Maintenance and Storage of Laser Protective Eyewear

Maintaining laser protective eyewear

It is important to schedule regular cleaning and inspection of laser protective eyewear (Wamsley et al., 2021). This may be included as a component to a comprehensive laser safety management plan. Because harsh cleaning agents may compromise some lens coatings, cleaning needs to be performed in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions (Wamsley et al., 2021). During an inspection, it is necessary to identify any lens scratches/discolouration, cracking/discolouration to the frame, damage to the straps that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the fitting of the frame(Glover & Richer, 2023; Wamsley et al., 2021). Any laser-protective eyewear that is compromised should be discarded.

Storing laser protective eyewear

Laser protective eyewear should be stored in an accessible location outside of a controlled laser zone so that appropriate PPE can be worn prior to entering a hazard zone. Eyewear may be kept in storage pockets or stored with the lenses facing upwards to avoid scratches which can reduce performance. Safety goggles should not be hung up by their straps as over time this may stretch the frame/strap and impact the fit (Barat, 2022). The same applies to safety frames — avoid hanging them by the arms. In organisations that share laser safety eyewear between workers, it may be appropriate to have a clear organisation system where frames are clearly marked based on characteristics such as size, wavelength and optical density. It is crucial that operators can easily identify which wavelength they are being protected for particularly in facilities that use different wavelengths for different procedures. McEwen et al. (2024) describe a system of colour coded stickers to allow for the rapid identification of the appropriate wavelength protected eyewear. In this system a placard may be prominently displayed at the room entrance listing all lasers and their identifying colours.  

Author: Oliver Ried, B.Vis Sci, M.Optom, Grad Cert OHS.

Barat, K. (2022). Laser safety : practical knowledge and solutions (Second edition. ed.). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/978-0-7503-5504-9

Glover, C., & Richer, V. (2023). Preventing Eye Injuries From Light and Laser-Based Dermatologic Procedures: A Practical Review. Journal of cutaneous medicine and surgery, 27(5), 509–515. https://doi.org/10.1177/12034754231191064

McEwen, M. W., Marini, L., & Benedetto, A. (2024). Color-coded stickers used to identify appropriate protective eyewear in laser surgery. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 91(2), e23–e24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2024.02.053

Wamsley, C. E., Hoopman, J., & Kenkel, J. M. (2021). Safety Guidelines Concerning the Use of Protective Eyewear and Gauze During Laser Procedures. Aesthetic surgery journal, 41(10), 1179–1185. https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaa233