Current Intelligence Bulletin 59

Contact Lens Use in a 

Chemical Environment

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Current Intelligence Bulletin 59

Contact Lens Use in a 

Chemical Environment

by

Paul A. Schulte, Ph.D. 

Heinz W. Ahlers, J.D. 

Larry L. Jackson, Ph.D. 

Bonita D. Malit, M.D. 

David M. Votaw

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
ii

This document is in the public domain and may be freely copied or 

reprinted.

Disclaimer

Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by the 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In addition, 

citations to Web sites external to NIOSH do not constitute NIOSH endorsement of the sponsoring organizations or their programs or products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible for the content of these Web sites.

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DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2005–139

June 2005

Safer • Healthier • PeopleTM
iii

Foreword

The purpose of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (Public Law 

91–596) is to assure safe and healthful working conditions for every working 

person and to preserve our human resources. In this Act, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is charged with recommending occupational safety and health standards and describing exposures 

that are safe for various periods of employment, including (but not limited 

to) the exposures at which no worker will suffer diminished health, functional capacity, or life expectancy as a result of his or her work experience.

Current Intelligence Bulletins (CIBs) are issued by NIOSH to disseminate 

new scientific information about occupational hazards. A CIB may draw attention to a formerly unrecognized hazard, report new data on a known hazard, or disseminate information about hazard control. CIBs are distributed 

to representatives of academia, industry, organized labor, public health agencies, and public interest groups as well as to Federal agencies responsible for 

ensuring the safety and health of workers. 

This CIB reviews what is known about contact lens wear while working with 

chemicals and provides guidelines for their use in a chemical environment to 

help employers safely implement a contact lens use policy.

John Howard, M.D. 

Director 

National Institute for Occupational 

 Safety and Health 

Centers for Disease Control 

 and Prevention
iv

Abstract

Since the 1978 Standards Completion Program, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has recommended that workers not 

wear contact lenses during work with chemicals that present an eye irritation 

or injury hazard. Recently, several professional groups have issued guidelines 

removing restrictions in the industrial environment. NIOSH has reviewed 

these guidelines, company policies on contact lens use and injury incidents, 

and the limited literature on contact lens use in a chemical environment. 

Injury data are lacking to indicate that contact lens wear should be restricted 

during work with hazardous chemicals, and thus NIOSH recommends that 

contact lens wear be permitted provided that the safety guidelines presented 

in this Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB) are followed.
v

Contents

Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii 

Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv 

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi 

Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Current Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Experimental Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
vi

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the following individuals for their assistance 

in reviewing this document:

Dr. Bernard Blais 

American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Dr. Anthony Cullen 

American Optometric Association

Dr. Diane Schmidt 

American Chemical Society

Ms. Eileen Segal 

American Chemical Society

Mr. John Shoemaker 

Prevent Blindness America

Mr. Bill Kojola 

AFL–CIO

Ms. Ann Brockhaus 

Organization Resource Counselors

Dr. Robert Ford 

Eastman Kodak Company

Ms. Michelle Castleberry 

American Association of Occupational Health Nurses

Dr. Caroline Freeman 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Editorial review and production assistance were provided by Anne C. Hamilton 

and Vanessa L. Becks.
1

Contact Lens Use in a Chemical 

Environment

Background

Since 1978, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has recommended that workers not wear contact 

lenses during work with chemicals that 

present an eye irritation or injury hazard 

[NIOSH 2004]. This policy was recommended by the 1978 Standards Completion 

Program and is based on the “best professional opinion of the committee membership based on literature data” [NIOSH 

1978]. The policy was also consistent at 

that time with general industry practice, 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, and recommendations of professional groups such as 

the American Chemical Society. 

Current Practice

Recently, a number of groups have issued 

new guidelines that remove most previous 

restrictions for wearing contact lenses in 

the industrial environment. These groups 

include the American Optometric Association, the American College of Occupational 

and Environmental Medicine, the American 

Academy of Ophthalmology, the American 

Chemical Society, and Prevent Blindness 

America. NIOSH has reviewed these new 

guidelines as well as the limited literature 

on the use of contact lenses in a chemical 

environment and the potential absorption 

and adsorption of chemicals by contact 

lenses. In addition, NIOSH has reviewed 

company policies on contact lens use and 

injuries involving contact lenses among a 

small number of chemical manufacturing 

firms. Some of these companies continue 

to restrict contact lens wear in their work 

settings, but others have relaxed their restrictions. 

Experimental Studies

In general, injury data are lacking to clearly indicate that contact lens wear should 

be restricted during work with hazardous 

chemicals; however, appropriate eye protection is always necessary. Only limited 

research has been conducted on the hazards 

of wearing contact lenses when working 

with specific chemicals. Several laboratory 

studies have focused on absorption and adsorption of acids, bases, and other solvents 

by contact lenses [LaMotte et al. 1995; 

Hejkal et al. 1992; Nilsson and Andersson 

1982]. In these experimental studies, various lens materials were exposed to chemicals for extended periods using either vials 

or animals. The results suggest that contact 

lens uptake and release of chemicals to eye 

tissue is not likely to be a significant issue 
2

for workers wearing contact lenses. However, one similar laboratory in vitro study 

indicates that isopropyl and ethyl alcohol 

may pose risks to exposed workers wearing 

contact lenses [Cerulli et al. 1985]. 

In all of these studies, researchers examined 

the resistance of contact lenses to chemical 

exposures under test conditions. They did not 

examine actual chemical exposures in workers and did not examine the use of appropriate eye protection simultaneously with contact lens use. 

