Guess I have been lucky. I don't use much for eye protection other then saftey glasses, and haven't had to go to the hospital yet to get any metal chips out of my eye. I have felt pieces sneak pass them or get in from the back side though. I remember one guy I worked with didn't know he got a piece in his eye, if I remember right he finished working that day, but the next morning he had to go to the hospital, and he was describing the little grinder they use. One of the times I fell asleep with my contacts in though I ended up getting pink eye. Talk about pain and being miserable. Light was not a good thing either. Had to buy a tiny little bottle of antiboitic eye drops, and that tiny bottle was over 30 bucks. Couldn't wear my contact for a few weeks either.

I've been under the drill three times, the last time took 3 days for my eye to undialate. I use burr bits often for weld removal and detail work and these things send chips flying, they end up in your hair and everywhere. I've gone to the chemist style goggles when working up close and overhead.

Well all I did yesterday was weld grind and spray underneath. After reading all the great replies I went to using the chemical goggles with a hat and.. I keep handy my air hose and before I even took of the goggles I would use the air first on the top of my head, then around the goggles and then pull them off with my eyes shut and then with my eyes still close used the air hose one more time on my face. It seemed to work OK, after that little dermal like tool I'm going to try just about any thing I can. One thing I'm going to try is since I'm out side and have a plug available is take a fan and set it on high and have it blowing at my back so as to keep a constant stream of air going away from me. Oh well, and yeah when those numbing drops wear off, man that hurt...

MP

I can relate to all that has been said here

Me Ive had to have metal extracted by a microscope 2 or 3 times { yes I suffer from CRS too} every time i was wearing safety glasses & i felt it hit my cheek & boom in the eye ball!

There are 2 definite ways to stop a job around me a lost tool & something in my freaking eye ball.

Full face shield with a set of baffled glasses or the foam
ones

Even a full face motorcycle helmet is worth the PRE hassle Vs. the POST hassle

Blowing the crap or washing off keeping it away from eyes.

A head band will catch some stuff from going into your eyes too.

Pointing the tool away from my body when working also looking for nearby stuff that will ricochet back at me.

I also use a powerful fan to blow debris away from me .

At my 1st job @ Chevron service station, a buddy was using a wire wheel on a die grinder to patch a tire .

I took off my glasses to give to him & he refused & argues with me.

Well about 5 minutes later he was screaming for me !

Robert I got something in my eye!
I had to pull a piece of wire wheel out of his eyes with a pair of needle nose pliers!

I'm pretty sure he use glasses after that!

Even when I drill something I use magnets to catch the metal from flying all over & use a magnet to clean it up after I'm done.

Well that my $.02 for now.

R

__________________
"SlowRide66"

"Illegitimis non carborundum"
Don't let the bastards grind you down!

For less than $20 I got a sand blasting hood with a replaceable hard lens, the hood covers you down to your shoulders and the only down side MAY be fogging.
I have ported with scuba goggles only to shower and have steel go in my eyes then! Now I have the hood!
Karl