Sun Exposure can Increase the Risk of Developing Eye Disorders

Most people know that sun exposure can lead to skin cancer, wrinkles, and premature aging; however, few people know it can also cause cataracts and macular degeneration. As far back as ten years ago, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that even low amounts of sunlight increase the risk of developing eye disorders.

Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is composed of high-energy rays, and recent studies have shown that prolonged exposure to these invisible rays (“sunburn rays”) without protection may cause eye conditions that can lead to vision loss such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

It is important to protect your eyes from sunlight damage at all times because a single outing on a very bright day can inflict damage. Intense, excessive exposure to ultraviolet light reflected off sand, snow or pavement could damage the eye’s surface. Similar to sunburns, eye surface burns usually disappear in a couple of days, but the damage may lead to complications later in life.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology offers these tips to protect your eyes from the sun:

• Select sunglasses that block UV rays. The ability to block UV light is not dependent on the color or darkness of the lenses, nor the cost.
• Look for 97-100% UV protection and make sure your sunglasses block 97 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B rays.
• Purchase sunglasses that wrap around your temples if you spend time on the water or in the snow to better block the sun’s rays.
• Wear a wide-brimmed hat in addition to your sunglasses to protect your eyes.
• Wear sunglasses even if your contact lenses have UV protection. The UV protection in contacts is not enough to protect your eyes.
• Wear sunglasses on gray, hazy or cloudy days. Damaging sun rays can pass through haze and thin clouds at anytime of the year.
• Avoid peak sun times from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and avoid higher altitudes where UV light is more intense.