A year of working from home and distance learning has made blue light exposure from digital devices a concern for many people. But did you know that there is a blue light source many times greater than any digital service? The greatest source of blue light is the sun. With the arrival of summer and the lifting of Covid restrictions we are out and about again. Let’s look at ways to protect our eyes from the biggest blue light source of all.
A day on the water or time in the sun can cause sunburn to the skin, but did you know that the eyes can suffer a sunburn too? Photokeratits is the result of excess ultraviolet (UV) exposure to the eye surface. This type of injury is quite painful causing red and gritty eyes. The discomfort from a sunburnt cornea is usually temporary and can be prevented with sunglasses or goggles.
Continuing to use the skin as a comparison, ongoing exposure to UV light can cause skin damage such as wrinkles, discoloration and skin cancers. Long-term UV radiation exposure can cause the eyes to age prematurely too. The chance of cataracts, macular degeneration and eye cancer developing increases with continued exposure to UV light (sunshine).
No matter the season, winter or summer, it is important to protect the eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays in order to decrease the risk of eye diseases and damage. I recommend wearing UV blocking glasses or sunglasses and wearing a hat to protect the eyes, thereby preventing premature aging. And don’t forget to put sunglasses and a hat on the kids, their young eyes are most vulnerable to the cumulative damage of ultraviolet radiation.
