Renewed Warnings about Workplace Eye Injuries

"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 2,000 workplace-related eye injuries in the United States each day. This amounts to more than 730,000 on-the-job eye injuries every year, with more than 36,000 resulting in time off from work. The annual price tag for these injuries hovers around $300 million annually. In addition, many eye injuries, like other workplace injuries, are never reported for a variety of reasons. So, if anything, these statistics underreport the urgency of the situation," reports OSH Online. "And we need to add one more statistic for consideration. While the number of injuries per day can vary depending on the source, virtually all sources agree that 90 percent of these eye injuries could be prevented if the worker wears the proper protective eye gear." Read more.

Porn Actors Happy without Eyewear

For nearly six hours, members of California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board listened too nearly 100 porn actors complain how proposed protective eyewear regulations for the porn film industry would ruin the “aesthetics” and “fantasy” of the porno film, said the LA Daily News. After all, who wants to see “Long Dong” Whoever or the Busty Babes of Brooklyn wearing protective eyewear? Read more.

Porn Stars Protest Eyewear Regulations

"More than 100 adult film performers plan to gather in Sacramento Thursday to protest an expected ruling by California regulators that mandates condoms and eyewear for actors on all porn sets statewide." That's the word from the LA Daily News. Read more.

New Protective Eyewear from Honeywell

"Honeywell has launched Uvex Livewire sealed safety eyewear with Uvex HydroShield anti-fog lens coating, for a style that delivers unbeatable performance and protection," notes Midwest Lens. "The new Livewire offering is ideally suited for workers who require the added protection of a goggle and demand lasting, fog-free visibility to remain safe and productive on the job." Read more.

Call for Higher Standard for Pediacric Protective Eyewear

"Standards for protective eyewear for children and public health campaigns encouraging its use are crucial to reducing the incidence of ocular injuries in children, according to a clinical focus article published in the Medical Journal of Australia." That's the beginning of a Medical News Today post.  "Ms. Annette Hoskin, Research Fellow and her colleagues, from the Lions Eye Institute in Perth, reported that in Australia, 10% of severe ocular trauma in children occurred during sporting activities, with permanent visual damage resulting in 27% of those cases. Forty-eight per cent of eye injuries occurred in the home while playing with easily accessible objects." Read more.

Protective Eyewear Maybe Not Adequate for U.S. Soldiers

"Researchers at UTSA are discovering that the current protective eyewear used by our U.S. armed forces might not be adequate to protect soldiers exposed to explosive blasts," reports Medical News Today. "According to a recent study, ocular injuries now account for 13 percent of all battlefield injuries and are the fourth most common military deployment-related injury. With the support of the U.S. Department of Defense, UTSA biomedical engineering assistant professor Matthew Reilly and distinguished senior lecture in geological sciences Walter Gray have been collaborating with researchers at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Joint Base San Antonio Fort Sam Houston and the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio to understand the unseen effects that can occur as a result of a blast injury." Read more.

Protective Eyewear Required When Filming Porn in California

"Here’s the thing, though: Condoms, and other barrier methods, are technically already required in porn, both during penetrative and oral sex, according to Deborah Gold, Cal/OSHA’s deputy chief for health." So goes a portion of a post from Salon. "So too is eye protection from semen and other bodily fluids. If you’ve ever watched a porn you probably have a sense of just how relatively rarely these requirements are enforced. If instituted, these draft guidelines would actually offer a trial period in which an exception is made for the barrier method requirement during oral sex. (As of 2018, the exemption would be reconsidered and could either end or be extended.)" Read more.

New Safety Eyewear from Honeywell

"Honeywell launched Uvex Livewire sealed eyewear for extreme, high-particulate environments," according to Penn Energy. "Based on extensive research and fit-testing, the Uvex Livewire precision-engineered frame ensures a superior, gap-free fit that seals out debris, while the high-performance Uvextreme® Plus coating delivers 10 times longer anti-fog protection and two times better scratch resistance than other anti-fog coated lenses. Uvex Livewire is designed to deliver exceptional durability, performance, fit and protection to keep workers safe in the harshest conditions." Read more.

