Ultraviolet (UV) Eye Safety Tips

 

Getting the right amount of UV light is important. Too much UV light exposure raises the risks of eye diseases, including cataract, growths on the eye, and cancer. Strong exposure to snow reflection can also quickly cause painful damage called snow blindness and direct exposure to the sun can cause “solar retinitis” or really a retina sunburn!

Growths on the eye, such as pterygium, can show up in our teens or twenties, especially in surfers, skiers, fishermen, farmers, or anyone who spends long hours under the mid-day sun or in the UV-intense conditions found near rivers, oceans, and mountains.

Diseases like cataract and eye cancers can take many years to develop, but each time we're out in the sun without protection we could be adding cumulative damage that adds to our risks for these serious disorders. Babies and kids need to wear hats and sunglasses for this very reason. People of all ages should take precautions whenever they are outdoors.

As we sleep, our eyes enjoy continuous lubrication. During sleep the eyes also clear out irritants such as dust, allergens or smoke that may have accumulated during the day. Some research suggests that light-sensitive cells in the eye are important to our ability to regulate wake-sleep cycles. This may be more critical as we age, when more people have problems with insomnia. While it's important that we protect our eyes from overexposure to UV light, our eyes also need minimal exposure to natural light every day to help maintain normal sleep-wake cycles.

Follow these tips to protect your eyes from the sun all year long: 

• Sun damage to eyes can occur anytime during the year, not just in the summer-time, so be sure to wear UV-blocking sunglasses and broad-brimmed hats whenever you're outside.
• Don't be fooled by clouds: the sun's rays can pass through haze and thin clouds.
• Never look directly at the sun. Looking directly at the sun at any time, including during an eclipse, can lead to solar retinopathy, which is damage to the eye's retina from solar radiation.
• Don't forget the kids and older family members: everyone is at risk, including children and senior citizens. Protect their eyes with hats and sunglasses.
• Get a moderate amount of UV light for a good night's sleep.

To learn more about your specific lifestyle and risks, as well as UV eye protection, please discuss your questions with our eye doctors when you schedule an eye exam at Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1003 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Top 5 AMD Risk Factors

Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss among Americans ages 65 and over. To help reduce your chance of vision loss from AMD:

• know the risk factors for AMD,
• know your family eye & medical history, and
• Schedule and keep regular eye exam appointments.

The Top 5 Risk Factors for AMD include:

• Being over the Age of 60
• Having a Family History of AMD
• Cigarette Smoking
• Obesity
• Hypertension

People with any two of these risk factors should schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist and,

People who are at risk should know the symptoms of Wet AMD, the form most likely to cause rapid and serious vision loss including:

• sudden, noticeable loss of vision, or
• sudden distortion of vision, such as seeing "wavy" lines. 

See an ophthalmologist right away if these symptoms occur. Treatments for wet AMD provide an excellent chance of stopping vision loss. They may actually restore some vision when macular degeneration develops. Earlier diagnosis of wet AMD gives a better chance of successful treatment.

You can control some AMD risk factors, such as smoking and diet, to reduce the risk of vision loss. One way to reduce AMD risk is to quit smoking or never start. You can't control all your risks, however. For example, you can't do anything about your genetics. Knowing family medical history and sharing it with your ophthalmologist is an important step to protect your vision.

For patients at high risk for developing late-stage wet AMD, taking a specific, AMD dietary supplement lowers that risk by 25 percent. However, patients should check with their ophthalmologist before starting any dietary supplement!