With today’s medical science and technology, physicians and scientists can do remarkable things that were unknown only a decade ago; organ transplants, cloning, microsurgery, etc. But still, we have only one pair of eyes. Many of us enjoy activities or occupations that can cause serious injury and even blindness if we treat our eyes carelessly. This is where a good set of goggles can save our eyes! For example, when you enroll in a welding school, the first thing you’ll learn is that safety goggles are essential to protect your eyes from sparks and gasses. Military and law enforcement personnel learn the importance of night vision goggles to conduct reconnaissance missions. In fact, sunglasses-type goggles are currently in use by the US armed forces in Iraq to protect their eyes from both blowing sand and the glare of desert sands.
Sports enthusiasts of all kinds know the importance of a well-made set of goggles from manufacturers like Smith, Scott, and Oakley. If you ride motorcycles, for example, goggles protect your eyes from debris and insects that, at high speeds, become projectiles that can cause permanent eye damage. Though many cyclists prefer the feeling of freedom of the open road, there is no doubt that goggles and helmets save lives!
Frequent swimmers, especially professional athletes, use water-resistant goggles to prevent damage to their eyes from chlorine in swimming pools and ocean saltwater. Long-distance swimmers who swim the length of the Great Lakes or the English Channel regard goggles as a life-saving necessity!
Winter sports enthusiasts know just how essential goggles are to protect their eyes and increase their chances of obtaining championship status among their peers. Ski and snowboard goggles protect these athletes’ eyes from both blowing, freezing ice and snow as well as reducing glare from the stark white snow. The sports of extreme downhill skiing or snowboarding are extremely dangerous without goggles as essential eye protection.
Are you a marksman who enjoys competition shooting or a hunter of large game? You’ll need to add a quality set of goggles to not only keep your vision clear for an accurate aim but also to protect your eyes from stray high-velocity bullet casings that can cause permanent blindness. Bullet casings are very hot from the gunpowder that fires the ammunition round; a large, hot casing can cause irreparable damage to the cornea and the optic nerve.
Paintball competitions have become enormously popular in the past few years; it’s fun, exciting, and unfortunately, potentially extremely dangerous without protective eyewear. Military and law enforcement personnel have long used paintball games to determine the accuracy of their abilities to subdue an enemy with one shot. Without the protection of snug-fitting goggles, a paintball to the eye, traveling at about 40 mph, can literally pulverize a human eye in seconds.
It’s possible to enjoy the sport and occupation that suits your interest without taking unnecessary risks to your ocular health. Goggles, depending upon their intended use, are relatively inexpensive compared to your welding torch or snowboard. Why assume the risk of a serious injury that is entirely preventable?