You might think nothing of going for a run in the morning or after work without your shades, but optometrists say that the low angle of the sun on the horizon could be damaging your eyes. We ought to wear sunglasses with UV protection whenever we are in the sun – and particularly when the sun is rising and setting. It’s actually the shoulder periods of the day, when the sun is lower on the horizon, that we’re actually getting more ocular UV radiation. When the sun is directly above us, the brow knocks a lot of those UV rays, but when it’s lower on the horizon we are getting UV radiation directly inside the eye. This tip applies year-round – even when it’s cold or overcast. The sun is lower on the horizon in winter. We still can get up to 90 percent of UV radiation on days when it’s cloudy so sunglasses should be worn all day year round.
Why the sun is bad for sight
It’s pretty handy that a good pair of sunnies double as a fashion accessory, because a life of no eye protection can turn out pretty dismally. Here’s just some of the ways the sun can damage our peepers:
Photokeratis: This is basically sunburn to the cornea (the thin, transparent layer that forms the front of the eye) – you’ll feel severe pain six to 12 hours after being in the sun. You’ll get a burning, stinging, painful sensation and blazing red eyes, essentially it burns the top layer of cells off the cornea, which is the clear window at the front of the eye. While it won’t lead to long-term damage, you have to take painkillers or use antibiotic eye ointments to help the cornea cells regenerate.
Pterygium (or surfer’s eye): These are fleshy growths on the front surface of the eye that cause irritation and discomfort – and are common to surfers and fishermen. When they progress they affect vision because they’re growing over the clear window that we look through. It can be treated by using eye drops to improve eye lubrication, or an eye surgeon can remove it before it crosses the cornea and causes permanent vision problems.
Macular degeneration: The macular, which sits at the back of the eye, is responsible for central vision and is thought to be linked to exposure to bright sunlight. Macular degeneration results in severe vision impairment. There are some forms of macular degeneration that can be treated by injections into the eye, which is a fairly unpopular way of having treatment, and there are other types of macular degeneration which are not treatable, so it’s all about trying to nip it in the bud and trying to stop this becoming a problem.
Eyelid cancer: The Cancer Council tells us that some 300 people a year are getting eyelid cancer, in many cases there is no treatment and the eye has to be removed.
Cataracts: Cataracts occur when the lens of the eye goes cloudy, causing blurred vision and eventual blindness. While cataracts are linked with ageing, up to 20 percent of cataract cases are caused or made worse by UV exposure.
What sort of sunglasses should you wear?
You don’t have to spend a fortune to find a pair of sunnies that will protect your eyes from the sun – but you do want to find a pair that suit you and you like wearing so that you’ll be encouraged to wear them more often. Go for a close-fitting, wrap-around style, or for a fashion style that has a thicker arm – that can also help prevent that radiation from leaking in around the side. Having polarised lenses can be very useful for reducing glare, particularly reflective glare.
Sunglasses are categorised between zero and four for UV protection. Shades marked zero are considered fashion sunglasses and won’t offer any protection, so always look for glasses that are rated between two and four. A fairly recent study found 57 percent of parents routinely protected their eyes from the sun, but only 32 percent were getting UV [eye] protection for their kids.
