170, EN171 and EN172), with a filter scale number on the lens. Note that the international ISO 16321 series is gradually being introduced to harmonise eye protection standards globally, so you may see these markings on newer products.

ANSI/ISEA Z87.1: the American standard

In the United States, occupational eye and face protection is governed by the ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 standard, referenced by OSHA regulations. Products are marked with Z87 for basic impact protection, or Z87+ for high-impact protection. Prescription safety lenses are marked Z87-2, with a plus sign if they meet high-impact requirements.

Basic versus high impact

• Basic impact (Z87): the lens must withstand a 25.4 mm (one inch) steel ball dropped from 127 cm (50 inches).
• High impact (Z87+): the device must withstand a 6.35 mm (quarter inch) steel ball at 45.7 m/s (150 feet per second) for spectacles, with higher velocities for goggles and face shields, plus a high-mass impact test.

Additional markings indicate protection against specific hazards: D3 for splashes and droplets, D4 for dust, D5 for fine dust, W with a shade number for welding filters, U with a scale number for ultraviolet filters, R for infrared, L for visible light filters and V for photochromic lenses. An S indicates a special-purpose lens tint.

Choosing the right type of protection

Match the protection to the hazard:

• Safety spectacles with side shields or a wraparound design for flying particles at low to moderate energy, such as light machining, woodworking or lab work.
• Goggles that seal around the eyes for splashes, dust, chemicals and higher-energy particles. Indirectly vented goggles protect against splashes while reducing fogging.
• Face shields for high-energy impact, molten metal or large splashes. Most face shields are designed to be worn over safety spectacles or goggles, not as the only protection.
• Welding helmets and filters with the correct shade for the process.
• Laser safety eyewear matched to the wavelength and power of the specific laser.

At home, DIY, lawn mowing, strimming, using power tools and handling cleaning chemicals such as oven or drain cleaners are common causes of eye injury. A pair of certified safety glasses or goggles costs little compared with the potential consequences.

Prescription safety eyewear

People who wear glasses have several options for eye protection:

1. Prescription safety glasses: frames and lenses certified to a safety standard and made to your prescription, usually with polycarbonate or Trivex lenses. They are the most comfortable for all-day wear. Single vision, bifocal and progressive versions are available. See our guide to lens materials for the properties of these materials.
2. Over-glasses (OTG): safety spectacles or goggles designed to fit over normal glasses. They are inexpensive and good for occasional use or visitors but can be bulky.
3. Goggles or masks with prescription inserts: a small prescription frame clips inside the goggle or full-face mask, common for chemical work, shooting and some sports.
4. Contact lenses with safety eyewear: contact lenses offer no protection themselves but can be combined with non-prescription safety eyewear. They may not be suitable in very dusty or chemical environments; your employer's safety rules and an eye care professional can advise. Our contact lenses guide has more information.

In many countries, employers must provide suitable eye protection where hazards exist, and this may include prescription safety glasses for employees who need them. Ask your health and safety officer or occupational health service.

Sports eyewear

Sports eye injuries are common, particularly in ball and racket sports where small, fast objects can enter the orbit. Our article on preventing sports-related eye injuries explores which sports carry the highest risk. Each sport has different requirements, and in North America the ASTM F803 standard covers eye protectors for racket sports, basketball, field hockey, lacrosse (women's) and baseball fielding, among others.

Outdoor sports also involve ultraviolet exposure. Snow and water reflect a large share of UV, which can cause painful corneal burns known as snow blindness. Choose sports eyewear that blocks UV, and read our sunglasses guide for categories and polarisation.

Children and sport

Children often play sports without eye protection, and those who already wear glasses are particularly at risk if they play in their everyday frames. Prescription sports goggles are available in children's sizes and should be standard for racket and ball sports. Our guide to glasses for children discusses this further.

One-eyed athletes

Anyone with good vision in only one eye should wear certified protective eyewear for all sports and hazardous work, and should discuss with an eye doctor whether certain high-risk sports are advisable at all, because an injury to the better eye could be devastating.

Fit, care and replacement

• Protection only works if it is worn. Choose eyewear that fits comfortably and does not fog, so you are not tempted to remove it.
• Check for side gaps; wraparound designs or side shields reduce the risk of particles entering from the side.
• Replace eyewear after any significant impact, even if no damage is visible, and replace scratched or pitted lenses that impair vision.
• Clean with water and mild soap or the manufacturer's recommended cleaner; harsh chemicals can weaken polycarbonate.
• Store in a case away from heat and sunlight, which can degrade materials over time.

First aid for eye injuries

Even with good protection, accidents happen. For chemical splashes, rinse the eye immediately with large amounts of clean water for at least 15 to 20 minutes and seek medical help. For a blow to the eye, a cold compress without pressure may help the swelling, but any vision change requires assessment. Do not rub the eye, do not try to remove an embedded object and do not apply pressure. Our eye emergencies guide covers first aid in detail.