Summer is here and we are spending more time enjoying the bright sunshine. It is a perfect time to highlight and educate people on protecting their eyes and skin from the harmful effects of the sun.
Both UV-A and UV-B, which are emitted from the sun, can be harmful to your eyes and skin. UV-A rays affect the dermis of the skin, leaving effects like sunburn, wrinkles, and some skin cancers. UV-B affects the cells in the top layer of the skin, effects are sunburn, blistering, skin cancer, and contribution to premature aging.
It is important to protect your skin. Using the right amount of sunscreen, covering up with a hat or protective clothing, and staying in the shade during midday when the suns glare is most intense can help keep your skin healthy.
In the summertime especially, UV rays reflect from surfaces such as water, sand, and gravel. People who hike, or work at higher altitudes of 2000 meters or more, are exposed to a UV index that is twice as strong than at sea level.
Exposer from the sun can cause changes in the cornea of the eye, called ultraviolet keratitis. Obstructions like redness, fogging and degeneration of the point of the clearest vision can occur when your eyes are exposed to direct sunlight. If you have long-term exposure to direct sunlight, it can even lead to vision loss.
Protecting your eyes is simple, and the best way to prevent any pain or loss of vision when enjoying a summers day is by wearing a hat, using contact lenses with UV filters, eye drops, or sunglasses. It is recommended to choose sunglasses that offer optimal protection, with larger lenses and rounded sizes. Sunglasses that are 99-100% protected from UV-A and UV-B radiation are ideal for year-round protection from the sun.
Stay safe, have fun, and make sure to protect your eyes during the hot summer months!