Choosing Laser Safety Eyewear

Even small amounts of laser light can result in permanent eye damage. That’s why it’s so important to ensure laser operators’ eyes are fully protected with suitable safety eyeware. However, though full protection must be the primary concern, there are other points worth considering before making your final purchasing decision.

1. EN 207 Conformity

EN207 certification ensures the safety eyewear meets the laser protection requirement of the European Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Directive.

With EN207, various markings are printed on the eyewear. These specify the maximum power and energy densities which the eyewear protects against at different wavelengths.

Signifying the power density up to which the eyewear should be used, is the LB-rating (L1-L10). This rating is used in conjunction with the relevant wavelength or wavelength range and the laser mode (D, I, R & M).

The D, I, R and M refer to CW or different pulse lengths as follows:

D – Continuous Wave (CW)

I – Pulsed with pulse length > 1 µs and < 250 ms ‘Long Pulse’

R – Pulsed with pulse length > 1 ns and < 1 µs, ‘Q-switched’

M – Pulsed with pulse length < 1 ns, ‘Femtosecond’⁴

Printing this detailed information on the eyewear, provides a means of identifying that the correct eyewear is used in protecting the user in operating a specific laser machine.

2. Comfort

 If the eyewear is uncomfortable, operators become averse to using it. If a laser is operated without using protective eyewear, serious injury could result.

It could also have an effect on productivity. No operator would want to wear uncomfortable eyewear over an extended period of time.

Knowing that your laser safety eyewear comes from a manufacturer with a reputation for making comfortable and stylish leisure and sports eyewear provides extra reassurance. Our product partners, Univet, provide a range of safety eyewear that gives excellent coverage and a great fit and, with the innovative Softpad system, exceptional comfort.

3. Price

For every organisation, price is always a factor; the lower the better but when safety is concerned, without compromising quality.

TLM Laser prides itself on the outstanding value we give our laser safety glasses and goggles customers. Use our Laser Safety Glasses Wizard to see for yourself just how low our prices are.

4. VLT

Visible Light Transmission – the higher the transmission, the more colour goes through the lens. For example, with a pair of cheap sunglasses the sun is blocked but things are difficult to see because a lot of light is filtered out. With more expensive sunglasses, the sun is blocked but everything looks much the same as it is without wearing them.

If seeing as much visible light as possible is important when working with your laser, it may be worth paying more for eyewear with a higher VLT.

Univet’s technical department can provide protective filters and coatings including those for high VLT over and above those on our Safety Glasses Wizard. Please contact sales@tlm-laser.com for details.

5. Lens Material

With most laser safety eyewear, you have a choice between glass or plastic/acrylic lens.

Glass lenses usually have a higher VLT than plastic, which means you can see better. They can also provide more complete protection against higher powered lasers. Glass lenses are more scratch resistant which, bar accidents, gives them a longer life.

Plastic laser safety glasses are lighter and more generally less expensive than glass. They are also less likely to break if dropped. Easier to work into a frame, plastic often gives more frame choices.

Univet safety eyewear offers a wide choice of both glass and plastic lens.

6. Back-up

Service back-up is not usually a consideration on purchasing safety eyewear.

However, on its more expensive items, Univet does offer a repair service. If a high protection glass lensed item of safety eyewear falls from a height onto a concrete floor, damage is likely to take place. Knowing it’s repairable is a comforting and money saving thought.

Having considered all these points, please go to our easy to use Laser Safety Eyewear section for the safety eyewear that meets your needs.

Alternatively, or for more specific requirements, please visit sales@tlm-laser.com