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Thread: What happens when airbag deploys and the driver is wearing Zeiss 1.9 glass lenses?

  1. #1
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    What happens when airbag deploys and the driver is wearing Zeiss 1.9 glass lenses?

    What happens when a car's airbag deploys and the driver is wearing Zeiss 1.9 high-index glass lenses?

    Is the patient in any more danger, when compared to plastic lenses?

    Thanks!

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    Master OptiBoarder Darryl Meister's Avatar
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    All glass lenses are inherently less impact-resistant than plastic lenses. However, I don't know that any agency has ever compiled eyewear failure data from crash tests, so it is difficult to quantify the risk increase -- if any.
    Darryl J. Meister, ABOM

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    Optical Clairvoyant OptiBoard Bronze Supporter Andrew Weiss's Avatar
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    Darryl, are you sure Gentex or someone similar doesn't keep statistics about this? We have an opthalmologist in our area who suggests to his patients that any material other than polycarbonate puts the individual at risk if airbags deploy. He's a reputable MD, and well respected in our area, and I'm wondering whether he's seen statistics leading him to this conclusion.

    Any thoughts? Thanks.
    Andrew

    "One must remember that at the end of the road, there is a path" --- Fortune Cookie

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    Master OptiBoarder Darryl Meister's Avatar
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    Darryl, are you sure Gentex or someone similar doesn't keep statistics about this?
    I'm sure it's entirely possible, though I am not personally aware of any large-scale data -- just a few anecdotal cases.

    We have an opthalmologist in our area who suggests to his patients that any material other than polycarbonate puts the individual at risk if airbags deploy.
    Frankly, anyone wearing glasses at all are at risk of ocular injury from eyewear -- with or without polycarbonate. The impact of the bag against the frame can cause significant trauma to the eye and its adnexa. With that mentality, you would refuse to prescribe eyewear at all. For that matter, the airbags, themselves, can also cause eye injury (without eyewear).

    I had a look at the abstracts from various articles pertaining to air bags and ocular injuries at Entrez PubMed. The results were very inconclusive, as demonstrated by various contradictory conclusions, including:

    "Analysis of the published reports revealed that airbag-induced eye injuries were not more frequently reported among wearers of eyeglasses than among nonwearers." (Ophthalmology magazine)

    versus

    "Eyeglass wear may present an additional risk factor." (Journal of Trauma)
    Darryl J. Meister, ABOM

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    Optical Clairvoyant OptiBoard Bronze Supporter Andrew Weiss's Avatar
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    Darryl, thanks for the clarification (well, the lack of clarity isn't yours, is it?) As usual, what you say makes sense.
    Andrew

    "One must remember that at the end of the road, there is a path" --- Fortune Cookie

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    My guess is the glass would not crack...UNLESS...a piece of debris gets trapped between the airbag and the lens. Then who knows what would happen. A little off the subject, but in these kinds of impact injuries, we had better make sure the rear safety bevel is properly done. I had a case recently where a woman simply fell on her face in such a way that the frame and lenses were pushed so hard into her left temple that the lens literally cut through her skin, requiring several stitches. You could see the shape of the lens on her face where she was cut. She wasn't angry or anything. She just came in for us to put the lens back into the frame....and by the way...the lens was poly...and it had a perfect safety bevel. I shudder to think what might have happened if the safety bevel was lacking.

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    Look: This could be the least of your problems with air-bag I have a patient who has an automobile body repair shop. He had a car on his lot waiting for the insureance agent to evaluate. The air-bag did not deploy. Insureance agent came in to check car damage out. Put the key in the ignition, turned it and the air-bag deployed. Broke insureance agents neck, he was killed instantly.

    Chip

    Ain't help from the govment & do-gooders wonderful!
    Last edited by chip anderson; 04-24-2006 at 06:25 PM. Reason: Added scarcastic political comment.

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