Dangers of UV Rays

We all know that too much exposure of UV rays can increase the risk of skin cancer. But are you aware that too much exposure of UV rays also lead to the increased risk of potential eye damage? UV rays aren’t only from the sun; but also come from tanning beds, mercury vapor lighting, halogen, fluorescent, and incandescent lights, phototherapy, lasers, UV lamps, UV light sanitizers, and blue or high-energy visible light.

Here are some potential issues caused by harmful UV rays.

Cataracts
Occurs when there is clouding on the eye’s natural lens which feels like looking through frosty or foggy lenses. It is caused by proteins in the eye forming clumps which prevents them from sending clear images to the retina, which is responsible for the conversion of light into neural signals sent to the brain for visual recognition.

Pterygium
When a non-cancerous growth of a pinkish, triangular tissue forms on the conjunctiva, the clear tissue that lines the insides of eyelids and covers the whites of the eye.

Photokeratitis
Also known as corneal sunburn, occurs when we spend long hours at the beach without proper eye protection which leads to the swelling or inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva. Another factor that increases the risk of Photokeratitis is from artificial sources such as the electric arc during welding.
Macular degeneration

When retinal tissue damage occurs. Macula is responsible for the central vision and its loss results to blurred or blank spaces in vision.

Now that we know the dangers of UV light, we must make sure to wear the proper eye protection that can provide us with the daily protection we need against UV light. Let us not wait that we experience symptoms of increased risk of eye damage, because remember, these conditions usually progress slowly, thus the best time to start protecting our eyes is now. Here at Accent Eyes our eye care specialists will recommend treatments for your specific condition!