UV Awareness Month

Spring is finally here, with summer riding hot on its heels. Warmer temperatures mean more time outside in the sun! A little sun is O.K. every now and then, but if you are like many warm-weather-lovers who take every available opportunity to venture outside, make sure you take a few precautions (while still indoors) for these upcoming months.

Inasmuch as May is “UV Awareness Month,” the eye care professionals at Site for Sore Eyes Berkeley have shared some important information about UV rays and the effects it can have on your vision. In efforts to increase awareness of how UV rays can damage your eyes, increase risk of cataracts and cancers of the eye, Prevent Blindness America is sponsoring its annual “Ultraviolet Awareness Month.”

If you don’t already know, UV radiation is essentially invisible rays of energy that come from the sun. When UV radiation reaches the Earth’s surface, it is made up of two different types of rays, UVA and UVB. Both types of rays are equally harmful, but UVA rays can pass deeper into your skin while UVB rays are more likely to cause sunburn. UV rays are also just as harmful to your vision.

Just as prolonged exposure to UV radiation can cause sunburn to your skin, it can also cause what is called photokeratitis (or “sunburn of the eye”). Photokeratitis comes with painful symptoms such as red eyes, extreme sensitivity to light, excessive tearing, or a foreign body or gritty feeling in your eyes. Although these symptoms are only temporary, long-term exposure to UV radiation can have harmful, more serious effects on your vision.

Whether it should be small amounts of radiation over a long period of time, or long-term exposure to UV rays, your chances of developing a potentially harmful eye condition drastically increase without proper protection. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, long-term exposure to UV rays can also cause a few different forms of cancer in and around the eyes, including eyelid cancers (such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma ­– usually of the lower eyelid), intraocular melanoma (cancer of the middle layer of the eye), conjunctival cancers, and other issues (such as macular degeneration, benign growths of the conjunctiva, and cataracts).

When you are out in the sun, it is important to wear sunglasses that are 100% UV-absorbent for both UVA and UVB rays, or are labeled UV400. In addition to UV absorbent glasses, wearing a brimmed hat can help block or deflect some of the rays not only from your eyes, but also from the sensitive skin on your face, ears and the back of your neck.

If you don’t already have a pair of UV-safe sunglasses, make sure to visit your local Site for Sore Eyes store to speak with an eye care professional about getting a pair that is right for your eyes and your style. They can also give you more information about how to protect your eyes from UV rays – not only for the summer months, but in the wintertime as well.