Z87+ vs regular sunglasses

Same sun.
Different job.

Regular sunglasses cut glare. Z87+ eyewear is tested for workplace impact hazards. Here is how to tell which pair belongs on your face.

See Z87+ frames Compare the standards
On the clock Z87+ Heat Wave Vise Z87 safety glasses Heat Wave Vise Off duty SUN Heat Wave Nimitz regular sunglasses Heat Wave Nimitz

The five-second rule

If something can fly at your eyes, look for Z87+.

Glare only
Regular sunglasses can be the right tool.

Impact hazard
Choose eyewear marked Z87+.

Splash or severe hazard
Use task-specific eye and face protection.

You do not have to choose. Tinted Z87+ sunglasses can cut glare and carry a workplace impact rating. See tinted Z87+ frames

Side by side

They can look similar.
The job description is not.

What changes
Z87+ Safety eyewear
SUN Regular sunglasses
Built to handle
Workplace impact hazards, when marked for the required protection.
Sunlight and glare in everyday use.
The mark to find
Z87+ on the frame or lens for high-impact protection.
Brand and lens markings vary. No Z87 mark means it is not occupational safety eyewear.
Impact requirement
High mass: a pointed 500 g projectile dropped from 127 cm (50 in). High velocity: a 0.25 in steel ball at roughly 150 ft/s.
FDA drop ball: a 5/8 in steel ball weighing about 0.56 oz dropped from 50 in. This is not a workplace impact rating.
Side protection
Required when the hazard comes from the side. This may be built in or added.
May wrap around, but appearance alone does not prove a safety rating.
Best fit
Bay work, construction, cutting, grinding, and other tasks identified by a hazard assessment.
Driving, weekends, fishing, and ordinary sun exposure without a workplace impact hazard.

Read the frame

The tiny mark carries the whole story.

Do not judge safety eyewear by how tough it looks. Check the frame or lens for the manufacturer mark and the protection code.

Z87
Basic impact protection under the standard.
Z87+
High-impact protection under the standard.

ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2025 is the current edition of the voluntary consensus standard. OSHA rules identify accepted editions and also allow protection shown to be at least as effective.

LOOK INSIDE THE TEMPLE Z87+ The plus sign is the high-impact clue.

Not the same test

Impact resistant is not the same as impact rated.

The FDA lens rule and the Z87.1 occupational standard answer different questions. One is a baseline lens requirement. The other is a system of tests and markings for workplace hazards.

01

Regular lens rule

FDA regulations generally require a finished lens to survive a 5/8 inch steel ball, weighing about 0.56 ounce, dropped from 50 inches. That baseline shatter-resistance test is not an occupational impact rating.

0.625 in ball / 50 in drop
02

Z87.1 high impact

High-mass testing drops a pointed 500 g projectile from 127 cm (50 inches). High-velocity testing fires a 0.25 inch steel ball at roughly 150 feet per second. The lens must not fracture or leave the frame.

500 g / 127 cm + 0.25 in / 150 ft/s

Pick the situation

What belongs on your face?

Start with the hazard, not the style. Choose a situation for the quick read.

Quick read SUN

Driving

Regular sunglasses are the right tool when the job is glare, not flying debris.

Shop everyday sunglasses

Rated sun protection

You do not have to choose.

Tinted Z87+ sunglasses can handle bright sun and workplace impact requirements. Find your fit, then see it on your face.

Use the Z87 Frame Finder Try frames on live
Z87+

Heat Wave Vise

Rated protection with a frame you will still want to wear.

Shop safety eyewear
Heat Wave Vise Z87 safety glasses
SUN

Heat Wave Nimitz

Everyday sun protection and a lens made for life outside the bay.

Shop regular sunglasses
Heat Wave Nimitz regular sunglasses

Quick answers

The questions people actually ask.

What does Z87+ mean?

Z87+ marks eyewear that passed the high-impact requirements of the ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 occupational eye-protection standard.

What impact tests must Z87+ eyewear pass?

High-mass testing uses a pointed 500 g projectile dropped from 127 cm. High-velocity testing uses a 0.25 inch steel ball at roughly 150 feet per second.

Are regular sunglasses Z87 rated?

Not unless the specific frame and lens carry the required Z87 marking. Consumer impact resistance under the FDA lens rule is not an occupational impact rating.

Can sunglasses be both tinted and Z87+?

Yes. Tinted Z87+ sunglasses can reduce glare and provide the impact rating marked on the frame and lens. You do not have to choose between the two.

Sources

The short version is simple. The standard is not.

01 OSHA eye and face protection 02 FDA impact-resistant lens rule 03 ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2025 standard 04 ISEA 2025 update overview

ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2025, American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Personal Eye and Face Protection Devices. U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 29 CFR 1910.133, Eye and face protection. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 21 CFR 801.410, Use of impact-resistant lenses in eyeglasses and sunglasses.

This guide is general information, not a substitute for a workplace hazard assessment, employer rules, or task-specific PPE instructions.