Can Vacuum Glazed Sunglasses Provide Maximum Eye Protection?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Algren
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Vacuum
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
9 replies · 2K views
Algren
Messages
74
Reaction score
1
Is there such a thing? Wouldn't such a thing give ultimate protection for the eyes?
I first thought i would post this in general engineering, b/c i have another question: How thick must the total eyepiece be if i need 2 semi-transparent sunglass material (of the size of a standard sunglass eyepeice) and a layer of vacuum between them?
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
Why do you expect a positive effect of a vacuum? Sunglasses are against electromagnetic radiation, if that radiation could not go through vacuum it wouldn't reach Earth anyway.
 
mfb said:
Why do you expect a positive effect of a vacuum? Sunglasses are against electromagnetic radiation, if that radiation could not go through vacuum it wouldn't reach Earth anyway.
The prime reason of the vacuum being there is to prevent heat transfer, so that the eyes can stay warm, in temperatures like -30 celsius with strong winds.
 
russ_watters said:
Generally, for very cold weather, people wear goggles. Sunglasses don't seal around the eyes, so insulation wouldn't do anything for them.
Point. So then goggles with EM radiation and vacuum protection?
 
Algren said:
Point. So then goggles with EM radiation and vacuum protection?
Astronaut helmets don't use multi-pane glass, so I don't see how extra insulation solves any real problems.
 
russ_watters said:
Astronaut helmets don't use multi-pane glass, so I don't see how extra insulation solves any real problems.
Well, they have the vacuum for free.

You could reduce thermal conductivity with a layer of vacuum, but compared to other points of heat transfer the glass doesn't sound like a major problem. A vacuum would also mean that the glasses have to be quite thick and heavy.
 
russ_watters said:
Astronaut helmets don't use multi-pane glass, so I don't see how extra insulation solves any real problems.
Right. Well, i guess that closes this case.
 
mfb said:
quite thick and heavy.
Thats what I'm wondering about, is this primarily because of low quality/normal glass?