06/16/2022

You asked... We Answered

You Asked: 

Is there guidance on what type of eye protection can be worn? Our facility has several different types and we want to ensure we are only using what is recommended.

We Answered: 

Yes, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) provides guidance on eye protection. The Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic webpage states eye protection (i.e. goggles or a face shield that covers the front and sides of the face) should be worn during all patient care encounters for healthcare personnel working in facilities located in counties with substantial or high transmission. The CDC’s Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of Eye Protection webpage provides the following additional guidance on the surge capacity strategies:

Conventional Capacity Strategies

Use eye protection according to product labeling and local, state, and federal requirements.

In healthcare settings, eye protection is used by HCP to protect their eyes from exposure to splashes, sprays, splatter, and respiratory secretions. Disposable eye protection should be removed and discarded after use. Reusable eye protection should be cleaned and disinfected after each patient encounter.

Shift eye protection supplies from disposable to reusable devices (i.e., reusable face shields or goggles).

• Consider preferential use of powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs) or full facepiece elastomeric respirators which have built-in eye protection.
• Ensure appropriate cleaning and disinfection after each use if reusable face shields or goggles are used.

Contingency Capacity Strategies

Selectively cancel elective and non-urgent procedures and appointments for which eye protection is typically used by HCP.

Implement extended use of eye protection.

Extended use of eye protection is the practice of wearing the same eye protection for repeated close contact encounters with several different patients, without removing eye protection between patient encounters. Extended use of eye protection can be applied to disposable and reusable devices.

In areas of substantial to high transmission where HCP are using eye protection for all patient encounters, extended use of eye protection may be considered as a conventional capacity strategy.

• Eye protection should be removed, cleaned, and disinfected if it becomes visibly soiled or difficult to see through.
• If disposable face shields or goggles are cleaned and disinfected, they should be dedicated to one HCP and cleaned and disinfected whenever it is visibly soiled or removed (e.g., when leaving the isolation area) prior to putting it back on. See protocol for removing and cleaning and disinfecting eye protection below.
• Eye protection should be discarded if damaged (e.g., face shield or goggles can no longer fasten securely to the provider or if visibility is obscured and cleaning and disinfecting does not restore visibility).
• HCP should take care not to touch their eye protection. If they touch or adjust their eye protection, they must immediately perform hand hygiene.
• HCP should leave the patient care area if they need to remove their eye protection. See protocol for removing, cleaning, and disinfecting eye protection below.

Crisis Capacity Strategies

Cancel all elective and non-urgent procedures and appointments for which eye protection is typically used by HCP.

Use eye protection devices beyond the manufacturer-designated shelf life during patient care activities.

If there is no date available on the eye protection device label or packaging, facilities should contact the manufacturer. The user should visually inspect the product prior to use and, if there are concerns (such as degraded materials), discard the product.

Prioritize eye protection for selected activities such as:

• Essential surgeries and procedures for which eye protection is recommended.
• During care activities where splashes and sprays are anticipated.
• During unavoidable activities with prolonged face-to-face or close contact with a potentially infectious patient for which eye protection is recommended.

Consider using safety glasses (e.g., trauma glasses) that have extensions to cover the side of the eyes. 

• However, protective eyewear (e.g., safety glasses, trauma glasses) with gaps between glasses and the face likely do not protect eyes from all splashes and sprays.

Additional guidance can be found on both the Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic webpage the Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of Eye Protection webpage.