Team-BHP - How safe is wearing spectacles/sun glasses in a car with Airbags?

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Is it safe to wear Sun-glasses in Airbag equipped cars? I was wondering it it will shatter and damage the eyes if the Airbags deploys?

What about spectacles? What about those poor fellows who cant see a few feet ahead without them?

I would prefer hitting the airbag with spectacles than the windshield.

Here's what a finnish study on this subject concluded.

Quote:

The risk of airbag-associated eye trauma appears to be low and no greater for spectacle wearers compared with nonwearers.

Source: Medscape & eMedicine

Quote:

Originally Posted by manim (Post 983090)

Is it safe to wear Sun-glasses in Airbag equipped cars? I was wondering it it will shatter and damage the eyes if the Airbags deploys?

Yes, it's safe.

The frame of your glasses / sun-glasses might break on hitting the air-bag, but the glass, in all probability, will not shatter unless there's a crack in it already.

i was kind of thinking even the seating position and the seat belt setting also do their part???

as we have relaxed sofa like seating position in most of the sedans compared to up right in the tall boy hatches?

can some one elaborate/add on the same?

Good one. Me was thinking of this even though I do not have a Airbag fitted car. But seems its safe. Thanks guys.

@GR8GUZZLER : the source you mentioned is asking username and password. Can you copy the article and put it up. :)

The airbag are cushioning kinda but in case of a slender frame that yields up then what about the glasses wont they break. I believe there must be norm that glasses should not shatter ( atleast the branded ones )

The force from the airbag deployment, would push the frame inwards on the wearers face, glasses should not shatter ideally, but the frame might get twisted & lead glasses to crack. Maybe this is the reason why a warning note is given in users manual, saying, no object should be kept over airbags, as in case of deployment, the object might get converted into a missile!
Also, frame itself can cause injuries, even if glass does not shatter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rranjith_kum (Post 983373)

@GR8GUZZLER : the source you mentioned is asking username and password. Can you copy the article and put it up. :)

Here you go.

Quote:

Ophthalmology, July 2003 Journal Scan

From
Ophthalmology
June 2003 (Volume 110, Number 6)

Do Motor Vehicle Airbags Increase Risk of Ocular Injuries in Adults?
Lehto KS, Sulander PO, Tervo TM
Ophthalmology. 2003;110(6):1082-1088

Automobile airbags have been shown to reduce the risk of fatality in motor vehicle accidents. Airbag deployment may cause ocular injury by direct mechanical forces such as by compressing spectacles, which could cause additional injury -- and by chemical injury from the reaction necessary to cause inflation of the bag.

The authors of this retrospective observational study reviewed the records of airbag-associated eye injuries in Finland, where every fatal accident is investigated by the Finnish Motor Insurers Center, and where nonfatal accidents involving airbags were registered between 1993 and 1997 by the police department. Other sources included a review of 62 case reports describing 110 patients with eye injury after airbag deployment and a review from the authors' own records of 331 individuals in motor vehicles accidents, from which they culled those where an airbag was deployed.

Review of the literature revealed that airbag-associated injuries were no more likely in patients who wore glasses compared with those who did not, but open globe injuries were statistically more common in spectacle wearers. Spectacle wearers appeared to have a lower risk of chemical-associated injury. In the Finnish study, the risk of airbag-associated eye injury was 2.5% for any injury and 0.4% for a severe injury.

The risk of airbag-associated eye trauma appears to be low and no greater for spectacle wearers compared with nonwearers. RF

Source: Medscape

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhp1 (Post 983446)

Also, frame itself can cause injuries, even if glass does not shatter.

Now that is a one good reason to get on with contact lenses

manim

well in my opinion its unsafe to wear them, i am telling you this out of first hand experience.I was traveling along with a friend of mine in her skoda ,and she was using her sunglasses. Had a crash in trying to save a unruly biker. The air bags deployed but unfortunately the opening of the bags shattered my friends sun glasses, she had to be rushed to the hospital , and had to be operated upon to remove the shrads of glasses lodged in her eye.Luckily the doctors could save her vision as her cornea was not hurt.

Interesting thread!

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanjz (Post 1158527)

...unfortunately the opening of the bags shattered my friends sun glasses,...Luckily the doctors could save her vision as her cornea was not hurt.

Darn, thats unfortunate as well as lucky.

However - was she wearing her seatbelt properly?

cya
R

These days most prescription eyewear is made of plastic, not glass. If you have glass, change it to plastic. Also, the eyewear has the tendency to fly away in most accidents. I feel the risk very minimal.

Yes very true, i have been using plastic lens for someyears and will continue to do so. its much safer!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samurai (Post 1158829)