A Monte Carlo simulation study on the evaluation of radiation protection properties of spectacle lens materials

The eye lens has been known a radiosensitive tissue. Radiation exposure can cause opacities, cataracts and vision loss. The sensitivity of the eyes to ionizing radiation has attracted attention in the last decade. ICRP announced that equivalent dose limit of eye lens has dropped in recent years. Therefore, spectacle lens selection is becoming increasingly important. In this study, the radiation protection properties of spectacle lens (CR-39, Polycarbonate and Trivex) materials were investigated using the MCNP-6.2 Monte Carlo code and SRIM software. The suitability of the results obtained with MCNP-6.2 Monte Carlo code was provided by comparing the theoretical results obtained from the WinXCOM program. The results showed that the CR-39 spectacle lens had minimum half-value layer, tenth value layer and mean free path values. In addition to the photon protection properties of spectacle lens materials, proton (H(1)) and alpha (He(+2)) radiation protection properties were also investigated. Mass stopping power and projected range (PR) values for proton and alpha particles were calculated using SRIM code in the energy range of 0.01–10 MeV. As a result of the research, it was seen that the CR-39 lens had minimum PR values.