Jason Maxielwearl to Don Protective Eye

"Jason Maxiell will change his look at some point in the next few weeks," reports the Orlando Sentinel. "Because he underwent surgery late last season to repair a detached retina, Maxiell has worn protective eyewear during Magic practices. Maxiell has worn a relatively fashionable pair of Wilson glasses during Magic practices. But soon he expects to receive goggles that resemble the eyewear Horace Grant donned during Grant’s days with the Chicago Bulls and the Magic. Maxiell doesn’t expect the new goggles to be ready for Wednesday night’s preseason opener against the New Orleans Pelicans in Jacksonville." Read more.

Protective Eyewear from Kimberly-Clark

“Protective eyewear: When protection against the sun is important, Kimberly-Clark Professional introduces new and improved Jackson Safety Nemesis Polarized Safety Eyewear,” according to Utility Products. “The safety glasses offer extended protection in a polarized lens, reducing eye fatigue as well as providing superior peripheral vision and side protection through a sleek, wraparound design. A specialty lens minimizes the oriented light that causes glare, allowing the wearer to see fine details and deep colors without eyestrain, eye stress or fatigue. It does so without compromising or sacrificing clarity, performance or durability. The glasses are comfortable enough for all-day use.” Read more.

ASTM Developing Eye Protection Standard for Airsoft Sports

“In response to requests from both insurance providers and playing facility operators, ASTM International Committee F08 on Sports Equipment and Facilities is developing ASTM WK27246, Specification for Eye Protective Devices for Airsoft Sports,” reports Yahoo News. “Proposed standard will provide eyewear test procedures that are specifically designed for airsoft.” Read more.

New from Liberty Sport’s Protective Frame Series

“F8 Street Series, the top selling collectible F803 sports protective frames series will be introducing two new designs to the collection,” says Midwest Lens. “The collection was launched in 2010 with six authentic designs inspired by a fusion of sports performance and street art. Since that time, four new additional designs have been integrated into the assortment, rounding out the total to ten available skus. This year Liberty Sport will launch two new designs that are a little more on trend, edgy, and targeted more to teens.” Read more.

More on the Protective Eyewear Study

A new study conducted by researchers at Hasbro Children's Hospital, the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Fairfax (VA) County Public Schools, and Boston Children's Hospital has found that high school field hockey players competing in states with mandated protective eyewear have significantly lower rates of head, eye, and facial injuries when compared to players who compete in states without protective eyewear mandates.

Each academic year, an estimated 63,000 girls participate in high school-sanctioned field hockey in the United States. Head, facial, and eye injuries are common among field hockey players, and, occasionally, are catastrophic. In recent years, there has been ongoing debate among coaches, players, parents, rules committees, and medical professionals regarding the efficacy of protective eyewear in preventing these injuries.


The study, currently online and appearing in the December 2012 print issue of Pediatrics, examined injuries among high school field hockey players 14-18 years of age during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 scholastic seasons, just prior to the national mandate by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) requiring the use of protective eyewear for all high school field hockey players which went into effect during the 2011-12 season.

Researchers found that the rates of all head and face injuries (including eye injuries and concussion) were significantly higher in states with no protective eyewear mandate compared to states with protective eyewear mandates. Players from states with no protective eyewear mandate were more than five times more likely to sustain an eye injury than players from states with mandated protective eyewear. In addition, a larger percentage of injuries sustained by athletes from states with no protective eyewear mandate required more than 10 days to return to activity (32 percent) compared to athletes from states with mandated protective eyewear (17 percent).

Read more.

