How to Prevent Sunburned Eyes

You may appreciate the flavor or smells of your favorite foods, especially after you’ve had a cold. But how often do you appreciate your vision? If you are like me, then you just expect your vision to always be great and you never give a second thought to it. We often take the gift of sight for granted until something goes wrong. There are several everyday hazards that can impact our vision and as a result, our daily lives. Simple rules such as always wearing safety glasses when working with power tools or firearms are like second nature, but did you know your eyes can get sunburned?

Photokeratitis is the inflammation of the eye (the cornea specifically) caused from overexposure to UV rays from the sun. Symptoms of sunburned eyes include mild/severe pain, bloodshot eyes, light sensitivity, excessive tearing, blurry vision and even temporary loss of vision. It is often called snow blindness because it is often associated with skiers or activities in the snow that expose an individual to large amounts of UV-reflected rays from the white snow-covered surface. However, snow blindness often occurs without the presence of snow because water, white sand, and high altitudes can also increase the chances of getting sunburned eyes.

The best way to protect your eyes from the damaging power of the sun’s rays is to wear sunglasses that are rated to block out UVA/UVB rays. UVA rays are longer than UVB rays but are less damaging (some experts believe UVA are not damaging to the eyes). While it is a great habit to wear sunglasses whenever you are outside, this is not always possible. Between 10 am and 2 pm, the rays are most powerful and should be guarded against as much as possible. Don’t forget though that the harmful rays can still get through clouds.

Protecting your eyes to ensure that your vision remains the best that it can be, it remains especially important if an individual undergoes Lasik eye surgery. Diamond Vision’s staff of award-winning surgeons possess years of experience and have helped thousands of patients reclaim their vision with laser eye surgery. To learn more about how Diamond Vision should be your choice for all your vision correction needs, visit https://diamondvision.com/ or vistin our Eye Health Center in Atlanta Georgia.