How to Protect Eyes During X-Rays
Clinicians regularly conducting X-rays or performing C-arm-guided fluoroscopy during interventional surgery are routinely exposed to scatter radiation emitted by the equipment involved. The eyes are among the most sensitive organs in the human body to radiation, so proper protection is often necessary for health and safety.
Wearing X-ray glasses, also known as lead glasses or radiation protective glasses, is a common shielding method that can help. What are lead glasses, and how are they used? Below, we outline what every clinician should understand about eye safety during radiological procedures.
Does an X-Ray Affect Your Eyes?
Ongoing radiation exposure from X-rays can affect the eyes. A study from Life published in 2020 stated that ongoing occupational exposure in radiology or interventional surgery could increase the likelihood of several negative health outcomes, such as:
Retinopathy
Cataracts
Glaucoma
Optic neuropathy
Dry eye syndrome
Wearing eye radiation protection like lead glasses helps shield the eyes and prevents negative eye radiation side effects from long-term exposure.
Can X-Rays Damage Eyes?
Ongoing x ray exposure without eye protection while conducting X-rays and fluoroscopy can lead to eye damage. A study published in Environmental International found that exposure exceeding limits set by governing bodies like the ICRP can increase the risk of harmful effects like vision-impairing cataracts and retinal lesions.
What About Dental X-Ray Eye Damage?
The regulations for dental X-rays differ from those for medical imaging.
The American Dental Association (ADA) updated its X-ray safety guidelines in 2024, stating that wearing shielding like lead aprons, thyroid shields, and radiation glasses is no longer necessary when using modern equipment that’s properly calibrated. Modern dental X-rays emit much lower doses of radiation than medical equipment, so there’s minimal risk of damage to the eyes or other sensitive organs when capturing a quick image.
However, those standards don’t apply to medical procedures. Many medical procedures emit much higher radiation doses.
For instance, AORN states that the average C-arm emits 2 rem (20 mSv) of radiation per minute. Therefore, mobile C-arm radiation effects on the eyes would be much greater when clinicians operate right next to the equipment.
AORN recommends following the principles of ALARA to reduce exposure during high-dose procedures, including wearing proper shielding, minimizing exposure time, and maintaining as much distance from the radiation source as possible. However, reducing exposure time and keeping a safe distance aren’t always easily achievable during certain procedures, making shielding crucial.
How to Protect Eyes from X-Ray Radiation
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommends clinicians wear radiation safety glasses as a primary shielding method to reduce exposure and prevent eye lens injuries. Lead is an effective shielding material because of its high density. When X-rays or gamma rays come into contact with lead, it slows and absorbs them before they reach the wearer’s body.
Are Lead Glasses Effective?
Several clinical trials show that lead glasses are effective.
A study from the Journal of Interventional Radiology showed that wearing 0.5 mm lead glasses significantly reduced the dose clinicians received while conducting X-rays.
Another study from Spine showed that wearing 0.75 mm traditional lead glasses, wraparound lead glasses, and lead glasses with side shields all substantially reduced radiation doses during minimally invasive spine surgery using C-arm guided fluoroscopy.
Lastly, a study in Physica Medica showed that 0.75 mm lead glasses reduced radiation doses by approximately 1.6 times and stressed the importance of wearing protective eyewear during high-dose procedures.
How Can I Reduce Radiation in My Eyes?
In addition to wearing lead glasses, the IAEA mentions several other strategies clinicians can use to reduce radiation doses to the eyes. Those included:
Position the X-ray tube below the table and as far away from the patient as possible.
Clinicians should remain as far away from the radiograph tube as clinically possible. However, several procedures require clinicians to operate next to the radiation source, which is why eye shielding is necessary.
Keep X-ray equipment in optimal operating condition for efficiency.
Make efforts to reduce fluoroscopy time and exposure levels, such as using pulsed fluoroscopy, reducing magnification levels, and limiting radiographic images. However, the ability to use these methods depends on a procedure-by-procedure basis.
While these extra efforts can help reduce radiation doses, shielding such as wearing lead glasses, aprons, and thyroid shields is still crucial to minimize exposure as much as possible.
Should I Close My Eyes During an X-Ray?
The Health Physics Society (HPS) states that closing your eyes during an X-ray would reduce the radiation dose to the lens of the eye by less than 5%. Therefore, it can help a little, but the dose reduction isn’t significant, especially for clinicians regularly taking X-rays throughout the day. Additionally, the patient dose during a single X-ray is usually minimal, which is why the primary focus is on clinician shielding.
Instead, the HPS recommends clinicians wear shielding like lead glasses to protect the eyes when they’re standing close to the patient while capturing images.
How RCS Helps Maintain Essential Protective Garments
When you use protective garments like lead aprons, thyroid shields, and glasses regularly during procedures, they can accumulate wear, tear, and contamination that requires proper maintenance. For instance, AORN’s 2025 guidelines for perioperative practice state that protective garments have some of the highest contamination rates between 62.5% and 100%, making regular deep cleaning essential.
We can help with garment cleaning and maintenance at Radiological Care Services (RCS). Our services include:
Deep cleaning and disinfection
Inspections using X-ray scanning
Garment repairs
Garment disposal
Inventory management with our RADCOMPLY™ software
Each of our services follows recommendations from governing bodies like the CDC and AORN to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Contact us today to learn more about how RCS can make a difference for you.