Prescription safety glasses?

[dobbslc]

I'm getting into trouble on some of the sites I'm working on for not wearing safety glasses / goggles.
I wear glasses normally and can't wear another pair of goggles or glasses over the top of mine as they don't fit well, always steam up and scratch my very expensive glasses.
I have a very high prescription of over -11 cyl and can't find anywhere that gets even close to being able to make a pair of safety glasses for me.
I have had to walk off a very large site before when the ignorant "safety officer" wouldn't accept I can't buy the correct glasses and just kept repeating "go to ARCO they do them". I think my employer will cough up for them (yes I know by law they have to) but at £400 a set it's a lot of money.
I'm fed up of dodging the suits as they wonder around site looking for excuses to talk down to me!
Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do?
I won't mind wearing them if I can get them!
I hate to bring it up and mention the word but am I being discriminated against because I have bad eye sight? I don't do any drilling, cutting, grinding etc I just walk about with a test meter and a clipboard
Maybe @Parm can give me some of his shiny headed wisdom on this subject
Rob

 

[Munkul]

Spend the £400...

 

[daleyd]

It may not help your situation if you don’t want to/can’t wear them but I switched to contact lenses years ago and they are great for when on site.

I used to have same problem, my left eye is -4.5. You can get over specs which I used to use without scratching your normal glasses but they are massive!,

 

[Arc Tourist]

Isn't a face shield acceptable ?

 

[dobbslc]

Spend the £400...

Munk me old sausage I'm not sure if you missed the bit about not being able to get them.
I can't actually buy them anywhere!

 

[dobbslc]

Isn't a face shield acceptable ?

Not to me

 

[daleyd]

Something like these are the ones I’ve used,

https://cpc.farnell.com/3m/1751180000m/over-glasses-ox-clear/dp/HE32097?mckv=s_dm%7Cpcrid%7C491022676311%7Ckword%7C%7Cmatch%7C%7Cplid%7C%7Cslid%7C%7Cproduct%7CHE32097%7Cpgrid%7C55500684388%7Cptaid%7Cpla-896159290035%7C&CMP=KNC-GUK-CPC-SHOPPING-945678466-55500684388-HE32097&s_kwcid=AL!5616!3!491022676311!!!network%7D!896159290035!&gclid=CjwKCAjw5pShBhB_EiwAvmnNV06QwFEmsT_aHMq_kHfK-7Y4umIsKvdmO72RV2ofXdEN7w1hFe7z6BoCclgQAvD_BwE

 

[dobbslc]

@daleyd
I've tried contact lenses a couple of times before and can't get on with them unfortunately
I've been going to Moorfields eye hospital in London for years and trying but just can't make them work.

 

[dobbslc]

Something like these are the ones I’ve used,

https://cpc.farnell.com/3m/1751180000m/over-glasses-ox-clear/dp/HE32097?mckv=s_dm%7Cpcrid%7C491022676311%7Ckword%7C%7Cmatch%7C%7Cplid%7C%7Cslid%7C%7Cproduct%7CHE32097%7Cpgrid%7C55500684388%7Cptaid%7Cpla-896159290035%7C&CMP=KNC-GUK-CPC-SHOPPING-945678466-55500684388-HE32097&s_kwcid=AL!5616!3!491022676311!!!network%7D!896159290035!&gclid=CjwKCAjw5pShBhB_EiwAvmnNV06QwFEmsT_aHMq_kHfK-7Y4umIsKvdmO72RV2ofXdEN7w1hFe7z6BoCclgQAvD_BwE

I've tried them before but they don't fit well enough and I then can't see when I have 4 surfaces covered in rain drops.
They will also without a doubt steam up as I'm a sweaty bastard

 

[daleyd]

@daleyd
I've tried contact lenses a couple of times before and can't get on with them unfortunately
I've been going to Moorfields eye hospital in London for years and trying but just can't make them work.

I struggled at first but persevered - I do understand though that not everyone gets on with them.

The overspecs again are not great but probably the best option, short of getting proper safety glasses made (which you can’t!)

There’s a few different companies that make that type so maybe try a few pairs to see if any are better than others.

