This can lead to a condition called photokeratitis, sometimes referred to as snow blindness. Photokeratitis usually goes away on its own, but if your case is severe, see an eye doctor. To avoid a painful eye sunburn, wear UV protective sunglasses when exposed to the sun. You could develop cataracts. Cataracts, or clouding of the lens of the eye, can be caused by excessive unprotected exposure to UV rays.
Blurry vision, double vision, light sensitivity, difficulty seeing at night, and faded color vision are all signs that you may have a cataract. In order to treat cataracts, the lens of the eye is surgically removed and replaced by a new artificial lens.
According to the National Eye Institute , half of caucasian Americans develop a cataract after the age of 75, with the risk increasing after age John Goodman and Larry King suffered from cataracts.
You may develop an eye growth. Pinguecula and pterygium are two scientific terms for growths on the eye. A pinguecula presents as a small, yellow growth on the white of the inner corner of your eye.
A pterygium presents as a pink tissue-like growth in the same location. If left untreated, a pinguecula could turn into a pterygium. Although non-cancerous, the presence of a pterygium can cause chronic irritation, redness and inflammation.
Pterygia grow slowly over months and years and can obstruct vision when they grow over the pupil. They may also induce astigmatism an improper curvature of the cornea , which blurs vision. Treatment for mild pterygia not affecting vision involves lubrication with artificial tears.
Those that affect vision may require surgical excision. Again, chronic UV exposure to unprotected eyes is a major cause of pterygium development. Macular degeneration may result in severe visual impairment. This is a degenerative disease affecting the central part of the retina the macula responsible for central vision. Treatment comprises injections of medications directly into the eye and aims to limit disease progression; it cannot reverse damage that has already occurred.
While the link between UV exposure and macular degeneration is less clear than with cataracts or pterygia, short-wavelength radiation and blue light present in bright sunshine cause damage to the retina. There is a correlation between light exposure and macular degeneration.
Although less common, chronic UV exposure is associated with increased rates of certain types of eye cancers. These are: squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva , melanoma within the eye , and skin cancers of the eyelid and around the eye where people do not routinely apply sunscreen.
Chronic UV exposure is associated with increased rates of certain types of eye cancers. This is a rare disease caused by UV exposure in which the cornea becomes cloudy, obstructing vision and potentially requiring a corneal transplant to restore vision.
Categories two to four provide effective UV protection and increasing levels of sun glare reduction although category four must not be worn when driving. Effective sunglasses should be close-fitting and wrap-around to minimise the amount of UV radiation that can reach the eye.
Some contact lenses also contain UV filters. However, as they cover only the cornea, they provide no protection against the development of pterygia or cancers on or around the eye. UV rays also reflect off sand, water and snow. Sure, most of us probably should wear sunglasses more often than we do — especially outdoors when we need to protect our eyes against damaging ultraviolet UV rays.
However, wearing shades when you don't need UV protection can damage your eyesight in the long run. Let's look at how sunglasses protect our eyes and why wearing shades all the time can actually cause vision and sleep issues:. Your eyes are exposed to less light when you look through a pair of dark-tinted sunglasses. Normally, when ambient lighting is dim, our pupils automatically dilate or expand to allow a larger amount of light into the eye, so that more light can reach the retina.
This involuntary reflex allows us to adapt to changing light conditions, making it possible for us to see in near darkness as well as in bright sunlight. This process is controlled by the autonomic nervous system, so it happens without us having to think about it. Wearing sunglasses triggers the same involuntary reflex, especially indoors, where your brain can perceive your surroundings to be particularly dark.
Many of the consequences of wearing sunglasses in excess will stem from keeping the pupils dilated for abnormally long periods of time.
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