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goggles
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What are goggles?
Goggles are protective eyewear set in a flexible frame that sits snugly against the face. They are used in sports like skiing, swimming, and motor sports, as well as in various industries. Virtual reality headsets are also sometimes called goggles.
The Inuit may have worn the earliest goggles to prevent snow blindness. These were typically made of bone or walrus ivory and had a slit to allow a minimum of light for vision. Modern goggles are used in winter sports to protect against snow blindness and glare and against cold, wind, and flying objects.
Safety goggles for workers appeared in the 19th century and are now mandated by OSHA in the United States for certain types of work. The 20th century brought goggles for use in automobiles, motorcycles, and airplanes.
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What are goggles used for?
Goggles are protective eyewear set in a flexible frame that sits snugly against the face. The Inuit may have been the first to wear goggles, crafted from bone or ivory with narrow slits, to prevent snow blindness.
Modern goggles serve various purposes across different activities and fields:
* Sports: Goggles protect against glare, cold, wind, and potential impacts in sports like skiing, swimming, and motor sports.
* Workplace safety: Required in industries for protection against debris, heat, radiation, and chemical splashes.
* Transportation: Goggles protect motorcyclists from debris, insects, and wind.
* Virtual reality: Modern VR headsets, also called goggles, immerse users in stereoscopic 3D displays.2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How do goggles protect your eyes?
Goggles are protective eyewear set in a flexible frame that sits snugly against the face. They are designed to shield the eyes from various hazards, depending on their specific use.
- Sports: In winter sports, goggles protect against snow blindness, glare, cold, wind, and flying objects.
- Industry: Safety goggles protect workers' eyes from debris, heat, radiation, and chemical splashes.
- Motorcycling: Goggles shield motorcyclists from flying debris, insects, and air movement.
The Inuit and Yupik nations created early forms of snow goggles to limit the amount of light entering the eyes, preventing snow blindness. These were made from materials like antlers, whalebone, walrus ivory, or driftwood, with narrow slits and dark linings to reduce glare.
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What are some common types of goggles?
Goggles are protective eyewear with a flexible frame that fits snugly against the face and are used in sports and various industries.
Types of goggles:
* Sports Goggles Skiing goggles protect against snow blindness, glare, cold, wind, and objects. Swimming goggles were first used in competition in 1970.
* Safety Goggles Safety goggles protect workers using power tools and protect welders from debris, heat, and radiation. Safety glasses were developed during World War I to protect laboratory workers from chemicals.
* Motorcycle Goggles Goggles protect motorcyclists from flying debris, insects, and air movement.
* Virtual Reality Headsets These goggles block out light and provide a stereoscopic display to give a three-dimensional impression.1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How do swimming goggles differ from safety goggles?
Goggles are protective eyewear with a flexible frame that sits snugly against the face and are used in sports and various industries.
| Feature | Swimming Goggles | Safety Goggles |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Purpose | Protect eyes from water, salt, and chlorine | Protect eyes from debris, heat, radiation, and chemicals |
| Use | Swimming and diving | Industrial work, power tools, mining, and laboratory work |
| History | First used by Persian pearl divers in the 14th century; modern use in swimming started in 1911 | First appeared in the 19th century but came into general use in the 20th century |1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Why is it important to wear goggles during certain sports or experiments?
Goggles are essential in sports and experiments as protective eyewear, shielding the eyes from various hazards. In sports like skiing, they protect against snow blindness, glare, cold, wind, and flying objects. For swimming, goggles prevent irritation from salt water and allow for clear vision underwater.
In industrial and laboratory settings, safety goggles are crucial. They protect workers from debris, heat, radiation, and chemical splashes, with organizations like OSHA mandating their use in certain jobs. Additionally, goggles were historically vital for early motorists and motorcyclists, guarding against debris, insects, and wind.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
goggles, any of a variety of protective eyewear set in a flexible frame that sits snugly against the face. Goggles are worn in a number of sports, including skiing, swimming, and motor sports, and in various industries. Virtual reality headsets are also often called goggles.
Perhaps the earliest goggles were worn by the Inuit to protect against snow blindness. Typically made of bone or walrus ivory, they fit tightly to the face and had a slit to allow a minimum of light for vision. Modern goggles are worn in winter sports to protect against snow blindness and glare, against cold and wind, and against flying objects and objects that one might run into, such as tree branches.
The first known goggles for swimming were used by Persian pearl divers in the 14th century, and there is evidence that other divers elsewhere in the world also devised goggles. The first reported modern use of goggles in swimming occurred in 1911, when Thomas Burgess wore something similar to motorcycle goggles while crossing the English Channel. In 1926 Gertrude Ederle used a similar style of goggles sealed with paraffin wax to protect her eyes from the salt water when she swam the channel. The advent of underwater skin diving and scuba diving in the 1920s and ’30s brought advances in the design and manufacture of goggles, which were necessary safety equipment for these pursuits. Although some swimmers used goggles while training or for recreational swimming in the 1960s, they were not used in international competition before 1970, when Scottish swimmer David Wilkie wore swim goggles at the Commonwealth Games.
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Safety goggles for workers first appeared in the 19th century but did not come into general use until well into the 20th century. Goggles are worn by those using power tools and blowtorches and by miners. Goggles required for welding protect from debris, heat, and radiation. Safety glasses developed during World War I first protected laboratory workers from chemicals. In the United States the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates the use of safety goggles in certain types of work.
The turn of the 20th century brought a revolution in transport, with the advent of the automobile, motorcycle, and airplane. While all of these inventions offered tremendously faster transportation, none of them were enclosed. Special gear had to be worn for safety’s sake, and that gear included goggles to protect the eyes from flying debris, insects, and air movement. After cars and airplanes became enclosed, goggles were no longer needed by drivers, pilots, or passengers, but they remain necessary for motorcyclists.
The 21st century introduced a new sort of goggles: the virtual reality headset. These goggles do not protect the eyes but rather block out light and provide a stereoscopic display that gives the impression of being three-dimensional.