I had some safety glasses made years ago - my specs were always the thin lens types, the safety ones had to be glass! I walked out of specsavers and couldn’t work out how far my feet were off the pavement, it was like looking through a full glass of water

I wore them once and struggled on with overspecs!

 

[Bullet2012]

just Wondering if a screen saver type material can be applied to your glasses to protect the lenses from being scratched by the safety specs.
Thinking something like visor tear offs that race drivers use.
I have no idea of the practicalities of this, or even if such a thing is available.

 

[Taylormade100]

What about a hard hat with built in eye protection

JSP EVO VISTAlens Safety Helmet | SafetecDirect.co.uk

Buy JSP EVO VISTAlens Safety Helmet with Integrated Eyewear at Safetec Direct, get the best deals, fast delivery and lowest prices, order now!

www.safetecdirect.co.uk

 

[stuvy]

We looked into this at work a while back and the HR girl said the company can only suggest a face shield or over glasses goggles

I know it doesn’t help but that was all we had

Iv had the same for ages with my glasses and use my 3m respirator/welding hood if I’m grinding but always a few jobs it could squeeze past

 

[gordon stephenson]

When I worked fir ICI I got varifocal safety glasses made by Bolle.Excellent product.

 

[Munkul]

Munk me old sausage I'm not sure if you missed the bit about not being able to get them.
I can't actually buy them anywhere!

sorry I saw that you said you couldn't get them, but then further down I read it as your employer could get them for a cost of £400.

I've just got some nice prescription specs ordered for an employee for £130, Bolle I think. But he has a regular prescription, not as drastic as yours. You can get em online for under £100.

Is your optician not able to procure some for you?

 

[tigdlo]

Buy some cheap ugly specs and put shields on the side? If they look the part will they check?

Contact safety glasses retailers or even better a lens manufacturer I'm sure they do them even if not listed on their websites.

£400 doesn't sound too much for required safety equipment, probably cheaper if you do some leg work and shop around.

 

[addjunkie]

Id have an optician, ( not spec savers) contact the safety glasses manufacturers, as your obviously outside the “normal“ box.
If they cant them come up with something suitable for you to do the job safely, perhaps they will medically retired you, on a full pension! If not you will need to use overspecs etc, and be like most sparkies, stop working in the rain and drink more tea.

Cant imagine with your script youll get cheap ugly specs, but the side shields might tick the box, though wouldnt be much protection

 

[Mart63]

I've been contemplating a pair of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/232950702657?hash=item363cf1a241:g:yQ0AAOSw1m1dQDyH&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAA8HnCfYKTIcK1GpFstluUKWlZpXpBVLVpuOUIK2ZCVX+fYCTRR4qjmqnG2MNv5L30B+vREWQB5WRs9udZNyp7tMbnZG4dxHPD9aZUd+DVlojfCzKv5W/FZQi9X+67xZHObv2M6aU5Q+GnOuNxc4S7RUsD9VDoi9s2eJ6UFnczv0qVLE3kCFI7l1qmrRFfBerZEcU+mlFChb1IcxW2KaJ1Ak8Fb2cpSAVTpAclegm6R2UzCqOQozO/Sf4R+3L/AN6k5zappex0LqcvrGtP7xBY471nd8fnfP5+aKvY/S1p+speWD841Xz+Eja+K0eu5Eh6Iw==|tkp:BFBM5P6uo-Zh

or bifocal https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/39158585...3hEAQdAoWfIeJbTtPtnKY+Mg==|tkp:Bk9SR7KTq6PmYQ

 

[dobbslc]

When I worked fir ICI I got varifocal safety glasses made by Bolle.Excellent product.

Bolle don't make them high enough.

Is your optician not able to procure some for you

I've just been on the phone to him and they don't do them (he is a specialist in high prescription glasses too)

Buy some cheap ugly specs and put shields on the side? If they look the part will they check?

This ^ except the cheapest glasses I can get ARE £400 so I won't be able to buy them as well as a normal set!

 

[dobbslc]

perhaps they will medically retired you, on a full pension!

If only