Eye Protection for Infection Control

US CDC/NIOSH Recommendations

The US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is part of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and has provided the following information concerning the use of goggles, face shields, safety glasses, and full face respirators for infection control purposes in their publication Eye Protection for Infection Control.

CDC/NIOSH recommends eye protection for a variety of potential occupational exposure settings where workers may be at risk of acquiring infectious diseases via ocular (eye) exposure. Eye protection is intended to provide a barrier to infectious materials entering the eye and is often used in conjunction with other personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, gowns, and respirators.