Always consult your Laser Safety Officer (LSO) or another qualified laser safety professional when selecting laser safety eyewear. Required wavelength protection and optical density (OD) depend on the specific laser and reasonably foreseeable worst-case exposure conditions. Always verify the specifications of your particular system before selecting protection.
If you are selecting laser safety eyewear for a Keyence MD-X1020C, first verify the operating wavelength and other laser specifications for your specific system.
If your system operates at 1064 nm, the selected eyewear must provide appropriate protection at 1064 nm.
However, knowing the wavelength—or simply knowing that the laser is Class 4—does not by itself determine the required optical density.
Don't Confuse the Operating Beam With Aiming or Distance Lasers
Some laser systems may incorporate separate aiming, guide, or distance-measuring lasers in addition to the primary operating laser.
These beams can operate at different wavelengths and power levels from the primary processing beam. When reviewing the specifications of your Keyence system, make sure you understand which listed wavelength corresponds to the operating beam and which wavelengths correspond to auxiliary beams.
For more information, see Operating Beam vs. Aiming Beam: What's the Difference?.
Determine the Required OD Through the Laser Hazard Evaluation
The required optical density should be determined as part of the laser hazard evaluation based on the actual laser system, task, and reasonably foreseeable worst-case exposure conditions. As part of the laser hazard evaluation, you may find the LIA Optical Density Calculator helpful for evaluating optical density requirements.
This is different from the laser's classification.
A laser classification describes the laser or laser product according to its potential hazard and accessible emission under specified conditions.
A laser hazard evaluation considers the actual application and exposure conditions to determine what safety controls and PPE are appropriate.
For a more detailed explanation, see:
Watch: Laser Classification vs. Hazard Evaluation
What If I Already Know I Need OD 6+ at 1064 nm?
If your Laser Safety Officer, hazard evaluation, or other appropriate determination has established a requirement of:
OD 6+ @ 1064 nm
then selecting eyewear becomes more straightforward. For more information on How to Read Optical Density or how to read the notation in this video:
Compare that requirement directly against the eyewear manufacturer's published OD specifications.
The selected eyewear should provide at least OD 6 at 1064 nm.
For a more detailed explanation of selecting eyewear in this wavelength range, see:
The Bottom Line
For a Keyence MD-X1020C, don't select laser safety eyewear based solely on the model number, Class 4 classification, or wavelength.
Verify the specifications of your particular system and perform an appropriate laser hazard evaluation to determine the required protection.
If that evaluation establishes a requirement of OD 6+ at 1064 nm, select eyewear whose published specifications provide at least OD 6 at 1064 nm.