eye protection

[crackleback]

I have been using some Oakley ANSI rated clear lens when at the range. I know glasses with this rating would probably protect me from almost any thing that could occur, but I'm still thinking it might be time to get a little more serious about eye protection.

I have discovered that Wiley X as well as Smith Optics make one-piece lens that have the MIL-PRF designation. Studies I've read indicate this is much more effective in preventing eye injury in the event of a malfunction.

Does anyone have experience with one of these two brands, or any other brand?

 

[moxie]

I should think your Oakleys are plenty good. I've used similar glasses or my plain polycarbonate prescription eyeglasses for many years without incident. Got some new Trivex lensed sunglasses recently but haven't shot with them yet. I'm sure they will be OK.

The worst I've had was a lead wadcutter that bounced back from about 7 yards off my glasses. Not a problem.

Lenses made from polycarbonate (Lexan) should protect against anything short of a bullet actually fired at you, in which case your day is ruined, well and truly. Test for yourself. Fire a BB gun at an old set of polycarbonate lenses. It won't penetrate. If that's true you're OK with anything you're liable to encounter at the range.

 

[Shifty]

When I was a kid, the very first shot I ever fired from my first BB gun bounced off the board I had my target stuck to and smacked right into my El cheapo generic plastic safety glasses directly in front of my left eye. Barely left a mark.

Not advocating using cheap equipment, but most anything at any sporting goods store is probably more than adequate for non combat use.

My 2 cents

 

[crackleback]

Shifty,

Careful with those BB guns............you'll shoot your eye out!!!

I cringe when I think of the stupid things we did with our Daisey Red Rider BB guns. With old age I'm much safer now and much more concerned with keeping my eyesight. With that said I feel you are right about the cheap safety glasses. I've just had some issues with one eye and want to make sure I'm going to the extreme to keep the other one at 20/20.

 

[Water-Man]

I've been very satisfied with Wiley X.

 

[Ky Larry]

I had a drill bit shatter at work a few years ago. I was wearing a pair of Smith & Wesson safety glasses at the time. A piece of the bit took a small chunk out of the lens but I wasn't hurt.

 

[Sav .250]

Old pair of safety glasses.

 

[On An Island]

One thing I do recommend is using shooting/safety glasses with wire frames (at least for the arms that go over your ears). A wire frame will allow your muffs to seal much more snugly around your ears than will an earpiece that is thicker plastic which can leave larger gaps between skin and earmuff.

Not exactly on topic, I know...

 

[Phaedrus/69]

To those of you with old glasses be aware that polycarbonate loses its strength over time, and rapidly with exposure to sunlight. If you wear them outdoors you should replace them every year. I saw a test where the author's 1 year old military safety goggles failed a basic bb test.

The brands listed in the posts above are good. I recently bought a pair of ESS Crossbow Suppressors; they're rated to exceed ANSI Z87.1+ and MIL-PRF-31013 and cost under $30. So are I really like them a lot.

From all my research one of the best brands for the money I found was Pyramex. Their Rendevous ranked in the top three pairs in a cost-no-object test done by a major magazine. Amazon sells them for around $10, and I have at least half a dozen of them.

You don't need to spend a lot of money to get good protection, but don't completely cheap out! Get decent ANSI rated ones that fit, and don't be too cheap to throw 'em away and get new ones if they get damaged or are getting old. New glasses are cheaper than new eyes!

 

[hso]

much more effective

The difference in standards used to assess impact resistance is more resistant to impact, but not "much more". You're more protected with the Mil standard, but adequately protected with ANSI Z87+.

That being the case the important thing for shooters to remember is that when selecting eye protection pick products what disturb the ear cup pads of muffs the least so you don't degrade your hearing protection.