Protective Eyewear

by Wendy Craft

“We only have two eyes to last us a lifetime,” says Dorothy Applegate, president of Lucas Products Corporation. “UVB damages the cornea and UVA damages the retina. Without a doubt there will be damage to the eye without wearing eye protection.”

“There is a huge amount of medical evidence that UV light, as close as it is in an indoor tanning bed, is very dangerous for the eye,” says Brenda Fishbaugh, president of Eye Pro, Inc. “There are dozens and dozens of syndromes and eye diseases only caused by UV light: cataracts; color loss; night-vision loss; pterygiums, minor irritations on the eye; pingueculas, growths over the eye; and macular degeneration.”

One short-term risk to tanners who do not use eyewear while tanning is photokeratitis, also referred to as snow blindness or welder’s flash. Symptoms include incredible pain to the eye, a very sharp burn that can feel like sand in the eye, or blurry or white vision.

“Photokeratitis is a reaction to UV light, which happens up to 48 hours after exposure,” says Fishbaugh. “People can end up in an emergency room after indoor tanning from burning their eyes in a single tanning session.”

A salon owner can take a proactive approach and educate staff and clients about the risks involved in the absence of protective eyewear.

“I think salon owners should tell their customers that the FDA requires that protective eyewear be provided for a reason—to protect their eyes,” says Sharon Miller, leader of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s optical radiation safety and devices laboratory. “If I were a salon owner, I would not allow someone to tan in my salon if they refused to use eyewear.”

Fishbaugh agrees: “I feel just as strongly over tanning an albino as I do tanning someone who is not wearing eye protection—it’s just not being a responsible salon owner.”

Salon managers can first obtain brochures outlining the risks of not wearing protective eyewear from tanning certification groups such as the National Tanning Training Institute, as well as from eyewear manufacturers.

Fishbaugh recommends placing educational materials throughout the salon—such as on the counter and within the tanning rooms and on the beds—that remind tanners to wear protective eyewear. Salon staff can be effective educators. An employee who wears protective eyewear is more inclined to relate the benefits and risks involved. They can perform a short demonstration on how powerful UV light can be.

Fishbaugh suggests that clients look toward a light source, close their eyes and wave their hand in front of their face. Most people can see movement.

“The eyelids are not enough to protect the eye, and neither is a towel,” she says. “Anything that water goes through, UV goes through.”

Applegate recommends a flashlight demonstration. Salon employees can hold the flashlight over their hands to show how the light still comes through the palm. “It is one of the most effective ways that I have ever seen to show that the eyelid does not protect your eye,” she says.

Unfortunately, the effectiveness of eyewear education can be lost if employees don’t wear eyewear themselves.

“Fifty percent of staff don’t wear eyewear,” Fishbaugh says, adding that it is irresponsible for a salon owner to hire someone who doesn’t wear eyewear while tanning or keep an employee on staff who chooses not to wear eye protection.

“The FDA requires that all manufacturers of tanning beds provide ‘the number of sets of protective eyewear that is equal to the maximum number of persons that the instructions … recommend to be exposed simultaneously to radiation from such product,’” Miller says.

Ohio and Texas regulations require that eyewear be provided at no charge. Other states have the option to sell or provide disposable eyewear or reusable goggles.

“I believe selling is the best way because selling sets up a commitment,” Fishbaugh says. “About 50 percent of people offered eyewear wear it—but if people buy eyewear, about 70 percent wear it.”

Disposable eyewear products provide tanners with a sanitary method of protecting their eyes without putting themselves at risk of infection, since they can be discarded after use. Disposables also tend to cost less than reusable eyewear.

Goggles can be used over and over, and there are different varieties from which to choose. Many goggles have adjustable straps that a tanner can use to ensure a proper fit, allowing no UV light in. It should be made clear to tanners that goggle straps need to fit snugly or else they will lose effectiveness.

“Everyone’s eyes are different,” Applegate says. “They are shaped differently. If light gets in, then they should ask for another pair or buy another pair, because they are taking a chance of damaging their eyes.”

Goggles also must be properly sanitized and dried after every use to prevent the spread of diseases such as conjunctivitis, or pinkeye.

Fresh and innovative retailing methods can attract tanners and provide staff an opportunity to pitch the products and their effectiveness. Employees can encourage tanners to try on different types of eyewear and then clean the eyewear after the demonstration. Retailing an array of eyewear products allows tanners to decide how much to spend, and increases their investment and the possibility the eyewear will be used.

Salons have had good luck with setting up a cosmetic mirror and placing samples of different eyewear by it, Fishbaugh says.

Applegate believes there needs to be more of an emphasis placed on eyewear retail. “When you walk into a salon, what do you see first?” she says. “You see lotion—and sometimes a salon will only have one small basket of eyeshields sitting out.”

Eyeshields included in a large display or hanging from the ceiling may stress their importance, Applegate says. “Make it fun—maybe come up with something outrageous once in a while,” she says.

A clear focus on the significance of wearing protective eyewear while tanning can be effectively achieved through creative retailing and a variety of types of eyewear for sale. Staff education and media placed around the salon also can enable clients to see the truth about the importance of safeguarding their sight.

The current federal regulations regarding protective eyewear and indoor tanning are outlined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration:

“The spectral transmittance shall not exceed a value of 0.001 over the wavelength region 200 to 320 nm, and a value of 0.01 for 320 to 400 nm, and shall be sufficient over the wavelength region > 400 nm to enable the user to see clearly enough to reset the timer.”

Proposed amendments to the current eyewear protection regulations would encompass the same UV limits, but for the visible region (> 400 nm), would include a more quantitative definition: “The luminous transmittance shall not be less than 1 percent over the 380 to 780 nm wavelength region, and the unweighted transmittance (< 5 nm intervals) over the 400 to 550 nm region shall not exceed 5 percent.”