July is UV Safety Month

So you think you’re safe from the sun’s rays because you avoid the sun during peak hours, lather mounds of SPF50 lotion all over and reapply every two hours. Did you know that extensive and/or intense sun exposure can’t only burn your skin but your eyes?

Eye surface burns are similar to sunburn in that they heal in a few days and may lead to further complications later in life, like cataracts, a major cause of visual impairment and blindness. At first, eye damage caused by UV rays is usually pain or temporary blindness and blurred vision.

Believe it or not, you can cause acute damage to your eyes in a just a single outing on a very bright day. Reflected sunlight – light that bounces off sand, snow or pavement, for example – can be the most dangerous type of UV light because it’s intensified, so take some steps to protect yourself:

• Wear sunglasses and a brimmed hat when outdoors.
• Buy sunglasses that block 99-100% of UV-A and UV-B rays. And remember:
• Just because your shades cost $100 doesn’t mean they’re protecting you! Look for that UV protection label!
• Dark shades don’t necessarily protect your eyes more so be sure the tag indicates UV protection of at least 99%.
• If on the water or snow, wear goggles or sunglasses that wrap around your head to protect the sides of your eyes as well.

So what are UV rays, anyway?

In short, ultraviolet (UV) rays are invisible rays that are part of the energy that comes from the sun. These rays can burn the eyes and skin if these parts of the body are not properly protected, or if they undergo too much exposure to the sun.

The most common effect of exposure to UV rays is sunburn, which causes blood to rush to the affected area as the body tries to cool the burn. In addition to the burning pain on the skin, sunburn can ultimately cause skin cancers including melanoma.

Contrary to popular opinion, dark skinned people are just as susceptible as those with fair skin to the damage caused by UV rays.

The UV index measures the intensity of radiation caused by UV rays and gives people an idea of how long they may remain in the sun before damage is possible. The Index predicts levels on a scale of 0 to 10+, where 0 indicates a minimal risk of overexposure and 10+ means a very high risk.