Eyewear 101

Eyewear 101
A Refresher Course On A Salon Essential

by Judie Bizzozero

With the busy season in full swing, it is important to educate your staff and customers--old and new--on the benefits of complying with FDA requirements concerning eyewear.

FDA regulations clearly place upon the salon owners the burden of educating tanners about the potential hazards of exposing the eyes to UV light. Each customer must have a one-on-one explanation of the proper use of protective eyewear, and signs must be posted on every piece of tanning equipment.

As responsible salon owners, you must stress the importance of proper eye care before, during and after tanning.

While there are many issues surrounding protective eyewear, the two that seem to dominate the topic are vanity and apathy.

Many salon owners agree that some of their customers do not wear eyewear, even though it is required by the FDA. One concern is raccoon eyes. They find their customers rather would damage their eyes than have an untanned ring around them. However, many manufacturers have redesigned protective goggles to eliminate this problem. Additionally, the problem can be eliminated with disposable eyewear because the eyewear covers each eye independently.

Another concern tanners have is cleanliness of the eyewear supplied in the tanning room. Obviously, it is the responsibility of salons to comply with state sanitation statutes and explain them to their customers.

When it comes to changing the behaviors of your customers--in this case, getting them to wear protective eyewear--remember that they can be as stubborn as you. While you certainly don't want to irritate your tanners by repeating the same message in the same way, take responsibility for providing them several different forms of education.

Beyond the mandatory orientation conversation and equipment signage, make sure to address the positive benefits of--and the negative consequences of not--using eyewear.

Be sure to advise your tanners of the government regulations associated with tanning in addition to the health benefits and risk factors. Salon owners need to do this in a bold fashion and as a regular part of greeting a new customer.

FDA regulations state that not only must there be signs on the equipment, but the salon owner also must explain the proper use of protective eyewear to every customer. Failure to comply puts the owner at risk of being held liable in professional liability suits.

The only way for a salon to prove it has done its job in warning clients about the risks of not wearing eyewear is to post signs on the wall, include a section on protective eyewear in the employee training manual and have a copy of the warning on the sign-in card so it's obvious the customer had to review the consequences and hazards of his or her actions.

Distribute additional knowledge to your tanners as well. "Why can't I just close my eyes?" the tanner asks. A good response: "Eyelids block less than 25 percent of harmful UV rays, so closing your eyes will not protect them from the UVA and UVB rays."

Some salon owners attempt to scare tanners into eyewear compliance, while others rephrase their approach and promote the benefits, such as keeping your eyesight into old age or enjoying all the colors in the world. They only revert to scare risks when appropriate. No matter which method you choose, always remember the golden rule: Informed customers make better decisions.

If you want customers to make that well-informed decision and go with on-site eyewear, cleanliness is a must. There is nothing more unappealing to a tanner than going to put on goggles only to find them smeared with mascara or makeup. Of even greater concern is the threat of contracting a virus from someone who previously has worn the eyewear.

The most commonly transmitted disease among tanners is pinkeye. A highly infectious disease, pinkeye is characterized by itching, redness, swelling and increased secretion. An epidemic of pinkeye in a tanning salon can have a dramatic impact on your business. Impetigo, viral or bacterial infections, cold sores and various other sores also are on the transferable-disease list.

Goggles--whether they belong to the salon or the tanner--require sanitizing. Tanners who come in with their own goggles--or purchase them at the salon--should be informed of the importance of sanitizing them. Make sure they understand the risk of contamination--especially if the eyewear is not kept in a sanitary container--as well as the bacteria that can accumulate in goggles during usage.

While disposables are effective and convenient, remind your customers that they also are designed for one-time use.

Profit Possibilities

Whether tanners like it or not, wearing protective eyewear is necessary for their protection and health. But there is one other benefit to protective eyewear that salon owners don't always recognize--profit.

Texas is the only state that requires tanning salons to offer the eyewear free of charge. Salons that are asking their customers to buy protective eyewear are pulling in thousands of dollars each year, especially when they are being sold as something the clients need to have their own best health. In fact, some salon owners have reported an extra $5,000 annual profit from eyewear sales.

The way to capture sales is to explain to customers that you do a great job of cleaning and disinfecting the eyewear, but recommend that it is nicer to have their own pair that has the headband already secured and you don't have to worry about cleanliness.

For tanners who won't trust a tanning salon's cleanliness and don't want to always carry their own goggles, disposable eye protection may be the answer.

With disposable eye protection, there is no chance of eye infection because the product is designed for one-time use. Additionally, the products do not have nose bridges to leave a tan line across the nose. The benefit to salons is that they don't have to worry about keeping the goggle tanks clean and sanitary, mixing the fluid correctly, rinsing off the goggles, scraping any makeup and mascara out of the inside of the goggles, or replacing broken or stolen goggles.

A salon's first and foremost concern should be that all tanners protect their eyes using some form of eye protection. Encourage all tanners to find an FDA-compliant product and wear it. Any exposure to UV light should involve eye protection. While many staff members always wear eyewear during their tanning sessions, some don't realize they should have it on while checking lamps, too.

The most important point to drive home with tanners is that eye damage is cumulative--so each harmful exposure will contribute to the problem. Make sure your customers--and employees--know that the only way to protect their eyes in the long run is to wear FDA-compliant eyewear diligently when tanning.

Just The Facts

Salon owners must make tanners aware of four important UV and eye facts.

1. Eyewear protects tanners' eyes from potentially harmful ultraviolet light.

2. UV damage is cumulative.

3. The short-term health risk is corneal burns, which are sunburns on the surface of the eye. A corneal burn 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 risks include brunescent cataracts, which 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.