Wearing sunglasses can be protective and reduce your chances of developing a condition called eye defect.
When your cornea -- the surface of your eye -- is exposed to intense ultraviolet rays, you can develop this painful condition, said an assistant professor of ophthalmology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
With this eye defect, the outermost layer of the cornea sloughs off and falls away, causing very sensitive nerve endings of the eye to feel intense pain, he said.
Just spending a lot of time in the sun is unlikely to cause eye defect, but it can happen when there are also sun reflections from water.
UV rays from tanning beds are another source. Welders and others who work with intense light are at greatest risk.
That's why specialist recommends that people always wear the eye protection their jobs require. For those enjoying the summer sun, it's important to wear an SPF 30 sunscreen on exposed skin, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, he said in a center news release. Eye protection also helps protect tender skin around the eyes from cancer.
You can further care for your eyes with an eye exam. For children, this includes screening by a pediatrician with a follow-up with an ophthalmologist if a potential problem is detected.
Most adolescents and adults who need glasses or contacts will receive a complete dilated eye exam by their optometrist or ophthalmologist when they go to update their prescriptions.
All adults, even those with no apparent vision problems, should get a complete eye exam starting at age 40.
Several conditions can develop and progress without symptoms as a person ages. This includes glaucoma, a disease that causes progressive damage to the optic nerve, resulting in loss of peripheral vision, and eventually total blindness. Patients can experience a significant loss of vision from glaucoma before they are diagnosed.
When Samuel Richardson said, “Where words are restrained, the eyes often talk a great deal”, we couldn't help but make the body part for its exceptional beauty and with summers here we can't help but take a proactive approach to eye care against the harsh heat waves to maintain their healthy eye in the long run. Summer weather is often a trigger to eye diseases and many studies have linked eye diseases with individual lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity or hypertension hence, adherence to healthy lifestyle is encouraged in order to prevent this age-related disease which can also be prevented with primary prevention and early detection approaches.
Remedies for eye safety:
1. Wear sunglasses when stepping out - As sunscreens are essential for skin, so do the shades for eyes. When you are stepping out in the peak summers, go for oversized shades as it will provide extra protection to your eyes. Shades protect the eyes from cornea burn from the damaging UV rays. Some major symptoms of cornea burn are dryness, discomfort and tearing up.
2. Be careful when you are applying sunscreen on your face - Summer means application of oodles of sunscreen on the face to block the sun damage. But one should be cautious while applying it near and around your eyes and eyelid region. Sunscreens, which are high in SPF, generally cause discomfort to the eyes if they accidentally go inside. Though it won’t lead to permanent eye damage, it can cause chemical burns to the surface of the eyes. It can be a little discomforting and painful for a few days.
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