Ballistic glasses are an important piece of military equipment, providing both adaptability to different lighting conditions and protection for the eyes from small debris and dust. In this article, we will look at the main materials used to manufacture military glasses and the standards that such glasses must meet.
Tactical or ballistic glasses?
Many readers have probably encountered the terms “tactical glasses” and “ballistic glasses.” What is the difference between these categories? Tactical glasses are primarily designed to protect against dust and ultraviolet rays. In addition to these characteristics, ballistic glasses must also protect the shooter from small debris and not shatter into fragments that could injure the shooter’s eyes.
What are the standards for ballistic glasses?
There are three different standards that determine the effectiveness of ballistic glasses. The first is the US civilian standard ANSI Z87.1. Next are the US military standards MIL-PRF and MIL-DTL. There are also European standards EN166, 169, 170, and 172.
ANSI Z87.1 standard
ANSI Z87.1 sets standards for safety glasses, shooting glasses, and other non-military eyewear. ANSI Z87.1 covers many aspects of eyewear safety, but the most important protective feature it addresses is impact protection.
To meet the ANSI Z87.1 safety standard, the lenses of the eyewear being tested must protect against impact from a 6.4 mm diameter steel ball traveling at a speed of 44 m/s. Eyewear and glasses that meet this rating will be marked “Z87+”. Glasses that meet other ANSI safety standards but do not meet the impact protection requirements will be marked “Z87” (without the plus sign).
List of ANSI Z87.1 standard markings:
Z87+ Impact protection
D3 Splash and droplet protection
D4 Dust particle protection
D5 Fine dust protection
W Welding flash protection
U Ultraviolet radiation protection
R Infrared radiation protection
L Glare filtration
S Special lens tinting
V Photochromic (transitional) lenses
H Indicates glasses designed for smaller head sizes
MIL-PRF and MIL-DTL standards
The US military ballistic protection standards MIL-PRF-31013 and MIL-DTL-43511D set safety thresholds for eyewear and safety glasses, respectively. Like ANSI Z87, both standards cover a range of safety features, including UV protection, chemical resistance, light transmission, and temperature stability. However, the most important characteristic is impact resistance.
MIL-PRF-31013 requires military safety glasses to withstand the impact of a .15 caliber bullet traveling at 194.4 m/s.
MIL-DTL-43511D requires that goggles must withstand the impact of a .22 caliber bullet traveling at 169.8 m/s.
These standards are much stricter than ANSI Z87.1, which is not surprising, given that military personnel have to deal with much faster and more dangerous debris.
Additional rules for eyewear state that eyeglasses and safety glasses must not have bright or distracting colors or designs, must be disinfectable, sufficiently comfortable, and generally functional in the field.
Types of coatings for optical lenses in ballistic glasses
To make lenses comfortable in different conditions, manufacturers add special coatings that make them more comfortable to use. The most common are UV protection, anti-fog coating, and anti-scratch coating. Let’s take a closer look at all these types.
Scratch-resistant coating
To prevent ballistic goggle lenses from breaking, they are usually made of polycarbonate (a thermoplastic polymer) rather than glass. Polycarbonate scratches much more easily than glass, and scratches can impair visibility and hinder a soldier in life-threatening situations. Anti-scratch coating does not completely eliminate the possibility of lens scratches, but it strengthens the polycarbonate, increasing its durability and overall scratch resistance.
Anti-fog coating
If you wear glasses every day, you know how annoying it can be when your lenses fog up. However, for law enforcement and military personnel, this problem goes beyond simple annoyance and can become potentially life-threatening. A chemical anti-fog coating can help solve this problem.
UV protection
Everyone knows how harmful UVA, UVB, and UVC rays can be to the skin. Prolonged exposure to these rays also has a negative effect on your eyes. If you spend a lot of time in the sun, consider a pair of tactical sunglasses or safety glasses that provide UV protection.
Ballistic Glasses Lens Colors
Different colors allow different amounts of light to pass through the lenses, which can potentially affect optical clarity or how you perceive certain colors and contrasts; this is called visual light transmission, or VLT. In general, lenses with lower light transmission are better suited for sunny days, while lenses with higher light transmission are more suitable for twilight conditions. Here is the range of colors available in ballistic glasses, the situations for which they are best suited, and the level of visible light transmission they provide.
Brown
Brown lenses work well in fields and other open areas. They help highlight brown hues and other earth tones, and they provide good contrast with orange targets, which can be useful during training.
Visual light transmission: 35% to 45%.
Gray
Gray is a good all-around lens color. Gray lenses don’t provide a lot of color contrast or extra clarity, but they help reduce the amount of ambient light around you, creating a sense of depth and contrast.
Visual light transmission: 50%.
Blue
Blue lenses provide very high contrast against a green background; this contrast can be especially helpful in areas with dense foliage. The only drawback to blue lenses is that they are not very effective when it is particularly bright outside.
Visual light transmission: 45% to 55%.
Purple
Like blue lenses, purple lenses work well in green environments. They contrast well with blue, which can be comfortable for those looking at the sky.
Visual light transmission: 30% to 65%.
Amber/red
These lenses work well on foggy, cloudy, and hazy days. They mute green and blue backgrounds, just like brown lenses.
Visual light transmission: 50% to 60%.
Orange
Orange lenses work well in bright light, filtering out blue tones and reducing glare. Like red and brown lenses, they highlight orange and red colors well. They can also increase depth perception and contrast.
Visual light transmission: 70% to 80%.
Yellow
Perhaps the most popular color for shooters, yellow lenses provide high contrast between orange targets. Like orange lenses, yellow lenses are very effective at filtering blue light.
Visual light transmission: 80% to 90%.
Transparent
Uncolored lenses are well suited for low light conditions and clear weather. Apart from a certain level of ballistic protection, transparent lenses do not offer many additional visual benefits.
Visual light transmission: 100%.
Polarized lenses
Reflected light and glare can be particularly uncomfortable for the eyes. Polarized lenses use a special chemical coating that blocks reflected light, thereby eliminating glare.
Edge Urgent Fury UF31VS Tactical Glasses (642)
Advice on choosing ballistic eyewear
Choosing the right pair of ballistic eyewear essentially comes down to what is best for you. If you are a civilian, ANSI Z87 glasses and safety glasses are suitable for impact protection. If you are in the military, be sure to comply with the protection standards set out in MIL-PRF and MIL-DTL.
