Laser protection goggles and their colors...

[Externet]

To block a given laser wavelength, proper goggles are to be used.  Is the color of the lenses an indication of their performance ?

Seen identical color chinese cheap goggles differing in wavelength specifications from one vendor to another, like they have no remote clue they are to be selling safety.

Is there any true relation with the color of a filter and its blocking of a particular wavelength ?

From a chinese vendor:

[StringJunky]

I think there's more to it than 3 simple colour choices, going by the options at this safety eyewear store below. The fact that the company you showed would send you a random colour would make me disregard them completely. You only get one set of eyes.

http://www.vseyewear.com/store-laser/laser-safety-glasses/how-to-choose-laser-safety-glasses.html

[John Cuthber]

If you are buying them as fancy dress for a party...

[swansont]

10 hours ago, Externet said:

To block a given laser wavelength, proper goggles are to be used.  Is the color of the lenses an indication of their performance ?

Seen identical color chinese cheap goggles differing in wavelength specifications from one vendor to another, like they have no remote clue they are to be selling safety.

Is there any true relation with the color of a filter and its blocking of a particular wavelength ?

From a chinese vendor:

Yes, the color can be an indication of the wavelength you block, since you are removing that part of the spectrum from the transmitted light. So NIR glasses will tend to be bluish/aqua colored, since it blocks off the red end of the spectrum.

But there is NO WAY that you can consider 70% transmittance as safety goggles. Real safety goggle vendors will give the blocking power in optical density, which is powers of 10 in attenuation. e.g. OD=5 transmits 10^-5 of the incident power. 

These goggles are "ideal for use" if you want serious eye damage.

[Externet]

Thanks.

Too many chinese vendors blinding people that should be jailed.  Another joke :

----> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Laser-Safety-Glasses-For-Violet-Blue-200-450-800-2000nm-Absorption-Round-Protective-Goggles-Laser-Protective/32854440346.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.239.6a67115dTMre4h&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4_5722916_10152_10065_10151_10344_10068_10130_5722816_10324_10342_10547_10325_10343_10546_10340_10341_10548_10545_10696_5722616_10084_10083_10618_10307_5722716_5711216_10059_308_100031_10103_10624_5722516_10623_10622_10621_10620_5711316_10814_10815,searchweb201603_19,ppcSwitch_5&algo_expid=980bf35e-a8f2-4ad3-a68a-25bb453fad2c-34&algo_pvid=980bf35e-a8f2-4ad3-a68a-25bb453fad2c&priceBeautifyAB=0

[StringJunky]

7 hours ago, swansont said:

Yes, the color can be an indication of the wavelength you block, since you are removing that part of the spectrum from the transmitted light. So NIR glasses will tend to be bluish/aqua colored, since it blocks off the red end of the spectrum.

But there is NO WAY that you can consider 70% transmittance as safety goggles. Real safety goggle vendors will give the blocking power in optical density, which is powers of 10 in attenuation. e.g. OD=5 transmits 10^-5 of the incident power. 

These goggles are "ideal for use" if you want serious eye damage.

Does the actual substance used to create the colour blended in the substrate, and not just the colour itself, have a big influence on the filtering ability; ignoring the brightness attenuation aspect? For instance, one could have apparently visibly-identical filters - same colour and density - with different filtering characteistics.

[John Cuthber]

49 minutes ago, StringJunky said:

For instance, one could have apparently visibly-identical filters - same colour and density - with different filtering characteistics.

Yes, you can.  (neodymium glass is famous for it) But it's unlikely that they do.

Those glasses are worse than useless for two reasons.

They could fool people into thinking they were "safe" and also, because they will attenuate visible light, the pupil of the eye will open up to compensate making it more likely that you will get the beam in your eye.

 

[StringJunky]

4 minutes ago, John Cuthber said:

Yes, you can.  (neodymium glass is famous for it) But it's unlikely that they do.

Those glasses are worse than useless for two reasons.

They could fool people into thinking they were "safe" and also, because they will attenuate visible light, the pupil of the eye will open up to compensate making it more likely that you will get the beam in your eye.

 

Right. Cheers. 

[koti]

I got a pair of OD4+ glasses for blocking 532nm for 15 bucks a few years ago.

[StringJunky]

12 minutes ago, koti said:

I got a pair of OD4+ glasses for blocking 532nm for 15 bucks a few years ago.

I think what you are paying for is testing. You have to pay people to check that things do what they are meant to do and that is reflected in the price. In general, you can't leave safety equipment to the pile-em-high-sell-em-cheap outlets.

Edited May 22, 2018 by StringJunky

[koti]

20 minutes ago, StringJunky said:

I think what you are paying for is testing. You have to pay people to check that things do what they are meant to do and that is reflected in the price. In general, you can't leave safety equipment to the pile-em-high-sell-em-cheap outlets.

OD6+ @ 190-520nm are around 200 bucks in a respectible store. They’re polycarbonate, nothing fancy. I tested my cheepo OD4+ with my 600mW 532nm laser and they seem to work perfectly even if you catch the beam directly (momentarily)  And no, I didn’t use my eyes for testing  

[Externet]

Well, I called ebay and asked to record my conversation and be forwarded to management, asking that the chinese laser protection goggles they sell should have a certificate of compliance before someone gets hurt by believing they work.  As John Cuthber explained above.  Suppose I could call Amazon too, and...

I used the opportunity to also ask to eliminate "Brand New" as item condition in their listings and respect the English language. "New" is not a brand, should say just "New" and set slang aside.  Will see if they act...

[swansont]

4 hours ago, StringJunky said:

Does the actual substance used to create the colour blended in the substrate, and not just the colour itself, have a big influence on the filtering ability; ignoring the brightness attenuation aspect? For instance, one could have apparently visibly-identical filters - same colour and density - with different filtering characteistics.

To the naked eye, yes, because past OD 2 or so you can't really tell how good they are. There are warnings about glasses for eclipse viewing because of this. Some materials may not age as gracefully as others.

[CharonY]

 

4 minutes ago, Externet said:

Well, I called ebay and asked to record my conversation and be forwarded to management, asking that the chinese laser protection goggles they sell should have a certificate of compliance before someone gets hurt by believing they work.  As John Cuthber explained above.  Suppose I could call Amazon too, and...

I used the opportunity to also ask to eliminate "Brand New" as item condition in their listings and respect the English language. "New" is not a brand, should say just "New" and set slang aside.  Will see if they act...

Most countries have laser safety standards and usually it requires that the eye protection are compliant (e.g. EN207 or ANSI Z136). In Europe, the ratings are based on power output rather than just the OD. But I would not buy any goggles that does not list them as being compliant to either norm (e.g. just listing OD).

[Bender]

On 22/5/2018 at 12:06 PM, swansont said:

Yes, the color can be an indication of the wavelength you block, since you are removing that part of the spectrum from the transmitted light. So NIR glasses will tend to be bluish/aqua colored, since it blocks off the red end of the spectrum.

But there is NO WAY that you can consider 70% transmittance as safety goggles. Real safety goggle vendors will give the blocking power in optical density, which is powers of 10 in attenuation. e.g. OD=5 transmits 10^-5 of the incident power. 

These goggles are "ideal for use" if you want serious eye damage.

I guess the 70% transmittance is for all visible light, not the blocked wavelengths.

That said: Why would you buy any safety equipment in China? There are specialised stores for this in Europe and the US with proper quality control and certification.

I wouldn't even buy them at a hobby store or outlet (unless perhaps an outlet specialised in such that can still provide certificates).