Why should I be concerned about my eyes?
The lens of the eye is the most vulnerable site on the body for radiation damage. The radiation dose to the eye has a cumulative effect, which means it keeps multiplying day after day, month after month, year after year. The benefit of medical procedures should not be gained at the expense of your health!

What is the health risk of not wearing eye protection?
The main risk posed is posterior subcapsular (PSC) cataract formation, which can occur if eye protection and good operational measures are not used. Because PSC cataracts form in the back of the lens, they decrease contrast sensitivity before they affect visual acuity. Prevention is the best cure. Even successful PSC cataract surgery could result in less than optimum outcomes and define the end of a doctor's career.

How much radiation exposure is safe?
The current ICRP permissible limits are set at 150msv/year. However, new studies have shown that people are developing cataracts at much lower radiation doses than the permissible limits allow. In addition, doctors are performing ever increasing numbers of procedures per day and lens doses often exceed the limit if between 30 and 40 procedures per month are performed. The threshold for deterministic effects is exceeded after several years of work on average. The lens dose can also depend on the equipment being used; older equipment can produce more scatter radiation and increase health risks. 

How will lead glasses protect me?
Proper use of radiation protective eyewear reduces the scattered radiation dose that reaches the eye to only 2% to 3%, resulting in only a few microsieverts of eye exposure per procedure. This sustainable exposure level will prevent long-term PSC cataract formation. Lead glasses have evolved from heavy, drab equipment into a lightweight and stylish product that's convenient to wear. Lead glasses are used by physicians and staff during cardiac catheterization, interventional radiology, electrophysiology, urological procedures, pain management and orthopedic surgery.

Why buy from Burlington Medical Supplies?
We care that you use eye protection, no matter who you buy it from. However, we believe our product is unmatched because of the quality of our impact resistant frames and our 0.75mm leaded crystal glass. In addition, we offer one of the largest selections in the industry and back up our products with excellent service. We have stylish, functional glasses and availability of prescriptions to meet the needs of any doctor.

Sources:
1. Vano E, Gonzalez L, Fernandez JM, Haskal ZJ. Eye lens exposure to radiation in interventional suites: caution is warranted. Radiology 2008; 248:945-953.
2. Vano E, Gonzalez L, Guibelalde E, Fernandez JM, Ten JI. Radiation exposure to medical staff in interventional and cardiac radiology. Br J Radiology 1998; 71:954-960
3. International Commission on Radiological Protection. 2007 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection: ICRP publication 103. Ann ICRP 2007; 37:1-332
4. Raza SMS. Radiation Exposure In The Cath Lab – Safety And Precautions. Priory Medical Journals 2006. http://www.priory.com/med/radiation.htm. Accessed May 14, 2009.
5. Haskal ZJ. Interventional radiology carries occupational risk for cataracts. RSNA News 2004; 14:5-6.
6. Worgul BV, Kundiyev YI Sergiyenko NM. Cataracts among Cherynobyl clean-up workers: implications regarding permissible eye exposures. Radiation 2007; 167:233-243.
7. Vano E. Radiation exposure to cardiologists: how it could be reduced. Heart 2003; 89:1123-1124.