Importance of UV Protection

It is important to protect your eyes from UV radiation from the sun, whether it is cloudy or sunny. UV rays are invisible to the naked eye. But out of sight should not mean out of mind when it comes to protecting your eyes.

 

UV exposure can harm your eyes’ health. Thus, investing in UV protection is important in ensuring eye health. In addition to damaging your eyes, solar radiation can also affect your skin in several ways. These include causing premature skin aging, wrinkling, burning, and even skin cancer.

 

Is UV Eye Protection Important?

The short answer to this question is yes. In addition to damaging the skin of your eyelids, solar radiation can also damage your lens, corneas, and other parts of your eye. It can also contribute to the development of growths in your eyes, cataracts, and perhaps macular degeneration.

 

Choosing the Right Sunglasses for UV Protection

It is important to protect your eyes using sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays. They should have lenses matched perfectly in color and free of any imperfections and distortions. Also, the best sunglasses should screen out between 75 percent and 90 percent of visible light.

 

That being said, it is important to understand that the degree of darkness and color of your sunglasses’ lenses have very little to do with their ability to block ultraviolet rays. If in doubt, go for closefitting or wraparound sunglasses with wide lenses that protect your eyes from every angle.

 

Why It Is Important to Invest in UV Eye Protection

Ultraviolet rays pose a serious risk to your eyes. Most people know that solar radiation can harm their eyes. But did you know that some artificial sources can expose your eyes to ultraviolet radiation? This is why it is important to take daily precautions to protect your eyes against the effects of overexposure to UV radiation.

 

One Day of Overexposure Can Still Do Damage

If you expose your eyes to a short period of excessive amounts of ultraviolet radiation, you will likely experience a condition known as photokeratitis. Essentially, this is like sunburn of your eyes.

 

Symptoms include extreme sensitivity to light, gritty feeling in your eyes, red eyes, and excessive tearing. These symptoms, fortunately, are temporary. They rarely cause permanent eye damage.

 

Prolonged Overexposure

The longer you expose your eyes to UV radiation, however, the greater your risk of developing serious eye conditions. These include surfer’s eye, cataracts, macular degeneration, or even eye cancer.

 

Unfortunately, experts are yet to determine how much exposure to UV rays will cause eye damage. Thus, you need to protect your eyes from both natural and artificial sources of UV light.

 

As part of your regular comprehensive eye exams, you should consult your eye doctor about any outdoor and indoor UV exposure risks. They will assess your level of exposure and recommend the ideal protection measures for your individual needs. Your eyesight is one of your most important senses. Hence, you need to learn how to protect your eyes from UV radiation.


 

To learn more about the importance of UV protection, visit Blue Hills Eye Associates at our office in Braintree, Massachusetts. You can call (781) 794-2200 today to schedule an appointment.