Wearing contact lenses under some circumstances provides workers with a greater 

choice of eye and face protection (such as 

goggles or full-facepiece respirators without prescription inserts) as well as better 

visual acuity. However, the risk is unknown 

for contact lens wearers compared with 

nonwearers working with chemicals listed 

in the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards

[NIOSH 2004]. Currently, OSHA recommends against contact lens use when working with acrylonitrile, methylene chloride, 

1,2 dibromo-3-chloropropane, ethylene oxide, and methylene dianiline. These recommendations are presumably based on best 

professional judgment, as no specific bases are provided in the preambles to these 

standards. 

Recommendations

NIOSH recommends that workers be permitted to wear contact lenses when handling 

hazardous chemicals provided that the safety 

guidelines listed here are followed and that 

contact lenses are not banned by regulation 

or contraindicated by medical or industrial 

hygiene recommendations. However, contact lenses are not eye protective devices, 

and wearing them does not reduce the requirement for eye and face protection. The 

following guidelines for contact lens use in 

a chemical environment will help occupational safety and health professionals and 

employers safely implement the contact 

lens use policy: 

1. Conduct an eye injury hazard evaluation in the workplace that includes 

an assessment of the following:

• Chemical exposures (as required by 

OSHA’s personal protective equipment standard [29 CFR*

 1910.132])

• Contact lens wear

• Appropriate eye and face protection 

for contact lens wearers

The eye injury hazard evaluation should be 

conducted by a competent, qualified person 

such as a certified industrial hygienist, a certified safety professional, or a toxicologist.

Information from the hazard evaluation 

should be provided to the examining occupational health nurse or occupational 

medicine physician.

The chemical exposure assessment for all 

workers should include, at a minimum, an 

evaluation of the properties of the chemicals 

in use—including concentration, permissible exposure limits, known eye irritant/

injury properties, form of chemical (powder, liquid, or vapor), and possible routes 

of exposure. The assessment for contact 

lens wearers should include a review of the 

available information about lens absorption 

and adsorption for the class of chemicals in 

use and an account of the injury experience 

for the employer or industry, if known.

*Code of Federal Regulations. See CFR in references
3

2. Provide suitable eye and face protection for all workers exposed to 

eye injury hazards, regardless of 

contact lens wear. Wearing contact 

lenses does not appear to require enhanced eye and face protection. For 

chemical vapor, liquid, or caustic dust 

hazards, the minimum protection consists of well-fitting nonvented or indirectly vented goggles or full-facepiece 

respirators. Close-fitting safety glasses 

with side protection provide limited 

chemical protection but do not prevent 

chemicals from bypassing the protection. Workers should wear face shields 

over other eye protection when needed 

for additional face protection; but they 

should not wear face shields instead 

of goggles or safety glasses—regardless of contact lens wear.

3. Establish a written policy documenting general safety requirements for 

wearing contact lenses, including 

the eye and face protection required 

and any contact lens wear restrictions by work location or task. In addition to providing the general training 

required by the OSHA personal protective 

equipment standard [29 CFR 1910.132], 

provide training in employer policies on 

contact lens use, chemical exposures 

that may affect contact lens wearers, and 

first aid for contact lens wearers with a 

chemical exposure. 

4. Comply with current OSHA regulations on contact lens wear and eye 

and face protection.

5. Notify workers and visitors about 

any defined areas where contact 

lenses are restricted.

6. Identify to supervisors all contact 

lens wearers working in chemical 

environments to ensure that the 

proper hazard assessment is completed and the proper eye protection and first aid equipment are 

available.

7. Train medical and first aid personnel in the removal of contact lenses and have the appropriate equipment available.

8. In the event of a chemical exposure, begin eye irrigation immediately and remove contact lenses as 

soon as practical. Do not delay irrigation while waiting for contact lens removal. 

9. Instruct workers who wear contact 

lenses to remove the lenses at the 

first signs of eye redness or irritation. Contact lenses should be removed 

only in a clean environment after the 

workers have thoroughly washed their 

hands. Evaluate continued lens wear 

with the worker and the prescribing 

ophthalmologist or optometrist. Encourage workers to routinely inspect 

their contact lenses for damage and/or 

replace them regularly. 

10. Evaluate restrictions on contact 

lens wear on a case-by-case basis.

Take into account the visual requirements of individual workers wearing 

contact lenses as recommended by a 

qualified ophthalmologist or optometrist. 

These recommendations are for work with 

chemical hazards. They do not address hazards from heat, radiation, or high-dust or 

high-particulate environments.
4

References

Cerulli L, Tria M, Bacaloni A, Palmieri N 

[1985]. Hydrophilic contact lenses and 

contamination in the work environment. 

Bollettino di Oculistica 64(1–2):299–305.

CFR. Code of Federal regulations. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, Office of the Federal Register. 

Hejkal TW, Records RE, Kubitschek C, 

Humphrey C [1992]. Diffusion of volatile 

organics through contact lenses. CLAO J 

18(1):41–45.

LaMotte J, Smith G, Chang-Smith A [1995]. 

Absorption of ammonia by high water content hydrogel lenses: an inexpensive method of analysis. Optometry Vis Sci 72:605–

607.

Nilsson EEG, Andersson L [1982]. The use 

of contact lenses in environments with organic solvents, acids, or alkalies. Acta Ophthalmologica 60:599–608.

NIOSH [1978]. The standards completion 

program draft technical standards analysis and decision logics. Cincinnati, OH: 

U.S. Department of Health, Education, and 

Welfare, Public Health Service, Center for 

Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NTIS No. 

PB–282 989.

NIOSH [2004]. NIOSH pocket guide to 

chemical hazards. Cincinnati, OH: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 

National Institute for Occupational Safety 

and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication 

No. 97–140. 
5

Notes
6

Notes
7

Notes
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