Why Medical Eye Protection Is Crucial for Surgeons

Surgeons rely on their senses when they are in the operating room, and eyesight is of critical importance. The surgeon must have clear, unobstructed vision during a surgical procedure. However, safety in the OR is also non-negotiable. Surgeons and other medical professionals must preserve their personal safety while they provide the best care to their patients. Appropriate eye protection is crucial.

The Importance of Goggles During Surgery

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, more than 1,000 eye injuries occur in the workplace each day. Two of the main reasons for eye injury are:

1. Failure to wear protective eye equipment
2. Failure to use the correct eye equipment for the job being performed

A Bureau of Labor Statistics survey revealed that three out of five injured workers were not wearing protective eye equipment at the time of their injury.

Surgeons face many risks to their eyes while on the job. Surgical procedures expose them to blood, mucous and other bodily fluids. These liquids can contain pathogens that pose a risk if they enter the eye. Studies show that depending on the procedure, surgeons can have splashes on their safety goggles 45% to 79% of the time.

Another risk for surgeons is projectiles entering the eye. Power tools can cause bone fragments to fly through the air, especially during orthopedic procedures. Surgeons need to be aware of the risks to their eyes and wear goggles with impact resistance.

Choosing Not To Wear PPE: A Risky Decision

Despite the availability of personal eye protection and the risk of going without it, many surgeons do not wear proper eye PPE during surgery. The reasons vary, but some of the reasons they give include:

• They have not developed the routine of wearing medical goggles
• They wore models that were not anti-fogging
• Their PPE was uncomfortable
• The goggles weren’t designed to fit over prescription glasses

Medical-Use Goggles To Overcome Objections

Fortunately, there are many styles of goggles that can overcome these problems. Surgeons can choose eye PPE with built-in comfort features, anti-fogging lenses, and designs that fit over prescription glasses. In some cases, surgeons can find prescription goggles so that they don’t have to wear their everyday glasses into surgery.

Unlike regular glasses, goggles are designed to protect the eye area completely. Many styles of everyday eyewear have small lenses and frames that offer very little, if any, protection from splashes and projectiles. Regular glasses are also open on the sides, exposing much of the eye area.

Goggles wrap around to cover the eye from the front and sides. Many styles have a foam gasket that forms a seal around the eye, creating a tight-fitting area for the ultimate protection from fluids and pathogens. In addition, ANSI Z87.1 goggles have appropriate impact protection to keep surgeons safe from dangerous projectiles.