Sun And Our Eyes

We lather our kids up with sunscreen before they go outdoors from the time they are babies. We buy SPF long sleeve swimsuits and reapply after every swim or at least try! So we get it, sun damage to skin is nothing to be cavalier about. What about sun and our eyes?

 

I am the mom who is chasing her kids in the playground after their sunglasses fall off or they rip their hat off! Why? We now know that UV damage to our eyes is accumulating from when we are babies!

 

While it’s difficult to say exactly how much UV exposure damages the eye over time, we do know the effects are cumulative – it’s building up from when we are kids playing outside. The sun increases our chances of developing several eye problems, including:

 

Sunburned, chronically dry eyes:

AKA “Photokeratitis.” Red, easily irritated eyes can come from sun damage that causes tiny benign growths on the surface of our eyes that prevent tears from naturally coating to protect and soothe. You may not even be able to see these in the mirror, but they can cause burning, tearing and light sensitivity.  Artificial tears to moisturize your eyes can help but you will have to wait it out for this temporary condition to improve.

 

Macular degeneration:

This is a leading cause of blindness in the United States. Sun exposure is a risk factor for this degenerative disease, but so is age, having a family history, being Caucasian, and smoking. This disease doesn’t happen overnight.  Your ophthalmologist will be able to detect even the earliest signs of this at your yearly eye exam.

 

Eye Cancer:

Long-term UV exposure is linked to a wide spectrum of eye diseases, from sunburned, chronically dry eyes to melanoma of the eye! Yup, our eye has pigment cells just like our skin, so cumulative sun damage increases our risk of eye melanoma, which can be just as deadly as the skin version.   Other types of cancer, such as squamous and basal cell carcinoma, may also develop in the eye.  We still don’t know exactly how much sun exposure can lead to cancerous growth, so long term sunglass wear is our best defense.

 

Cataracts:

Cataracts are a gradual clouding of the lens in our eye that progresses as we age and clouds our vision slowly over time.   Sun exposure over time can lead to cataracts at a much younger age than your genetics would have it.  Swimming goggles are also available with tints in them if you’re spending lots of time in the water.   Cloudy day? Don’t be fooled – the sun’s UV rays can pass through the haziest of skies so you’re still at risk!

 

EYE EXPOSURE TO THE SUN IS VERY DANGEROUS EARLY IN THE MORNING AND IN THE LATE AFTERNOON:

Many of us think of the sun being most damaging between 10am and 2pm – this may be true for skin but the EYES are different! Our natural eyebrow ridge evolved to block rays from entering our eyes when the sun is at its highest.  This is true for kids too! It’s the earlier morning and late afternoon hours that the sun’s position is lower in the sky and therefore hits our eyes at an angle that our brow can’t protect us from! So on the early morning walks with the dog and late afternoon strolls is when it’s even MORE important to put on those sunglasses!

 

Not hot out? Doesn’t matter! Sun exposure to the eyes tends to be more constant in fall, winter and spring when the sun is lower in the sky. Cold winter day? You STILL need sunglasses! If the sun is out, temperature doesn’t matter.

 

Many people think that the more you spend on sunglasses the better they protect.

 

JUST NOT TRUE! You need to look for the “UVA/UVB” sticker on the frames, then you know you’re getting the protection you need. So, a $10 pair in the drugstore that has the sticker is just as effective as a brand name trendy pair bought at a specialty sunglass store!

 

Another option is a term called “polarization.” This term refers to the offsetting of light scatter in your eye during driving or biking or any other outdoor activity. Most drugstore glasses won’t have this, and you’ll pay extra for polarized lenses in a specialty store. Remember, polarization has nothing to do with UV protection for the eye.

 

If trend is your thing, Aviator style lenses are more popular than ever! And from your local drugstore to a Solstice or Ray-Ban store, there are tons of aviators to choose from with good protection at any price point!

 

TIPS FOR KIDS AND SUNGLASSES:

Have young kids? You should know that the sun’s effects are building up from when we are toddlers on the playground! In fact, most of the damage has been done by the time we are in our 20s!

 

Kids should wear a hat with a brim AND sunglasses  – as long as the plastic pairs have the “UVA/UVB sticker” you are good to go! These can cost $5-$10 a pair or even less if there’s a sale at a store like Children’s Place or Target. I personally wait for a good sale and buy half a dozen for each of my kids. We know they lose them often and they don’t want to wear them but we have to keep trying! Another good tip – invest in the wrap around velcro band (In Step, other baby catalogs) that holds the frames around their neck even if they take them off!

 

Remember, it’s not only sunglasses that can protect our eyes, but visors and wide brimmed hats that act like our own eyebrow ridges help keep the rays out of our line of sight!

 

Summer fun is here, but we want to be smart while we enjoy some much-deserved good weather. I hope these tips help you and your family enjoy this summer!