Save Your Sight: How to Protect Your Eyes from the Sun

By Kara Sibilia

We all know that vigilant use of sunscreen protects our skin from the sun’s damaging rays. However, there is another part of the body that needs just as much protection, yet can be overlooked: our eyes. July is UV Safety Month, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology and eye doctors across the country are urging Americans to protect their eyes from UV-related damage. Both UV-A and UV-B rays can cause a number of eye conditions including:

-Cataracts
-Macular Degeneration (a leading cause of vision loss in older Americans)
-Corneal Sunburn
-Skin Cancer on the Eyelids

Prevent Blindness America, the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness, offers the following tips for protecting your eyes:

-Wear sunglasses that block 99%-100% of UV-A and UV-B rays.

-Wear a wide-brimmed hat or cap, which can block about 50% of UV rays.

-Children should wear sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats to decrease the amount of exposure to UV rays.

Everyone is at risk for eye damage, especially during the summer months when we’re more likely to expose ourselves to the sun. Since UV rays can come from many directions, choose sunglasses that cover the perimeter of your eyes including your temples (I guess big sunglasses aren’t just for celebrities and fashionistas!)

If we take the right precautions, we can protect the health of our eyes for years to come. So, make like a celebrity and break out the big sunglasses and wide-brimmed hat…your eyes will thank you.

Sources: www.preventblindness.org, www.aao.org

Kara Sibilia, mother of one, is a freelance writer based in New Jersey. To contact Kara, please email kara_sibilia@yahoo.com.


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