You absolutely must protect your eyes when you are working with lasers. The mix of powerful lasers and fragile human eyes can be a dangerous mix. Human eyes are extra sensitive to laser light. Without protection, irreversible retinal or corneal damage can easily occur. The retina is a delicate tissue surface at the back of the eye. It’s purpose is to transmit image information to the optic nerve and then to the brain. The high power of a laser can easily burn through the retina and cause blindness. You must use protective eyewear to prevent this possibility.
When working with lasers, prevention is the main thing to keep in mind. Since there is no cure when your eye is damaged by a laser, you simply better be sure that the accident doesn’t happen in the first place. You can’t always control where lasers go, so you need to wear constant protection over your eyes in case in accidentally gets pointed directly at your face. The best way to keep yourself safe is to wear laser safety eyeglasses. They are designed specifically to block the harmful wavelengths of the lasers.
Not all eyeglasses built to protect your eyes from lasers will work for you, however. You must make sure that the glasses that you get are designed to block out the harmful wavelengths from the exact type of laser that you are using. Wearing the wrong type of glasses will have the same effect as wearing no glasses at all.
After choosing the type of safety glasses, you should look into the comfort and field of view. You should have a wide view, and a comfortable fit, especially if you are going to be wearing them for long periods of time. It is very important that the glasses fit you well. If they are too loose, they could slip around, which could impair your field of vision. If they are so loose that they slip off, you will have no protection until you put them back on. Also if you wear glasses to improve your vision OSHA approved prescription eyewear is an option.
It is possible that the person wearing the glasses will sweat into them. It can be uncomfortable, and it can impair your vision. Be careful about this. It is hard to prevent, but wipe your face off with a rag if you notice much sweat. Comfort is very important, so you’ll actually want to wear the eyewear. If you have protection and don’t use it, it is pointless. Use it every time!