Proper Eyewear Care
As a tanning salon owner, you know everything in your salon requires some type of maintenance, from the tanning bed, right down to the carpeting. Making sure everything is in tip-top shape should be one of your main priorities. About the only thing that doesn’t require any maintenance is your protective eyewear, right? Wrong. Protective eyewear, as tiny an item as it may be, also requires continual upkeep.
One major issue that has recently been brought to light is the possibility that protective eyewear may not last forever, as was once thought. Therefore, it’s a good idea to replace eyewear every few months, depending on use.
FDA testing of protective eyewear is an ongoing process. Protective eyewear manufacturers are being monitored and checked for compliance continually. At this time, there is no data to prove that sun goggles wear out after a certain length of time. However, some speculate that because UV light does cause materials to deteriorate over time, salon owners should periodically replace goggles, just to be on the safe side.
Before bringing an eyewear line into your salon to sell, always make sure it is approved for use by the FDA. According to eyewear manufacturers, there are quite a few eyewear products floating around that are not. All protective eyewear should give some type of indication that it is compliant. If it doesn’t, don’t use it.
Some manufacturers claim their product blocks more than the required 99.9 percent of UVB, but it is difficult to determine whether this is true, because there are no instruments capable of monitoring that level of UV blockage. The amount is so minute that most laboratory instruments can’t measure it.
A major factor in the use and care of eyewear is proper fit. Too often, tanners discard the elastic bands that are provided with the goggles. They don’t seem to realize that these are part of the protective process. Connective bands are used to hold the glasses close to the eye so no UV light can seep in around the edges. Just placing the goggles over the eyes simply isn’t good enough. When clients purchase protective eyewear, tell them they must use the connective band.
Other forms of protective eyewear use thin, pliable wires across the nose bridge to hold them to the face. They can be adjusted to form the eyewear to the contours of the individual’s eyes and face.
Cleaning Recommendations
Probably the greatest concern about eyewear, besides people not wearing it, is in regard to hygiene. There is nothing more unappealing to a tanner than going to put on goggles, only to find them smeared with mascara or make up. Of even greater concern, however, is the invisible, the threat of contracting a virus from someone who has worn the eyewear previously. Just the thought of such a possibility is enough to make a tanner throw the goggles aside.
The most commonly transmitted disease among tanners is pink-eye. This highly infectious disease is characterized by itching, redness, swelling and increased secretion. Needless to say, an epidemic of pink-eye in your salon could have a dramatic effect on your business.
Many salon owners are oblivious to the necessity of disinfecting eyewear and probably won’t realize its importance until an epidemic occurs in their salon. When cleaning the residue from glasses, make sure you choose a solution that is safe for use on plastic and something that won’t cause skin irritation. Make certain that goggles are thoroughly cleaned after each use. A halfdone job simply isn’t acceptable when it comes to something as personal as eyewear. Protective eyewear should fit snugly around the eyeball. The tanner should not be able to see out the sides of the goggles.
Impetigo, viral or bacterial infections, cold sores and various other sores are also on the transferable disease list. Goggles must be disinfected between each use, not just a few times a day. Even if clients have their own pairs of goggles, they should continually clean them. The risk of infection comes not only from others, but also from oneself. If a client has some type of virus or infection and doesn’t clean his eyewear, he could very easily reinfect himself.
A coitrinary disinfectant can be used for both cleaning and disinfecting. This type of disinfectant offers the largest range of virus-, bacteria- and fungus-killing properties. Alcohol can be used for disinfecting, but it is harsh on plastic. The disinfecting product you use will have instructions on the label. Follow them. Collect each pair of goggles immediately after they are used and clean them as instructed. Some disinfectants are sold in concentrated form and will have to be diluted with water. After the goggles have soaked for the manufacturer’s recommend time, they should be wiped or rubbed clean to remove visible deposits. Something that most people fail to do is rinse the goggles of all disinfectant. Generally people don’t realize they are supposed to do this. After the goggles have been rinsed, they should be dried thoroughly.
You may choose to disinfect a number of goggles at a time by placing them in a container filled with solution. On the average, most solutions are effective for a limited length of time. The best bet is to change the solution every day. Disinfectants are not expensive, so there really is no reason not to change it everyday.
The importance of wearing goggles while tanning can never be stressed enough. Despite the continual reminder that UV damages unprotected eyes, many tanners continue to let their own vanity rule. People still risk damaging their eyes just to eliminate tan lines.