Field Hockey Eye Injuries Down

"Fewer high school field hockey players get head and face injuries when they're required to don protective eyewear, according to a new comparison of states with and without those policies in effect," according to Yahoo! News. "Researchers were looking into worries that the equipment, while preventing eye injuries, might encourage players to get more physical and violent overall - which they termed "the gladiator effect" - leading to an increase in injuries....However that did not appear to be the case, and concussion rates, for example, were similar in states where eyewear was and was not required during the study." Read more.

Need Protective Eyewear to Watch Venus Pass in Front of Sun

"On Tuesday, you may be able to watch the movement of an object millions of miles away with only protective eyewear," notes the Milwaukee Journal. "And there won't be a chance to do this again in your lifetime or possibly even in your children's lifetimes. The planet Venus will pass in front of the Sun, and that won't happen again until December 2117. The 'Transit of Venus' will be visible between 5:04 p.m. and sunset (about 8:30 p.m.)." Read more.

Man Charged for Pointing Laser at Helicopter

"A man has been arrested for allegedly pointing a laser at a Pasadena police helicopter, injuring an officer on board," goes the San Jose Mercury News post. "A Pasadena police statement says 23-year-old Rafael Juarez of San Gabriel was taken into custody Thursday and booked on suspicion of discharging a laser at an aircraft and possession of a controlled substance. Police say the incident occurred about 9:30 a.m. Thursday as the helicopter flew over the city of San Gabriel. The helicopter crew was not wearing their protective eyewear at the time, but identified the suspect's location. With the help of San Gabriel police ground units, Juarez was arrested without incident. The flight crew landed safely at the Pasadena Heliport and the injured officer was taken to a hospital for evaluation. His condition is not known." Read more.

Wiley X Adds to Black Ops

"Wiley X, Inc., has once again expanded its popular Black Ops Collection, adding the new WX Gravity Climate Control model to this exclusive line of performance protective eyewear products developed for law enforcement, Secret Service and other tactical wearers." That's the post from Eye Surf. "The WX Gravity features Wiley X’s soft, removable Facial Cavity Seal that eliminates peripheral light and creates a comfortable environment for the eyes. It also seals out dust, airborne debris and wind." Read more.

3M Tekk Launches Protective Eyewear for Homeowner

3M Tekk Protection Brand has hooked up with Mike Holmes, the contractor from HGTV, to develop a line of protective eyewear for projects around the house. According to a recent 3M Safety Survey, nearly three out of four homeowners across the U.S. are most concerned with injuring their eyes as opposed to any other injury while completing DIY or home improvement projects. The eyewear reportedly will protect homeowners from projectiles and contaminants while doing home maintenance projects, including sanding, painting, sawing, drilling, power washing and lawn maintenance.Read more.

Knicks Player Gets Custom Protective Eyewear from Nike

"Soon after Amare Stoudemire signed with the Knicks in 2010, he said, 'I'm a pioneer right now to really take a step forward and help rebuild a program and get us back on top.'" That's the start of a post about the player's protective eyewear in ESPN. "What many people didn't know is that Stoudemire, the pioneer, wanted to rebuild something else when he arrived in New York: his on-court eyewear. In the latter part of 2010, STAT, a Nike athlete, approached the Nike Vision team, a newer division within the company's headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., to see if they could tailor make a pair for him. Stoudemire, who suffered a partially detached retina in his right eye in a game on Feb. 18, 2009, had been previously wearing more generic Oakley shades for protection, and he wanted something better suited for his game." Read more.

OSHA Fines Contractor for Not Offering Protective Eyewear

"The contracting firm G.A. Denison & Sons Inc. faces $110,000 in fines for federal safety violations at an Old Lyme work site, the U.S. Department of Labor said Tuesday," according to a post on The Day. "The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the firm, owned by George A. Denison, for 14 'willful and serious violations,' including working without hard hats and failing to provide protective eyewear. The proposed fines followed an inspection June 7 of a work site at the Old Lyme Fire Department firehouse, OSHA said." Read more.