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Daily exposure to ionizing radiation carries health risks. Lead radiation glasses are imperative to protect your eyes from developing cataracts if you work with scatter radiation. Eye protection should never be compromised as it’s a critical aspect of workplace safety.
Lead glasses for radiation protection have fragile glass lenses, which should be properly cared for and maintained. Dust, fogging, smudges, scratches, and hairline cracks will affect your vision and field of view and may create hazardous work conditions.
Top Tips to Properly Care for Your Radiation Safety Glasses
Never forget to wear your radiation eye protection when working anywhere near ionizing radiation. Barrier Technologies Leaded Eyewear is modern, durable, stylish, and available in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit your individual needs. If you follow these steps, you’ll maintain and protect your glasses for many years.
#1. Remove Your Lead Glasses Carefully
Radiation safety glasses are substantially heavier than ordinary eyeglasses. This is because the protective lead in the lenses is heavier than traditional polycarbonate lenses.
- Whenever you remove your lead radiation glasses from your face or their case, always use both hands. Never use one hand only.
- When putting them on or taking them off, carefully hold them by the temples (arms), ensuring that you keep the hinges and shields properly aligned.
- Never remove them by the bridge, top bar, or rims.
#2. Don’t Use the Bridge for Adjustments
When you are putting on your radiation safety glasses, you may find that you need to adjust them manually for a good fit on your face.
- Don’t push them back by pressing on the bridge (the bar across your nose).
- Hold the upper and lower parts of the frame with your index finger and thumb, on both sides.
- This gives you complete control and lowers the risk of dropping them.
#3. Avoid Placing Lead Glasses on Top of Your Head
Lead glasses for radiation eye protection are made with glass lenses and as a result are fragile. People who wear glasses often subconsciously push them up on top of their heads when not needed! This increases the risk of them falling and breaking. It also stretches the temples and hinges outwards, and they become misaligned.
- When you’re not wearing your radiation glasses, you can wear them around your neck with the retention strap that is provided or store them in their provided protective case
#4. Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Lead Glasses
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to thoroughly clean your glasses’ lenses. The cleaning procedure and materials depend on the lens coating. Here are some general instructions for common coatings:
Standard Uncoated Lenses:
- Rinse thoroughly under tepid running water to remove all particles.
- You can use a tiny amount of mild antibacterial dish soap.
- Dry them with the manufacturer-supplied microfiber cloth.
- Don’t use circular motions – always wipe in straight lines.
Anti-Reflective Coatings:
- Don’t use alcohol – it damages the anti-reflective coating.
- Clean as for standard uncoated lenses.
Fog-Free Coatings:
- Rejuvenate the anti-fog coating with an anti-fog spray, drops, or wipes.
#5. Clean Your Lenses with the Right Materials
Wearing glasses with dirty lenses hinders your eyesight and makes your tasks more challenging and time-consuming. This is not in line with the ALARA principle of radiation, which instructs you to keep exposure As Low As Reasonably Achievable! You must know how to clean glass lenses using the right materials.
- Always use a clean microfiber optical cloth specifically designed for your type of lead radiation glasses.
- Wash your microfiber cleaning cloths regularly to keep them clean and dust-free.
- Don’t give in to the temptation to clean your glasses on your clothing or with paper toweling. These materials will damage the lenses and coatings.
#6. Use Lens Wipes or Professional Lens Cleaner Spray
If you want to know how to clean your lenses thoroughly, then lens wipes or lens cleaner sprays are very convenient.
- Individually wrapped, pre-moistened lens wipes are suitable for all coated radiation safety glasses. Also, they quickly apply long-lasting, effective fog prevention.
- A lens cleaner spray provides great streak-free vision, but you must ensure that it is safe for your lenses. If your radiation safety glasses have coated lenses, only use the spray cleaner recommended for your type of glasses.
#7. Store Your Glasses Properly
Store your lead glasses properly when not in use. If they get dirty, scratched, or chipped, they become a hindrance rather than a visual aid when you’re working.
- Keep your glasses in a proper glasses case. All of Barrier Technologies’ leaded eyewear come in a protective hard case specifically designed to protect your glasses.
- A hard case is better than a soft pouch, to prevent your glasses from accidentally getting damaged.
#8. Inspect Your Lead Glasses Frequently
Your leaded radiation glasses are a vital component of your PPE. Look after them!
- Examine your lead glasses frequently for any type of damage.
- Damage could be pitting, chips, hairline cracks, or scratches in the lenses.
- Misaligned or stretched temples could result in your lead radiation glasses not fitting snugly.
- Radiation might penetrate through a damaged lens, or poorly-fitting glasses could fall off, leaving you unprotected!
- If your glasses are damaged, immediately organize for them to be repaired or replaced.
How Do Lead Glasses Protect Your Eyes?
Shielding is one of the three basic radiation safety principles. Lead (symbol Pb) acts as a barrier to ionizing radiation, thus reducing exposure and protecting your eyes.
The occupational exposure limit for the lens of the eye is 15,000 millirem or 0.15 Sieverts. Once this Lens Dose Exposure (LDE) is breached, you are at risk of developing cataracts.
However, research studies confirm that the use of leaded glasses reduces the LDE by a factor of 5 to 10. The industry standard for protective lenses is 0.75mm Pb. Such lenses strategically block the harmful rays of scatter radiation. All Barrier Technologies Leaded Eyewear are manufactured with 0.75mm Pb lead lenses NOT 0.5mm which some companies use to save money.
Conclusion
Barrier Technologies sets the standard for stylish, durable, and comfortable leaded eyewear for all radiation professionals. We have partnered with Corning Med-X Glass to produce personalized prescription radiation safety glasses to suit every worker and situation.
We offer uncompromising comfort, fit, form, and function, allowing you to concentrate and stay focused while maximizing your safety. Explore our Leaded Eyewear Catalog and contact us today for unsurpassable products and customer service.
