Protect Your Family’s Vision With These Sun-safe Habits
Spending time outside can lower stress and boost your mood, but outdoor fun can increase your risk for UV exposure, eye infection or ocular injuries. Taking daily precautions can protect your eyes and prevent long-term vision damage.
Shield Your Eyes from the Sun
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation penetrates the eye more easily than visible light and can increase your risk of developing vision problems. UV rays cause a variety of eye issues, from corneal sunburn to eye growths and cancer, as well as degenerative eye diseases like the following:
- Cataracts — clouding of the eye lens, which leads to vision loss and potential blindness
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) — retinal damage, potentially resulting in permanent central vision loss
A wide-brimmed hat and a quality pair of sunglasses will block or reflect the harmful UV light from your eyes. When choosing sunglasses, opt for ones that offer 99-100 percent protection against UVA and UVB rays, or ones labeled with a UV400 rating.
How your sunglasses fit is just as important. A good pair of sunglasses should remain in place and provide wide coverage around your eyes. The frames should also minimize the amount of light that enters the eye from the sides, top and bottom (NEI).
One of the easiest ways to prevent UV damage is to stay inside when the sunlight is most intense, often between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The UV index can still be high when there is significant cloud cover. Make it a habit when you go outdoors to wear sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen of at least 30 SPF.
If you have children, it is a wise idea to keep hats and sunglasses for every member of the family in the car.
Wear Safety Goggles for Sports or Activities
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, US emergency rooms treat almost 30,000 sports-related eye injuries per year. Experts estimate 90 percent of serious eye injuries could have been prevented if people wore appropriate protective eyewear.
One study found that basketball caused the most sports-related ocular injuries, followed by baseball, softball, airsoft rifles, pellet guns, racquetball and hockey.
Experts recommend athletes wear durable sports glasses with polycarbonate lenses for activities like basketball, tennis, soccer and field hockey.
“If you are participating in any sports or activities where there may be a risk for impact or eye injuries, then consider utilizing impact-resistant frames that meet ASTM standards,” said Fraser Horn, OD, dean of Pacific University College of Optometry in Oregon (AOA).
Wearing protective sports glasses with polycarbonate lenses can lower your risk of eye injury. If you or a family member play racquet sports or any activity that uses a ball, purchase impact-resistant frames that meet ASTM standards. Even those watching sports games can get hurt, so stay vigilant for flying balls, bats or gear that may come into the stands.
Sports are not the only activity that can cause eye injuries. Even yard work and cleaning your home can pose a threat to healthy vision. You should wear protective eyewear for any activity that involves the following:
- Flying debris or small particles
- Projectiles or objects that could become projectiles
- Hazardous chemicals
Remove Contact Lenses and Wear Goggles in the Water
There’s nothing like an aquatic adventure to cool off from the summer heat. Swimming can pose threats to healthy eyes, so it is best to take precautions by creating new habits.
Wearing swim goggles can prevent chlorine irritation and infection from bacterial conjunctivitis (pink eye). Although it is rare, some swimmers may contract acanthamoeba keratitis, a rare and very serious infection caused by an amoeba.
“The eye is not great at fighting off different types of infections because it doesn’t have available blood supply to it,” said Masih Ahmed, MD, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “If you have scratches in the cornea, which can happen from dry eye or even rubbing your eye, one of those microorganisms can get into those cuts and lead to infection.”
You can keep your eyes safe in the water by remembering these guidelines:
- Wear goggles.
- Remove contact lenses.
- Rinse your eyes after getting out of any body of water.
- Use artificial tears to hydrate your eyes.
- Avoid rubbing your eyes after swimming.
- Be cautious around natural bodies of water because of possible microorganisms.
Make Annual Eye Doctor Appointments for the Whole Family
Many people assume their eyes are healthy if they are not experiencing specific problems. The fact is, vision problems can develop without symptoms or pain.
A comprehensive eye exam with dilation is an easy way to monitor your eye health. Yearly vision checks will assess refractive errors and focusing problems and screen for eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Regular eye exams can offer a window into your overall health and assess whether you are at higher risk for eye disease or chronic issues like high blood pressure.
Commit to healthy vision by calling your eye doctor to make eye appointments for your family. Ensure your eye health by wearing sunglasses, applying sunscreen and using protective eyewear. Contact your eye doctor if you have discomfort or new symptoms.