Being a newbie, I would like info on laser safety glasses that will fit over my reading glasses. I have a Ortur Master laser.
Look for certified safety glasses. There are many “colored plastic” glasses that are not real protection. Take a look at https://www.thorlabs.com and https://www.phillips-safety.com/product-category/laser-safety/laser-safety-glasses/ for products that protect in the wavelength of your laser (450nm?). I wouldn’t trust my eyes to the $8 USD chinese ones.
It is not necessarily a question of money (alone), it is primarily about what material properties the glass or plastic has. When I started with my diode laser I was also very careful to get the right protection, I even tested the supplied Chinese glasses with my 5.5 Watt diode. My conclusion is, everything is better than nothing !, even my regular reading glasses protect against burns but not from being dazzled. I built a closed box with extraction for my diode laser in orange colored Polycarbonate, it is very practical and safe.
At my local Army Surplus store they had some military laser goggles, which fit over glasses. They are rated for laser protection, and were cheap. Check with your local surplus store, or google it online or even eBay.
Jim,
Just make sure the glasses that you’re looking at are effective in the wavelengths of your laser. When I started my search, I was amazed to see the charts that showed where the glasses were effective. It’s not continuous…it works for ranges of frequencies. Most of the glasses I saw had charts that showed the blocking power at the different frequencies - including two ranges of effectiveness with a range in between where it’s not effective. Find one that’s high in the range of your laser.
You have to get glasses that are rated for your laser. The ones that don’t have specific ratings are cheap Chinese frauds and offer very little protection.
The ad description should say something like this:
" 405nm,445nm,450nm,532nm,850nm Laser and 190nm-490nm Wavelength Violet/Blue/Red Laser Protection Goggles"
These are the cheapest I’ve found on Amazon for my 445 Ortur: https://amzn.to/33io0W3
You might also find goggles that have a rating chart that looks like this:
which shows you the glasses OD effectiveness at different wavelengths.
I got some off of Amazon that were the same price as Rich’s except Orange lenses instead of Green. Much better visibility than the darker green. OD 6+
Several times when doing a framing I’ve thought the laser wasn’t working because I couldn’t see the dot only to remember to take them off (.25% power)
1 Like
That’s an interesting point. The several diode lasers I’ve recently acquired have all come with green tinted googles, and it feels like I’m in the dim land of Oz when wearing them.
I believe they give them with lasers because they work with a few different spectrums. The green will also block the red lasers. The green glasses that came with my Ortur blocked the red laser so well I couldn’t even see the laser on my chop saw I have in my wood shop. Thought it finally bit the bullet since it says it does have a limited life. Took off the glasses and there it was.
I wear prescription glasses, and NoCry over fit my glasses fantastically, and the stems do not interfere with the stems of my prescriptions. It is comfortable and also allow crystal clear vision… They also do not feel like they are falling off what so ever. Highly recommended for anyone who needs safety glasses and prescription glasses!
I have two pairs of the ones you linked that I use with my Neje 30(7)watt laser. They kinda of fit between my eyes and my glasses. It looks all kinds of goofy, but works well.
I bought FreeMascot laser glasses for my blue laser. They are so comfortable, I forget I’m wearing them, except occasionally, because of the frames of pc prescription glasses. These glasses deliver on their promised protection as far as I can tell. Protection seems sufficient for a 15 watt 455nm laser.
Very good point. While it is important that the material block (or actually absorbs) those wavelengths, the Optical Density (OD) at that frequency, is probably more important. The higher the OD, the more protection they offer. Edit: I was just looking at some of the recommendations and saw a question about “visible light transmission” vs OD. It is important to understand that we’re talking OD at very specific frequencies of light. It’s super important to see what frequencies that OD applies to; while it may be 6+ at 450nm, it could be almost zero at 460nm. Check those charts and buy from reputable vendors.
Even though my laser has a shielded beam, and many of the current vendors seem to be headed in that direction, for the reasons listed, don’t rely on that shield, it may just be colored plastic and 100% ineffective. I also wear the goggles that came with the unit, and I still try to avoid looking at the beam because I don’t know what the OD is, so I can’t trust the safety quality.
There’s some good YT videos on the subject that are worth watching, and I plan on getting a ballistic power meter to help maintain the laser, but also to test the safety glasses. I may be an old fart, with slightly failing eyesight, but I don’t feel compelled to expedite the process.
1 Like
Do any of the Philips AKP models fit over regular glasses?