ISO 12312-1 Eye and Face Protection - Sunglasses and Related Glasses - Part 1: Sunglasses for General Use

The ISO 12312-1 standard, developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO), defines requirements for all afocal (plano power) sunglasses and clips for general use, including road use and driving, for protection against sunlight.

In optics, an afocal (a focusless system) is an optical system that does not produce clear convergence or divergence in the beam, that is, it has an infinite effective focal length. Plano lenses are lenses that do not have visual correction power.

Information on the use of sunglasses filters is included in the standard annex (Annex A). Requirements for filters used as spare or alternative filters without assembly are given in Annex B.

The ISO 12312-1 standard does not primarily apply to:

• Glasses for protection against radiation from artificial light sources, such as those used in a solarium
• Eye protection for certain sports (for example, ski goggles or other types)
• Medically prescribed sunglasses to reduce solar radiation
  Products for direct solar observation, such as watching a partial or annular eclipse

For the purposes of this standard, the terms and definitions in the ISO 4007 standard apply.

The ISO 12312 standard consists of the following two parts under the heading "Eye and face protection - Sunglasses and related glasses":

• Part 1: Sunglasses for general use
• Part 2: Eye protectors for direct observation of the sun

ISO 12312-1 replaces the previously published EN 1836 standard. A few innovations brought by the new standard are as follows:

• It no longer provides the distinction between the two optical classes.
• The scattering light requirement has been replaced by the wide-angle scattering requirement.
• Transmission requirements in the UV spectral range are evaluated.
• Spectral transmittance in the range of 475 nm to 650 nm is evaluated.
• If the light transmittance is below 75 percent, the sunglasses are not suitable for driving at dusk or at night.

Our organization, among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies it provides for businesses in various sectors, also provides testing services for sunglasses used for eye and face protection within the scope of ISO 12312-1 standard, with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment.