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UV
Rays May Take A Toll On Your Eyes
(HealthScout)
-- As summer approaches, it's hard to make a move without hearing
warnings about skin cancer and covering up your skin. But experts
say the ever-increasing ultraviolet (UV) rays you are subjected
to can also take a toll on your eyes.
Just as skin
cancer usually takes years of sun exposure to develop, long-term
exposure to the sun can cause such potentially blinding conditions
as cataracts and macular degeneration.
To warn the
public of the importance of shielding the eyes from UV rays, the
American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has designated May as
UV Safety Month.
Perhaps the
most important thing to remember when getting sunglasses is to
make sure they offer UV protection, says Dr. John B. Jeffers,
director of emergency services and resident education at Wills
Eye Hospital in Philadelphia.
Sunglasses
without such protection can even be harmful, he says.
"The public
often thinks the darker the sunglasses the better. But if the
dark lenses don't have a UV filter, what happens is the eye's
pupil dilates because you've got the shading over your eyes, but
the UV rays go right through and your eye is even more exposed,"
he adds.
And while
sunglasses may look a little awkward on children, they are the
ones who may need the protection most.
"One of the
big problems about sun exposure in childhood is [children] have
a long time to manifest the adverse effects," explains Dr. Katherine
Shea, adjunct assistant professor in community and family medicine
at Duke University.
"In general,
any environmental exposure has a longer time to rear its ugly
head."
But whether
you're buying for kids or adults, sunglasses don't have to be
expensive to do the trick, says Jeffers.
"When you're
picking out sunglasses, you just want to make sure they are labeled
as having 99 to 100 percent UV-A and UV-B protection, and any
inexpensive drugstore glasses can usually offer that. You don't
need the expensive ones to get protection," he says.
The AAO offers
the following additional tips to protect your eyes -- and those
of your children -- from the sun:
- If you
spend time on the water, consider getting wrap-around sunglasses
that offer better protection.
- Both adults
and children should wear sunglasses and hats. Try to
keep kids out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the
sun's ultraviolet rays are strongest.
- Generally,
UV rays are most intense at midday. But you need to protect
your eyes whenever you're outside for a prolonged period, even
when it's overcast.
- Reflected
sunlight -- light that bounces off water or even snow, for example
-- can be the most dangerous type of UV light because it is
intensified.
- Wear sunscreen,
but be careful not to get it in your eyes. Flush with clean
water or an eyewash if you do. Never use sunscreen on infants
younger than 6 months old; it can irritate their skin. But don't
fall victim to the popular myth that sunscreen can blind small
children if it gets in their eyes. It's just that -- a myth.
- Your eyes
can feel the effects of just a single day in the sun. Similar
to a sunburn on your skin, eye-surface burns can be painful,
but they are usually temporary.
- Your eyes
can be harmed by UV light sources other than the sun, such as
welding lamps or tanning booths. Always wear eye protection
when using a welding arc, or a tanning booth.
Visit
Lighthouse International for more information on protecting
your eyes from the sun.
Reference
Source 101
For more information on how to prevent other diseases, use
PreventDisease.com's "Quick
Prevention Resources".
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