The eyes are among the most sensitive and vulnerable organs in the body. Even small doses of scattered radiation, repeated over time, can lead to cumulative damage. Cataracts and other vision-related problems have been documented among healthcare professionals who work regularly with imaging systems. Similarly, laser procedures pose risks of retinal damage and other irreversible injuries if the eyes are left unprotected. Despite this, eyewear is sometimes treated as optional, rather than as an essential part of everyday PPE.

Why Eye Protection Matters

When working around X-ray or laser equipment, much of the exposure comes not from direct beams but from scatter low-level radiation or reflected laser energy that travels unpredictably through the procedure room. These invisible risks accumulate over years, quietly affecting those who stand closest to the patient or equipment.

The consequences are not immediate, but they are very real. Radiation-induced cataracts can develop gradually, clouding vision and impacting a clinician’s ability to work safely. For laser users, unprotected eyes can suffer burns or permanent retinal injury within fractions of a second. The science is clear: consistent use of certified protective eyewear dramatically reduces these risks and should be treated as a core part of occupational safety.

Setting a New Standard with HSL and SFX-Ray

Hospital Services Limited (HSL), in partnership with SFX-Ray, is proud to champion greater awareness around eye protection. Together, we offer one of the most comprehensive ranges of radiation and laser/radiation glasses available today all CE-Certified and built to meet strict EU regulatory standards.

Our glasses feature Schott SF-6 HT lenses, widely recognised as the gold standard in radiation protection. These lenses offer 0.75 mm Pb lead equivalence, providing excellent attenuation without compromising optical clarity. For frames with built-in side shields, you’ll find 0.50 mm Pb protection as standard, ensuring complete coverage against scatter.

We understand that protection is only effective if people actually wear it. That’s why our range combines performance with comfort and choice. From lightweight, economical models to premium brands with refined designs, our selection includes a variety of frame shapes, sizes, and colours. Every wearer can find a pair that fits well, feels comfortable for long procedures, and performs to the highest standard.

Embedding Eye Awareness into Everyday Practice

Introducing eye protection into your workflow shouldn’t be a challenge it should be a natural extension of good practice. Raising awareness among clinical teams is key. Everyone who works around radiation or laser sources should understand the potential for eye exposure and the importance of proper eyewear. Making radiation glasses part of standard PPE checklists helps reinforce this habit, ensuring staff treat them as essential rather than optional.

Regular fit testing, maintenance, and replacement of protective glasses should also form part of your safety culture. Well-fitted eyewear not only improves protection but also boosts compliance, as comfort and visibility directly influence whether staff choose to wear them consistently.

A Practical Commitment to Eye Safety

At HSL, our goal is straightforward: to help healthcare professionals work safely and confidently. In partnership with SFX-Ray, we supply high-quality, CE-certified radiation and laser glasses built for reliability, comfort, and compliance. With Schott SF-6 HT lenses, 0.75 mm Pb lead protection, and a broad choice of frames and price points, our range ensures there’s an effective solution for every user and environment.

Protecting your eyes is not optional — it’s a critical part of professional safety practice. By standardising the use of certified eyewear, healthcare organisations can significantly reduce exposure risks, meet regulatory requirements, and protect the long-term wellbeing of their staff.

View our full range of radiation and laser glasses HSL Radiation Glasses Brochure and explore our complete selection of radiation protection garments to ensure comprehensive safety for every procedure HSL Radiation Protection Brochure

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Whereas traditional microkeratome laser procedures use a blade to cut a flap into the cornea and allow lasers to reshape and correct the patient’s vision, the Ziemer femtosecond laser installed at UPMC Kildare Hospital offers a bladeless alternative. Using very short pulses of energy, the Ziemer laser creates tiny gas bubbles that employ the same entry incisions as the microkeratome laser procedure, without using a blade. The Ziemer laser results in clearer vision and no increase in visual complaints observed in the eyes after corneal refractive surgery, compared to the more common microkeratome procedure.

The technology will allow patients to avail of a more comfortable, individually tailored eye health experience by precisely pinpointing the locations at which it will separate the eye tissues, ensuring a custom procedure perfectly designed for each patient. To ensure the best possible surgical results, advanced patient interfaces for both cataract and corneal surgery have been developed especially for the Ziemer laser. The patient interfaces are one-piece devices with hydrogel contact lenses that are positioned within the laser to prevent corneal folds that can interfere with the introduction of the laser energy into the eye.

The highly flexible and intuitive articulated arm and the laser’s unique architecture enable for seamless integration into an ophthalmologist’s established surgical workflow. The unique design enables patients to stay in one place throughout the duration of their procedure, ensuring the highest degree of comfort for the surgeon and the patient as well as a sterile and more efficient procedure. The specially-designed laser delivers a gentler surgery as it uses very low energy, is ultrafast and is highly accurate. Patients will be left with minimal wound healing reactions and no damage to cells.

Innovation is one of HSL’s core values and ensuring patient care is the company’s main priority. This technological solution provided by HSL will help contribute to a better outcome for the large number of patients who undergo laser eye surgery each year at UPMC Kildare Hospital, resulting in superior eye health throughout Ireland.

