All in Favor of Safety, Say Eye! Standards Protect Vision during UV Safety Month

With the bright summer sun hitting beaches and backyards across the country this month, July has been designated UV Safety Month by the American Academy of Ophthalmic Executives. Standards for sunglasses and other ophthalmic products are essential in keeping people's peepers safe, healthy, and functioning at their best.

When spending time in the great outdoors this summer, sunglasses should be worn to protect eyes against damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays. ANSI Z80.3-2009, Nonprescription Sunglass and Fashion Eyewear Requirements, is an American National Standard (ANS) that provides guidelines for recreational sunglasses, assuring the safety of consumers' eyes as they soak up the sun. ANSI Z80.3-2009 was developed by the Z80 ANSI-accredited Standards Committee. The Vision Council, a trade association for the optical industry, serves as the secretariat for this committee.

Even on cloudy days or indoors, eyes benefit from the work of standards. The Z80 Standards Committee has developed many ANS for products that assist the visually impaired. These include:

• ANSI Z80.20-2004, Ophthalmics: Contact Lenses - Standard Terminology, Tolerances, Measurements and Physicochemical Properties
• ANSI Z80.5-2004, Requirements for Ophthalmic Frames
• ANSI Z80.13-2007, Phakic Intraocular Lenses

Eye protection is critical in many workplaces such as construction sites, factories, and laboratories. An ANS developed by the CSA America addresses this protection. CSA Z94.3-07, Eye and Face Protectors, sets forth guidelines to minimize or prevent injuries from such hazards as flying objects and particles, splashing liquids, molten metal, and ultraviolet, visible, and infrared radiation.

From the sun's powerful rays to hazards on the job, many daily activities pose a threat to healthy eyes. Thanks to standards, these vital organs can continue to give us the sights of the summer, the fall, and every season that follows.