Professional Visors
At its most basic, a visor is any sort of shield used to protect the eyes. It is usually attached to, or part of, a hat or helmet, but some visors are worn with a simple strap or harness. Visors are distinguished from protective glasses or goggles by being a one-piece unit that protects both eyes simultaneously as opposed to a pair of protective shields or lenses, one for each eye.
Professional Visors For Protection
Many professions where there is a danger of eye injury require protective eyewear. In some cases, protective goggles may be substituted for the visor. When the danger is from impact, goggles may not afford the same protection as a visor. Following are some of the professions that often require the wearing of a visor:
- Military or police ground forces – Visors are often worn by military, police, or militia personnel as part of a riot protection helmet. These visors are usually clear and made to withstand high-velocity impact. Some of them can also withstand acids and other caustic substances. French riot control specialists (CRS) use helmets with two visors, a clear protective outer visor and an inner two-way visor that can be seen out of, but is opaque brass-coloured on the outside. The inner visor slides up into a special slot inside the helmet when not needed.
- Pilots – Pilots, especially military pilots, wear flight helmets with visors. The visor on these helmets is bubble-like and wraps around to the side, providing the pilot with a wide field of vision. It protects the pilot from the sun, against impact, and against wind during ejection situations.
- Astronauts – Astronauts wear helmets with visors when outside of the spacecraft during spacewalks or in situations where there is no air pressure or oxygen. The visor allows them to see and also helps to contain the pressure inside the suit.
- Construction – Builders working in construction wear protective headgear known as hard hats. These often incorporate a small billed visor. Some also accommodate snap on visors.
- Laboratories – Chemists working in laboratory situations wear visors to protect their eyes from chemical spills or splashes. Many types of chemicals can cause permanent loss of vision if a single drop gets into the eyes.
- Hospitals – Many types of medical personnel wear visors, especially those working in trauma centers. These visors are made to protect against blood or other bodily fluids from entering the eyes and causing the spread of disease.
