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- No matter what kind of DIY projects you tackle at home, you need a good pair of safety glasses to protect your eyes.
- The NoCry Over-Spec Safety Glasses are our top pick because they are extremely comfortable and provide a high level of protection.
Whether you are performing important tasks around the home or at work, if materials or liquids are flying around, you need to wear safety glasses. From minor irritants like sawdust to extremely dangerous materials like acids and everything in between, safety glasses will keep your eyes protected.
Now for the problem. Most of us don't wear safety glasses when we're working on projects. I liken it to knowing we should all eat vegetables and spend plenty of time exercising every day, yet we're scarfing nachos on the couch and staring at the TV more often than we should.
If you're someone who tends to leave the safety glasses behind when it's time to do some work, we have some good news for you. Safety glasses are more lightweight, comfortable, stylish, and affordable than they've ever been. You don't really have an excuse, and protecting your eyesight is key.
The dangers of not wearing safety glasses include temporary or permanent vision loss from corneal burn, abrasion, or penetration, according to EHS Today. When looking for safety glasses, Safety Glasses USA says you should look for ANSI Z87 certification at the minimum. This provides protection against liquid splashes and impacts.
OSHA, which is part of the US Department of Labor, offers certifications that involve workplace and industrial standards. Many safety glasses that meet OSHA standards are specialty glasses, rather than standard safety glasses made for residential users. OSHA lays out its standards for different types of safety glasses on its website, and if you're using these glasses at work, you may need OSHA certified glasses.
All About Vision highlights some ANSI safety protection markings to look for, including a plus sign, which means the safety glasses have passed a high-velocity impact test; an S designation, which means the safety glasses have special tinting or shading for working with molten metal; and a V mark, which indicates a type of photochromic lens that will darken when used outdoors and remains clear when used indoors.
With that in mind, we've rounded up all the best safety glasses you can buy for any task. Whether you need high-end safety glasses, a pair of goggles, or a more affordable pair of safety glasses, we've got you covered - literally.
- The best safety glasses overall: NoCry Over-Glasses Safety Glasses
- The best inexpensive safety glasses: Bison Life Safety Glasses
- The best goggle-style safety glasses: DeWalt Safety Goggles
- The best stylish safety glasses: Pyramex Avante Safety Eyewear
- The most comfortable safety glasses: KLEENGUARD Calico V50 Safety Eyewear
Updated 10/28/19 by Jada Wong: Updated prices, formatting, and links.
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