Commenting on UPMC’s new Ziemer laser, HSL CEO Dominic Walsh said,

“We are delighted to introduce Ireland’s first Ziemer FEMTO LDV Z8 ophthalmic laser to UPMC Kildare Hospital. The only hospital on the island of Ireland to currently have access to this world-class technology, UPMC Kildare Hospital is now leading the way for eye health in Ireland. The mobile laser will ensure optimum surgical results and patient comfort, which is vital for outstanding patient care. We are looking forward to seeing the great work that comes out of the ophthalmology department over the coming months and continuing to support the team in the roll out of this fantastic technology.”

It is the Ziemer laser’s versatility that allows ophthalmologists’ demands to be met through one innovative technology. It can be used during refractive laser eye surgery, laser cataract surgery, therapeutic procedures and for surgical planning by OCT imaging.

“To have Ireland’s first Ziemer FEMTO LDV Z8 ophthalmic laser installed within UPMC Kildare Hospital is momentous for us,”

Said Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon Prof Michael O’Keefe.

“We are extremely thankful to the team at HSL for working with us over an eight-week period to install the technology and train our team on how to use the laser most efficiently and precisely. It is a huge privilege to be the first in Ireland to use the Ziemer Z8 model during vital eye surgeries, whilst being able to provide our patients with a more comfortable procedure that offers a higher chance of success.”

The Ziemer Z8 model has also been built with Lenticule Application – Corneal Lenticule Extraction for Advanced Refractive Correction (CLEAR) which is a newly developed and proprietary application intended for the treatment of Myopia (short-sightedness) and Astigmatism (uneven light focus causing blurriness). One of the key advantages of CLEAR is that cornea incisions can be crafted and positioned with a high degree of precision, thereby greatly improving the predictability, effectiveness and stability of such intricate procedures.

The mobile Ziemer FEMTO LDV Z8 model is unique, offering the highest repetition rate of any femtosecond laser. The model features overlapping laser spots that result in, complete resections free of tissue bridges, smooth stromal beds, high precision and predictability and capsule edges that are hard to distinguish from edges seen in conventional surgery.

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Representing an investment of €450,000, the former St Francis Private Hospital acquired and renamed by Charter Medical Group on 1st November, has teamed up with HSL to ensure their endoscopy suite features the latest endoscopy technology to identify and diagnose abnormal tissue growth within the body using both video gastro and colonoscopes.

Achieving optimal diagnostic and therapeutic results in endoscopic procedures is highly dependent on image quality. CMPH’s new Fujifilm ELUXEO endoscopic system’s high-intensity illumination creates high-quality images with White Light Imaging and the observation modes LCI (Linked Colour Imaging) and BLI (Blue Light Imaging). These light modes provide superior image quality and help to gather optimal visual information for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in daily clinical practice.

Innovation is one of HSL’s core values and ensuring customer and patient care is the company’s main priority. This technological solution provided by HSL will help contribute to a better outcome for many patients affected by colon or gastro related concerns and illnesses throughout Ireland.

Commenting on CMPH’s new endoscopy system, HSL CEO Dominic Walsh said,

We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to partner with Charter Medical Private Hospital to install this world-class Fujifilm ELUXEO system. The highly advanced technology surpasses that of any of its counter parts in aiding abnormal lesion detection and diagnosis. CMPH’s ELUXEO system is also complete with Ireland’s first CAD EYE AI technology, meaning the endoscopy suite is like none other in the country. We are very much looking forward to see the great work that comes out of this endoscopy suite over the coming months, resulting in more patients availing of vital early diagnosis and more lives being saved.”

In addition to its ELUXEO 700 series scopes, the Fujifilm endoscopy system at the Mullingar hospital is also home to CAD EYE artificial intelligence technology. The CAD EYE system has been developed utilising AI deep learning technology and is compatible with Fujifilm’s ELUXEO endoscopy series to support endoscopic lesion detection and characterisation in the colon.

CAD EYE is aimed at improving the real time polyp detection rate, helping to recognise flat lesions and multiple polyps simultaneously, as well as any lesions at the corner of the image. Once a suspected polyp is detected by CAD EYE detection, this ground-breaking technology becomes a real-time support system for healthcare professionals acting as a second pair of eyes to accurately detect and characterise colonic polyps as cancerous or non-cancerous (hyperplastic or neoplastic).

“We are extremely happy with our new Fujifilm ELUXEO system, made possible for CMPH by HSL”

said Thomas Byrne Executive Chairman of Charter Medical Private Hospital.

“As part of Charter Medical Group’s approach in developing the treatments available to patients from CMPH, we have commenced a capital investment programme, which has begun with the installation of the Fujifilm ELUXEO endoscopy system. To have Ireland’s first CAD EYE AI system installed within our suite is a huge privilege and the ability to initiate real-time analysis of lesions and polyps is a tremendous step forward for endoscopy treatment within Ireland.”

A common concern amongst many endoscopy patients is the unpleasant nature of the procedure. However, Fujifilm’s development of the interface has been designed to enable a more comfortable experience for the patient. CAD EYE does not interfere with clinical images and minimises required eye movement. Its display is designed to be simple and intuitive for excellent support during long hours in the examination room. CAD EYE’s user friendly interface was also awarded a Good Design Award in 2019.

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