The month of March is set aside each year as Workplace Eye Wellness Month, a multi-organizational awareness campaign dedicated to eye health and the prevention of on-the-job eye injuries. Wiley X®, Inc., a company that in 2017 is celebrating 30 years of protecting the vision of soldiers on the battlefield, cops on the beat and workers on the job, is getting behind this effort to cut down on the number of workplace eye injuries each year. In fact, every adult pair of Wiley X glasses meets the ANSI Z87.1 impact safety standards and some meet the military’s MIL-PRF-32432 (GL) ballistic impact safety standards.

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics cited on the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) website, more than 20,000 workplace eye injuries happen each year. In addition, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that workplace eye injuries cost an estimated $300 million annually in lost productivity, medical treatment and worker compensation. Not to mention the potential life-altering personal consequences of eye injuries sustained on the job. 

The good news is that 90-percent of these injuries could be prevented simply by wearing appropriate protective eyewear. “The need for wearing proper vision protection has to be consistently reinforced,” said Myles Freeman, Jr., Co-Owner of Wiley X. “As a company dedicated to protecting the precious gift of sight, we are constantly stressing that protection must be worn by all workers, all the time. Campaigns such as this are vital to address the issue with a common voice and keep the subject of injury prevention top of mind,” added Freeman.

The AAO website strongly advises workers to never let their guard down when it comes to eye protection. In fact, it recommends that anyone working or passing through work areas that pose eye hazards should wear protective eyewear. For this reason, Wiley X recently developed its WorkSight™ eyewear collection for men and women. WorkSight is a quality ophthalmic eyewear line with attractive colors and finishes, yet it also doubles as a safety line with its clear, removable or permanent side shields. Wiley X knows that by creating stylish and versatile eyewear people will actually want to put on, it will help ensure that workers will wear their eye protection more often. In addition to delivering a comfortable fit and clear vision, these indestructible frames meet ANSI Z87.1 High Velocity and High Mass Impact Safety standards, for OSHA-grade protection on the job and off.

Wiley X also offers a full line of innovative, Rx-ready Climate Control™ sunwear models that provide workers with advanced eye protection. The Climate Control™ series is a favorite for workers because not only are they Z87.1 rated, all Climate Control sunglasses feature a patented, soft removable Facial Cavity™ Seal that blocks out wind, dust and debris to create a comfortable, safe environment for the wearer’s eyes. 

All adult Wiley X sunglasses meet these standards, providing state-of-the-art protection for every type of activity. Wiley X is the only premium sunglass brand that offers this level of protection across its entire line. In addition, nearly all Wiley X sunglasses are also Rx-ready using the company’s exclusive DIGIFORCE™ digital Rx lens technology for superior prescription accuracy and the widest possible field of view.

For additional resources on eye health and Workplace Eye Wellness Month, visit the Prevent Blindness website at www.preventblindness.org. To get more ideas on preventing workplace eye injuries, visit the prevention tips section of the AAO website. For details on Wiley X’s full line of comfortable and stylish protective eyewear for men and women, visit www.wileyx.com.