A Clear Path to Eye Safety: Making Prescription Safety Eyewear Easy to Access

How improving access, streamlining processes, and adopting digital solutions can increase compliance and reduce injury risks in prescription safety eyewear programs.

• By Hal Wilson
• May 01, 2025

In industrial and hazardous work environments, eye injuries pose a significant risk. The National Eye Institute reports that the majority of eye injuries can be prevented by wearing appropriate protective eyewear. Despite the clear benefits, many organizations inadvertently create barriers that hinder employee access to safety eyewear. To ensure the success of a prescription safety eyewear program, prioritizing ease of access and availability is crucial. Without these elements, even the most well-intentioned programs can fail, leaving employees vulnerable to preventable injuries. 

The Role of Accessibility in Safety 

A prescription safety eyewear program is only effective if employees can easily obtain and consistently wear their protective lenses. Limited access due to bureaucratic red tape, restricted approval processes, or supply shortages can significantly reduce compliance. If employees cannot immediately access the eyewear they need, they may resort to working without protection, leading to unnecessary risks and potential injuries. 

For a program to be successful, safety eyewear must be available 24/7 to all employees, including those working in the field or in remote locations. Any delays or complications in obtaining eyewear undermine the program’s purpose and put workers at unnecessary risk. 

Pitfalls of Using Fax or Forms 

Programs based on fax methods (despite their age, fax machines remain prevalent in healthcare and eyecare for transmitting patient information) or programs that use forms—even electronic ones—reduce accessibility and contribute to delays. Traditional fax transmissions do not use encryption, making it easier for hackers to intercept and access the transmitted data. Paper (and some electronic) forms lack encryption, meaning any data on them is readily accessible if the forms fall into the wrong hands. 

• HIPAA Violations: In the United States, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets strict guidelines for the protection of PHI. Using insecure methods to transmit PHI can lead to violations and hefty fines. 

• PCI DSS Non-Compliance: The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) mandates secure handling of credit card information. Insecure transmission methods can result in non-compliance and significant financial penalties. 

• Forms are not Real-Time.   The contents of faxed or uploaded forms must be re-keyed into another closed system that introduces delays and the potential for errors. 

Eliminating Bureaucratic Barriers 

A common pitfall in prescription safety eyewear programs is excessive administrative control. While some oversight is necessary, complex approval processes, such as requiring managerial authorization for lens upgrades or specific frame selections, introduce unnecessary obstacles. Employees should be able to access their protective eyewear without navigating a maze of paperwork and approvals. 

Organizations should strive for simple, clear, and consistent policies, such as: 

• Providing a standard benefit (e.g., “One pair per year” or a flat dollar amount employees can use toward their eyewear). 

• Offering a well-curated, up-to-date catalog of safety-approved prescription eyewear options. 

• Eliminating reimbursement processes where employees must pay in advance and wait weeks for reimbursement instead of using direct billing. 

• Ensuring that employees can replace damaged or lost eyewear without undue delays. 

• An easy way for employees to view and monitor their benefit period and understand when their benefit period begins and ends. 

The Impact of Availability on Compliance 

Employees are more likely to wear safety eyewear when it is readily available and suits their needs. Offering customization options—such as anti-fog coatings, transition lenses, non-conductive or lightweight frames—encourages consistent use throughout the workday. If employees feel uncomfortable with their eyewear, they are less likely to wear it consistently, increasing the risk of injury. 

Secure online ordering systems can significantly reduce the security risks associated with transmitting PHI and credit card information. Implementing digital solutions not only ensures compliance with regulatory requirements but also protects employees’ sensitive data from potential threats.  In addition, employees can receive real-time notifications and updates about their orders, ensuring they are informed about the status of their eyewear, from submission to delivery. This transparency reduces uncertainty and enhances user satisfaction.  Online systems can be integrated with other company systems, such as HR and payroll, to streamline benefits management and ensure that employees receive their eyewear benefits without additional administrative hurdles 

The ability to provide access using mobile devices is another option to significantly enhance accessibility for employees who may not have immediate, easy access to a desktop computer.   Employees can also use a mobile device to capture photos of their prescription and eliminate the risk of fabricating eyewear with an incorrect eyeglass prescription.  Mobile devices and websites use encryption and secure payment gateways to protect sensitive information, such as personal identifiable health information (PHI) and credit card numbers.    

Additionally, organizations must ensure that eyewear availability extends across all locations. If some employees have easier access than others, inconsistencies in compliance will arise. A successful program ensures that all employees, regardless of their worksite, have equal and immediate access to necessary eye protection. 

Reducing Hidden Costs Through Simplicity 

Overly complex benefit structures may seem like a way to control costs, but they often introduce hidden transaction costs that outweigh their intended savings. Employees frustrated by confusing benefit structures may delay obtaining eyewear or seek unauthorized alternatives. Instead, organizations should focus on efficiency by: 

• Streamlining ordering processes to reduce wait times and eliminating multi-step approval chains. 

• Avoiding restrictive conditions like requiring purchase order approvals. 

• Regularly reviewing and updating frame selections while ensuring company-wide visibility of available options. 

Conclusion: Prioritizing Protection Over Complexity 

The primary goal of any prescription safety eyewear program should be to protect employees from eye injuries, not to burden them with unnecessary obstacles. By ensuring 24/7 availability, eliminating excessive bureaucracy, and offering clear, simple benefit structures, organizations can maximize compliance and improve workplace safety. 

Ultimately, the success of a program depends on its usability. When employees have easy, consistent access to protective eyewear, they are far more likely to wear it when it matters most. Organizations must critically evaluate their current policies to remove barriers and focus on what truly matters—keeping their employees safe. 

This article originally appeared in the April/May 2025 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.