Can OD5 laser safety glasses protect against 10600nm CO₂ lasers?

In today's world of widespread laser technology, laser safety glasses, which protect the eyes, are becoming increasingly well-known. Because laser safety glasses have many parameters (including protection wavelength range, OD value, LB value, etc.), many laser operators or personnel new to laser equipment often ask a crucial question when choosing laser safety glasses: Can OD5 laser safety glasses protect against 10600nm CO₂ lasers? Simply put: the OD5 value alone is insufficient to determine the protective effect. This is because whether OD5 glasses can protect against 10600nm CO₂ lasers primarily depends on their wavelength coverage range, not just the OD value itself.

What does OD5 mean in laser safety glasses?

OD stands for Optical Density, which indicates the degree of attenuation of laser energy by the laser safety glasses:

OD5 = 10⁵ attenuation value

This means that the laser energy is attenuated to one hundred thousandth of its original intensity.

OD5 represents the attenuation intensity of the laser safety glasses against the laser, but it does not specify which wavelength is being attenuated. The OD value does not contain wavelength information and is meaningless for laser protection.

Understanding 10600nm CO₂ Lasers

CO₂ lasers operate at a wavelength of 10.6 micrometers (10600nm), which belongs to the far-infrared band.

Main characteristics of CO₂ lasers:

①High thermal energy

②Commonly used in laser cutting, engraving, welding, and medical applications

③Main hazard: corneal burns, not retinal damage

④Even scattered or reflected beams are extremely dangerous

Therefore, CO₂ laser protection requires the use of special infrared absorbing materials. Our LP-CHP laser safety glasses for CO₂ laser protection from LaserPair use special materials that absorb far-infrared lasers.

Can OD5 laser glasses protect against 10600nm CO₂ lasers? 

① Yes — Only if the glasses are clearly marked as suitable for the 10600nm wavelength and OD5 is sufficient for the operating power of the CO2 laser.

OD5 laser safety glasses can only protect against CO₂ lasers under the following conditions:

The lenses are clearly marked with "10600nm OD5" or "CO₂ Laser OD5," or the laser safety glasses' lenses indicate a protection range covering 10600nm CO2 laser, and the protection level is OD5 or higher, such as our LP-CHP laser safety glasses from LaserPair, which are clearly marked with a protection range and protection level of 9000 - 11000nm OD 6+.

The product datasheet confirms its protection wavelength is 10.6 μm.

The glasses comply with recognized laser safety standards (EN 207, ANSI Z136, GB 30863).

② No — If OD5 is intended for other wavelengths.

Many OD5 laser safety glasses are designed for use with 1064nm fiber lasers, 808nm semiconductor lasers, etc. These glasses cannot protect against 10600nm CO₂ lasers.

Therefore, the OD5 value at 1064nm wavelength ≠ the OD5 value at 10600nm wavelength.

Why can't OD5 glasses usually withstand carbon dioxide lasers?

A common misconception is that a higher OD value means a wider protection range. This is incorrect. Reasons why standard OD5 glasses fail:

① The lens material does not absorb far-infrared radiation.

② CO2 lasers require thick lenses specifically designed for infrared radiation.

③ Some polymer lenses may be damaged or melted by CO2 laser energy.

④ Wavelength mismatch = zero protection.

How to identify suitable CO2 laser safety glasses:

When choosing glasses for a 10600nm CO2 laser, check for:

① Clear wavelength marking: "10600nm" or "9.3–10.6 μm"

② Optical density rating at that wavelength (OD5, OD6, OD7+, depending on power)

③ Compliance with safety certification standards, such as: EN 207, ANSI Z136, GB 30863

If the wavelength is not listed, assume it is not protected.

Conclusion: Can OD5 protect against 10600nm CO2 lasers?

OD5 laser safety glasses can only protect against 10600nm CO2 lasers if they are specifically designed and certified for that wavelength. The OD value alone is not sufficient to indicate protection against 10600nm CO2 lasers. If the protection range of the laser safety glasses does not match the laser wavelength being used, there is effectively no protection.