Do safety glasses block UV light? UV400 and 100 percent UV, the Z87.1 U scale, sunglass categories 0 to 4, polarized vs UV protection, and what yellow and amber lenses do
Yes, nearly all of them, clear lenses included, because the polycarbonate the lens is molded from absorbs ultraviolet: MCR Safety states its lenses “filter 99.9% of harmful UV rays”, UVEX that “all lenses provide 99.9% UV protection” and absorb “more than 99.9% of UVA and UVB”, Radians prints “99.9% UV Protection” on its eyewear pages, and Portwest marks its lenses Z87.1+ U6. UV protection has nothing to do with how dark the lens is: a clear U6 lens blocks the same UV as a gray one. “UV400” and “100% UV” are sunglass-label phrases for a lens that blocks wavelengths up to 400 nanometers; the Z87.1 U scale (U2 to U6) and the EN 170 and EN 172 filter numbers are the marks a safety lens carries for the same thing. Polarization is a different property again: it cuts reflected glare off flat surfaces and says nothing about UV.
Portwest PW15 Fossa Safety GlassesPortwest states the PW15 meets ANSI/ISEA Z87.1+ (U6 L3), EN 166 1 FT, EN 170 2C-1.2 and EN 172 5-3.1Three different things people call “UV protection”. The first is the lens material: polycarbonate absorbs ultraviolet, so a clear safety lens blocks UV without any tint. The second is the filter mark: ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 marks a lens that has been tested as an ultraviolet filter with a U and a scale number (U6 is the highest, the usual mark on a clear or gray polycarbonate lens), and the European standards mark the same thing with an EN 170 number for UV filters (2C-1.2 on a clear lens) and an EN 172 number for sunglare filters (5-3.1 on a dark gray lens). The third is the sunglass vocabulary, UV400 and “100% UV”, which describes blocking up to 400 nanometers and comes from consumer sunglass labeling, not from Z87.1. Polarization, lens color and “category” are about visible light and glare, not UV. The cards below take the questions in that order.
UV, polarized and yellow lenses, question by question
The statements in quotation marks are the manufacturers’ own; the mark descriptions are Z87.1 Table 3 and the EN 170/172 marks as Portwest prints them.
The UV and glare vocabulary
The marks and label phrases around UV, in order from the invisible to the visible.
- UVA and UVB: ultraviolet from 315 to 400 nm (UVA) and 280 to 315 nm (UVB). Both are stopped by polycarbonate; the manufacturers’ 99.9 percent statements cover both.
- UV400: a sunglass label meaning the lens blocks up to 400 nm, the top of the UV range. Not a Z87.1 term; the Z87.1 equivalent is the U mark.
- U2 to U6: Z87.1 Table 3 ultraviolet filter scale; U6 is the top and the usual mark on clear and gray polycarbonate.
- L (L1.3 to L10): Z87.1 visible-light filter scale; L3 is a typical gray lens. It is about brightness, not UV.
- EN 170 and EN 172: European UV filter (2C-1.2 on a clear lens) and sunglare filter (5-3.1 on a dark gray lens) marks, printed by Portwest beside the Z87.1 marks.
- Category 0 to 4: the European sunglass scale for visible light transmission, 0 clear to 4 very dark; every category must block UV, so the number is not a UV grade.
- Polarized: a filter that blocks light vibrating in one plane, which cuts reflected glare off flat surfaces. Independent of UV; can darken LCD screens.
- Photochromic (V): a lens that darkens in UV light; the V mark on Z87.1 lenses. Covered in the live photochromic guide.
UV, tint and polarization statements by manufacturer, as published on this site
| Manufacturer | UV statement | Marks printed | Polarized lenses offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCR Safety | “Polycarbonate lens filters 99.9% of harmful UV rays”; attribute tables list “Ultraviolet rays 100%” | Z87+ ; CSA Z94.3; CE EN 166; AS/NZS 1337.1 | Dominator DM3 Polarized Fire Mirror and others |
| Radians and Crossfire | “99.9% UV Protection” on the eyewear pages | Z87.1 or Z87.1+ as listed per model | Cobalt, Revelation, Thraxus; Crossfire Core, Sniper, ES4, MP7 |
| UVEX (PIP) | “All lenses provide 99.9% UV protection”; A600 goggle “absorb more than 99.9% of UVA and UVB rays” | Z87.1+; CSA Z94.3 | Not in the UVEX items on this site |
| North (PIP) | Norton 180: “absorbs more than 99.9% of harmful UV light” | Z87.1 | — |
| Bouton Optical (PIP) | Mirror Plus PRO polarized: filters “scattered sunlight from smooth surfaces, like water and snow” | Z87.1+; EN 166, EN 170, EN 172 on some goggles | Site Boss 250-41, Sunburst 250-47, Commander 250-33 polarized gray |
| Portwest | Z87.1+ U6 on every PS and PW lens | EN 166 1 FT (K, N); EN 170 2C-1.2 (clear); EN 172 5-3.1 (smoke) | PW18 Umbra polarized |
| DEWALT (Radians) | 99.9% UV as Radians lists it | Z87.1+ | DPG109 Architect polarized |
Statements are per model; the product page for each item carries its own marks.
