As a responsible salon owner, you can’t stress enough the importance of proper eyecare before, during and after tanning. It is essential to take the high road and educate your tanners about the ramifications of tanning without proper eye protection. Every person who tans at a salon (or who is active outdoors for that matter) should be wearing some sort of eyewear that protects their eyes from ultraviolet light.
But how does a salon owner and his staff open a client’s eyes to the importance of eyewear? The answer lies in the following four facts:
1. Eyewear protects your eyes from potentially harmful ultraviolet light.
2. UV damage is cumulative.
3. The short-term health risk is corneal burns, which is a sunburn on the surface of the eye. It shows up within a few hours of exposure and is characterized by increased sensitivity, a burning sensation and excessive tearing. The effects are apparently temporary and usually disappear within a day or so.
4. The long-term health risk includes brunescent cataracts. Brunescent cataracts are a clouding or pigmentation of the lens within the eye. They are slow to develop, usually occurring over a matter of years, but they are permanent. The clouding affects night vision and also can alter perception of color. Cataract surgery is the only known cure.
There are two common misconceptions regarding eyewear. The first is that eyelids will tan. The second is that closing the eyelid protects the eye. The simple truth is that neither is true, therefore, protective eyewear is imperative.
Another important aspect to eyewear is fit. The goggle should fit snugly around the eyeball. If a client can see out of the sides of the goggle or notices light coming in, they need another pair.
Because of the risk of infectious diseases (impetigo, viral or bacterial infections, cold sores and other types of sores) goggles should be disinfected between each use. Remind clients that the risk of infection doesn’t only come from other people, but it’s possible to continually reinfect yourself if you have some type virus or infection.
It has been noted that some salons prefer using the bed cleaner to clean and sanitize the eyewear. The problem here is while the majority of bed cleaners effectively kill germs, some do not at all. So it is extremely important that the cleaning solution: (1.) Is designed to sanitize and clean all in one function. (2.) Has been properly mixed to prevent eye irritation. (3.) Is non-toxic and does not leave a film behind. (4.) Will not damage plastics. (5.) Clearly states on the product label that it will effectively kill all the leading germs and bacteria.
Another important point is that eyewear needs to be replaced. It should be noted that some cleaning solutions are destructive to plastics and acrylics used in reusable eyewear, making it fall below FDA standards.
Another maintenance point is to replace the headbands as they become worn, frayed or broken. If eyewear is provided with headbands, then headbands are needed to produce proper fit.
Liabilities
What if you’ve done everything possible to warn a customer about the dangers of tanning without protective eyewear and they still don’t utilize them? Will a salon owner be liable for damages?
All states have what is called a consumer statement. What happens is that the customer signs a document that has the same information that is listed on the warning signs—overexposure may cause premature aging of the skin, skin cancer, etc. It also says eye injury may result, etc. This is a permanent legal document. If a person signs this statement—which they’re supposed to, to be compliant—then the liability is back on the tanner. So the tanner knows that if they burn their eyes, they’ve signed this saying they knew what the consequences were.
In addition, you can:
1. Post signs on the walls.
2. Include a section on protective eyewear in your employee training manual.
3. Have a copy of the warning on the sign-in card. This way it’s obvious that the customer had to review the consequences and hazards of their actions.
Remember, as a responsible tanning salon operator you must be committed to educating your staff and your clients about wearing protective eyewear.
FDA Requirements
If salon owners are keeping their eyes on their customers, than who’s keeping watch over the manufacturers? The answer is simple—the FDA.
The Code of Federal Regulations requires that the FDA inspect the manufacturing facility a minimum of once every two years. During the inspection they look for adherence to GMP (Good Manufacture Practice) and all operations in accordance in Title 21 of Federal Regulations.
Regulations require that the manufacturer test every batch of his product for compliance. What specifically does the FDA look for? UV transmittance. The regulation requires that less than one-tenth of 1 percent of UVB and less than 1 percent of UVA is transmitted while still allowing enough visible light to pass through for vision.
Protecting Your Employees
Last, but certainly not least, salon owners and service technicians need to wear protective eyewear when checking lamps and reading the meters on equipment. Protective eyewear is an issue that needs to be looked at seriously. Every salon has a responsibility to inform its employees of the health risks they’re taking every time they remove their protective eyewear.
