Which of the following statements about eye protection for fiber optics is correct?

• A. Safety glasses must have UV tinted lenses
• B. Only side shields are recommended
• C. Side shields are recommended, and UV tinted lenses are not required
• D. Eye protection is optional

Answer: (C)

Eye protection for fiber optics centers on guarding against bright light and reflections. Side shields matter because hazards can come from the sides, not just straight ahead, so covered surrounding protection reduces the chance of eye exposure during tasks like viewing fiber ends, connectors, or active laser beams. UV tinted lenses aren’t required as a general rule because many fiber-optic light sources operate in the visible or near-infrared ranges, where UV filtering isn’t necessary. You only need UV protection if your specific source actually emits UV and would be hazardous at your working intensity. So the practical guidance is to use eyewear with side shields for comprehensive coverage, and only use UV-tinted lenses if your particular source requires filtering that UV range.