Source: Product pages on this site for the named manufacturers, fetched Nov 5–9 2026; wording in quotation marks is the manufacturer’s.
Questions people ask
Do safety glasses protect against UV light?
Yes. The polycarbonate absorbs it. MCR Safety states its lenses filter 99.9 percent of UV, UVEX that all its lenses provide 99.9 percent UV protection, Radians prints 99.9 percent UV protection, and Portwest marks its lenses Z87.1+ U6. Clear lenses block UV as well as tinted ones.
Is UV 400 the same as 100% UV protection?
In practice yes. UV400 means blocking up to 400 nm, which is the whole UVA and UVB range, and sunglass labels call that 100 percent. On a safety lens the same thing is written as U6 or 99.9 percent.
What is the difference between category 2 and category 3 sunglasses in terms of UV protection?
None. The categories (0 to 4) grade how much visible light passes; category 3 is darker than 2. Every category has to block UV, so the number is about brightness and glare, not UV.
Is polarized or UV protection better?
They do different jobs. UV protection stops invisible ultraviolet and is in every polycarbonate safety lens. Polarization cuts reflected glare off water, snow, glass and wet pavement. A polarized Z87 lens has both; a clear Z87 lens has UV protection only.
Why do shooters wear yellow glasses?
Amber and yellow lenses absorb blue light, which raises contrast and makes a target stand out against a gray sky or in haze. The manufacturers list amber as a low-light and indoor tint; it gives no sun protection and the same UV protection as a clear lens.
Why do hunters wear yellow glasses?
Same reason: contrast in flat, low light at dawn and dusk and in cover, where a yellow lens makes the scene look brighter and edges sharper. It is a visible-light effect, not a UV one.
Is it safe to drive at night with yellow glasses?
A tint removes light, and the manufacturers we carry sell amber as a low-light lens rather than a night-driving lens; none of them claims it cuts headlight glare. For night work they list clear.
Are yellow lenses good for your eyes?
For UV, as good as any polycarbonate lens (U6). For contrast in low light, yes by design. No manufacturer we carry claims a health benefit beyond that.
What are sunglasses that darken in the sun called?
Photochromic (“transition”) lenses; on a Z87.1 lens they carry the V mark. The live photochromic guide covers how they work and whether they darken behind glass.
Are Z87 sunglasses polarized?
Only if the lens says so. Z87 is the impact mark; polarization is a separate lens type named in the product (Polarized Smoke, Polarized Fire Mirror, Umbra Polarized, Architect Polarized). Most tinted and mirrored Z87 lenses are not polarized.
Do UV protection glasses actually work?
Yes; UV absorption is a property of the polycarbonate and does not wear off. A U6 or 99.9 percent lens blocks essentially all UVA and UVB.
What is level 3 UV protection on sunglasses?
Usually a mislabel of category 3, the European visible-light scale (dark lens for bright sun). UV blocking is required at every category, so “level 3” is a darkness grade, not a UV grade.
Does welding give off UV, and is a UV lens enough?
A welding arc gives off intense ultraviolet, and a U6 clear lens is not the protection for it: 29 CFR 1910.133(a)(5) requires filter lenses of the shade number for the process (the W mark), worn over or in place of safety glasses. The live welding shade guide has the table.
Do I need eye protection for a UV flashlight?
The lamp manufacturers say not to look into it; a polycarbonate safety lens absorbs the UV it puts out. A shade lens is for arcs and torches, not flashlights.
Does the employer have to pay for tinted safety glasses?
29 CFR 1910.132(h) requires the employer to pay for required PPE; it lists ordinary sunglasses among the items that need not be paid for, so a tinted Z87 lens is paid for when the hazard assessment calls for it, not when it is a preference.
Related guides
Safety glasses lens tints explainedClear, gray, amber, indoor/outdoor, mirror and shadePhotochromic safety glassesHow transition lenses work and the V markAre brand sunglasses Z87 rated?How to tell, and what counts on the jobWhat certification is required on safety glasses?The Z87 mark and the other marks a lens can carryWhat does ANSI Z87.1 mean on safety glasses?Z87 vs Z87+, and how to read the markingsWhat shade lens for MIG, TIG, stick and plasma?The OSHA welding lens shade chartThe ratings, test results and standards shown here are the manufacturers' published values, reproduced as published. Nothing on this page is a recommendation by Bayshore Safety that any product is suitable for a particular task, hazard or workplace. Selecting safety products and protective equipment is the responsibility of the end user and the employer, based on their own hazard assessment and the regulations that apply to their work. Confirm every value on the manufacturer's own documentation before use.