Known for carrying out secret missions behind enemy lines, defeating enemies against impossible odds, and keeping seas safe from piracy, the Navy Seals exist as a legendary and highly trained group of soldiers. They must think fast and always be ready for anything.
Elite Fighters Require Elite Eyewear
Because of their highly specialized and dangerous training and missions, Navy Seals require the highest quality gear that holds up under intense situations. Nowhere is this truer than with their eyewear. From blowing dust and debris to highly variable lighting conditions, eyewear worn by Navy Seals must meet the highest standards of protection, comfort, and visibility.
A Navy Seals’ eyewear must first protect the eyes from the sun’s harmful rays since Seals spend lots of time outdoors. Also, many situations involve dusty and windy conditions, so complete protection on the sides, top and bottom are essential. Also, the threat of airborne ballistic projectiles is very real for a Navy Seal, so eyewear should meet the highest standards for impact.
Eyewear worn by a Navy Seal should also be comfortable since distraction can mean the difference between life and death. Likewise, consistent visibility, even in varying light conditions, is essential for successful missions.
Current Navy Seal Eyewear
Navy Seal eyewear must meet all of the above needs. The current top choices include the Wiley X Saint Sunglasses and the ESS Flight Deck Military Goggles.
- The Wiley X Saint provides excellent protection and excellent visibility. It’s also ergonomic, which means good protection from wind and debris. In addition, the shatterproof and distortion-free lenses meet both ANSI Z87.1 and MIL-PRF-31013 ballistic standards.
- The ESS Flight Deck Military Goggles are designed for all-day use with cranial-style helmets. The Flight Deck Goggles include two high-impact lenses, clear and smoke gray, and fit over most prescription eyewear. Also, they feature ESS ClearZone anti-fog and anti-scratch lens coatings and protect from the worst of dust and wind conditions.
Bradley Cooper is wearing Wiley X Saint sunglasses in the American Sniper movie.
And it goes without saying that the Wiley X Saint and the ESS Flight Deck meet ANSI Z87.1-2015, CE, and MIL-PRF-31013 Ballistic (U.S. Military Eye Protection Standard) standards. Both also provide 100% UVA/UVB protection.
While the Saint and ESS provide the best protection currently available, let’s look to the future of what protection will be to meet the unique needs of the Navy Seals. Enter the Fast-Tint Protective Eyewear (FTPE).
The Future of Navy Seal Eye Protection
While not currently available for consumer purchase, FTPE looks to revolutionize military eyewear. Not only do they provide 100% protection from the sun’s harmful rays, FTPE lenses “rapidly transition between clear for indoors, blue or amber for low light, dusk and dark gray for daytime use.”
That’s right, a single lens is suitable for every lighting situation. Moreover, a single lens is adaptable to the desert, woodland, urban and mountainous terrains, and hot and cold weather environments.
The Office of Naval Research and Science and Technology reports that TechSolutions developed the lenses at the request of a retired Navy Seal. And the difference these lenses can make is significant.
“The technology increases mission efficiency and warfighters’ readiness level because they no longer need to stop, remove, and replace lenses to accommodate different light levels. FTPE decreases warfighters’ risk of eye injury by enabling them to keep protective eyewear on since lenses transition automatically in less than .5 seconds based on ambient conditions or by a manual switch, allowing warfighters to select a specified state regardless of environment.”
The current state of eye protection for the U.S. Navy Seals already sets a tremendously high standard and allows special forces to stay protected and to do their jobs with excellence. The future of eye protection with FTPE lenses looks to be an even higher standard, once again allowing the Navy Seals to set the pace for excellence in every way.
