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The Sun and Its Effects on Your Eyes

 

Sun and UV Eye Damage: Ten Facts

You're probably already well aware of the damage the sun can do to your skin. But what about the damage it can cause your precious eyes?
Open eye vulnerable to damage from UV rays
 
Sunglasses are effective for UV protection
 
Sunblock can protect against eyelid melanoma
 
Applying sunblock to the eyelids for UV protection
 
Drugs that cause eyes to be prone to sun damage
 
Caucasian female at high risk of eye damage from the sun
 
Fact 1 Sunlight is at its most intense between the hours of 10 in the morning to 2 in the afternoon. That means ultraviolet exposure is the most dangerous then.
 
Fact 2 Just like darker skin tones provide more protection against the sun than fairer skin tones, darker eye colours afford slightly more protection against the sun than light-coloured eyes. Still, sunglasses with proper UV protection are important for everyone. Fact 3 The human body has the ability to repair and replace damaged cells. The lens of the eye, though, is an exception and is never replaced. Because of this, symptoms like cataracts can occur as a result of gradually accumulating damage to the proteins of the lens. And this damage is commonly caused by ultraviolet radiation.
 
Fact 4 Excessive exposure to UV rays in your early childhood is particularly harmful to your eyes, possibly only showing up later in life.
 
Fact 5 Reflected light can cause eye burn. At high altitudes, snow-covered mountains, sandy beaches and reflective bodies of water like lakes, rivers and the sea, sun exposure is at its most intense.
 
Fact 6 Those dangerous UV rays can cause pteryguim, a condition when tissue grows on the whites of the eyes, thus blocking proper vision.
 
Fact 7 Skin cancer – also known as melanoma – is caused largely by over-exposure to the sun, and can develop on the eyelids as well as the other parts of the skin.
 
Fact 8 Exposure to UV rays can play a role in the development of age-related macular degeneration. This is when the eye's macular (the centre of the retina) deteriorates.
 
Fact 9 Antibiotics or certain drugs can make your eyes, and even your skin, more photosensitive. This sensitivity to sunlight means your eyes are more prone to sun-related damage.
 
Fact 10 If you're a fair-haired, light-eyed, smoking Caucasian female, you're in the high-risk category for sun damage to the eyes. But really, that doesn't mean that the rest of us have any cause to be complacent.

 
 

 

Eye Protection from Sun Damage: Tips and Advice

 
  • Not all sunglasses are created equal. An effective pair of sunglasses should be able to block out both UVA and UVB rays. While all sunglasses block out UVB radiation, a good pair should also be measured to block out 99% to 100% of UVA rays.
  • Pick large lenses that fit close to the eyes. Even with sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection, sunlight can still reach the eyes through the sides of the sunglasses. Aviator glasses – the ones that wrap all the way around the temples – are the best for keeping out sunlight from the sides.
  • Expensive designer sunglasses or polarizing lenses are not necessarily guaranteed to be effective against the harmful rays of the sun.
  • Ordinary sunglasses – the kind without certified UVA/UVB protection – can cause more damage to the eyes than not. This is because the dark lenses cause the pupils of the eyes to dilate, letting in more UVA rays that will damage the retina and lens of the eyes.
  • Even children need to wear sunglasses – and not toy sunglasses! Like your skin, most of the sun damage to your eyes is accrued in a person's early developmental years. So sun protection is vital for young people.
  • On particularly hot days, or when you're vacationing at the beach, wear a hat with a wide brim to block out sunlight from overhead.
  • Nutrition is vital for the health of your eyes. There is growing evidence that Lutein, a carotenoid that functions as an antioxidant for the protection of cells, is deposited in the areas of the body that are most prone to free radical damage. This includes the macula (the part of the eye that enables accurate vision), and helps prevent harmful blue light from reaching – and thus causing damage – to the sensitive back tissue of the retina. In other words, Lutein almost functions as natural sunglasses!!!
 
† UV-blocking contact lenses help provide protection against harmful UV radiation. However, clinical studies have not been done to demonstrate that wearing UV-blocking contact lenses reduces the risk of developing cataracts or other eye disorders. Long-term exposure to UV radiation is one of the risk factors associated with cataracts. Exposure is based on a number of factors such as environmental conditions (altitude, geography, cloud cover) and personal factors (extent and nature of outdoor activities). Consult your eye care practitioner for more information.
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