Biohazard Goggles that can be worn over glasses?

August 4, 2020 2:41 PM

Bought inexpensive goggles from Amazon that pictured it worn over glasses. It did not fit, no seal around face. Looking for a good brand/model or alternatives.

Contact lenses are not an option, and due to nearsightedness going without is not an option.
First choice would be goggles that fit over glasses and make a good seal, rated for fine dust.
Another option might be a prescription insert or removing the temples from glasses to mount them to goggles.
I am also looking at prescription goggles, perhaps swim goggles.
Any option would have to be compatible with a n95 mask.
What specific brand/model to get, or to avoid?

posted by Sophont to Health & Fitness (6 answers total)

Is a face shield an option? I find them more comfortable to wear over glasses compared to goggles, and they are commonly used in medical settings over masks.
posted by exogenous at 2:52 PM on August 4, 2020

By “seal” do you mean that you want them to seal around the temples of your glasses, which will presumably be protruding from the goggles?
posted by mr_roboto at 2:56 PM on August 4, 2020

These are what I would buy with that need but your statement you already bought some cheap ones from amazon makes me think these might be the ones that don’t work?

SuperMore Anti-Fog Protective Safety Goggles Clear Lens Wide-Vision Adjustable Chemical ... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VF3C2CW/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_i_kJEkFb...

If so, what aspect didn’t fit?
posted by Tandem Affinity at 4:05 PM on August 4, 2020

I bought these goggles last week and so far like them because I do get a good seal over my mask, preventing (most) fogging of my glasses*.

My only complaint, and I don't know if more expensive goggles would resolve it, is that in very warm weather after wearing to goggles for a while, I get a buildup of sweat inside the goggles, which blurs my vision.

The interesting question would be do face shields and goggles provide similar levels of protection or is one clearly better? Given that the OP is wearing an N95 mask already, is probably not an issue.

* I had previously been using a face shield, but if you are a glasses wearing and have problems with fogging because you don't have a perfect seal on your cloth face mask, the shield doesn't help in the same way that goggles do, which by their design help to close any gaps in the mask.
posted by QuakerMel at 4:31 PM on August 4, 2020

Best answer: Just FYI, most typical laboratory safety glasses I've encountered (such as those that Tandem Affinity linked) do not seal the way that swimming goggles do, even when working with mild-to-moderate biohazards. They're supposed to be enough to prevent flying glass or a squirt of something from getting into your corneas, not prevent any fine particulates from getting in. For something that really seals, you may want to look up, say, what drywallers recommend, something that has a gasket going all the way around that you can see in the picture.
posted by tchemgrrl at 8:47 PM on August 4, 2020

Best answer: You need something like this. They're rated for fine dust and droplets and are pretty cheap. We use similar ones in hospitals, and they definitely fit over prescription glasses. You will need some sort of anti-fog spray (or rub a very thin layer of baby shampoo over the insides) to avoid fogging. To get a good seal, they do need to be pretty tight, which also means they're generally not comfortable if wearing for long periods of time.
posted by reformedjerk at 5:25 PM on August 5, 2020