Heading outside to get
some much-needed fresh air? You throw on some sunscreen, put on your sunglasses
and head on outside to soak up the sun. You were careful to buy the best
sunscreen to protect your skin, but did you buy the right sunglasses to protect
your eyes?
While your sunglasses may
be the most fashionable in the neighborhood, they may not be adequately
protecting your eyes.
How
sunlight harms your eyes
Ultraviolet light,
specifically UV-A rays and UV-B rays, can cause various issues in the
eyes.
·
Cataracts: A cataract is
a clouding of the normally clear lens of your eye. While there are many reasons
for a cataract to form in the eye, exposure to ultraviolet light is one of
them. Chronic UV light exposure can cause cataracts to develop sooner than they
normally would.
·
Cancer: Just like how you
can get skin cancer from sunlight, if you don’t
protect your skin, you can get cancer on your eye or eyelid skin from excess
exposure to sunlight.
·
Pterygium: Chronic exposure to
sunlight can also cause abnormal growth of cells onto the cornea. Pterygiums
usually look like a whitish growth onto the cornea that may require surgery to
be removed.
·
Snow blindness: This
is akin to getting a sunburn on the eye. Don’t be fooled by the name — the
condition can occur from UV light bouncing off surfaces like sand, water, ice
and snow.
·
Macular degeneration: There
have been studies linking UV light exposure as one of the risk factors in
developing macular degeneration. It is a progressive disease with no cure that
affects your central vision. To reduce your risk of developing this disease,
protecting your eyes from UV light, eating green leafy vegetables and not
smoking are recommended.
Protecting
your eyes from the sun
If you wear sunglasses
when you’re outdoors, you are already on the right track. However, make sure
your sunglasses have 100% UV protection or are labeled UV400. These sunglasses
protect you from the harmful UV-A and UV-B rays. A wraparound style of
sunglasses also protects your eyes from sunlight that may get to your eyes from
the sides.
Also, wearing a hat in
addition to sunglasses can reduce the amount of sunlight getting to your eyes.
Looking at the sun
directly is never recommended, even if you have UV-protecting sunglasses.
Looking directly at the sun will cause permanent damage to your retina and your
eyesight. If you are trying to view a solar eclipse, you need a very specific
solar filter that meets a standard known as ISO 12312-2.
Don’t forget to protect
your kids’ eyes too. They need sunglasses with UV protection and hats as well
when they are outside in the sun. Set them up for success by instilling healthy
habits now that will protect their eyes for years to come.
So, next time
you head out to soak up some sun, don’t forget to add 100% UV blocking
sunglasses to protect your vision.
More burning questions
about your eye health? Learn more about eye care or find an eye doctor near you.
No comments:
Post a Comment