Our planet’s natural sunscreen is depleting bit by bit, as rays from the sun breach through what’s left of the ozone layer, harming our very eye cells.
Sure, sunlight makes a great light to help with our sight, treats some disorders, and is a great source of Vitamin D. But believe it or not, there is more harm to sunlight than just its UV rays. Here’s a breakdown of how our eyes see its sunny companion.
Visible light
As the name suggests, visible light is the light you can see. It is made out of purple, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red, which allows you to identify colors of objects as they are absorbed or reflected. Our eyes are most sensitive to yellow and green, and are least sensitive to blue and red.
Infrared light
Infrared light is basically like heaters which make us feel warm. Since our eyes cannot cool themselves easily, our eye’s moisture dries up when exposed to it.
High-Energy Visible light (HEV)
The glare that you see on sunny days is caused by this blue light reflecting off the air’s dust and moisture. Glare tends to strain our eyes and make them squint. Prolong exposure to this light can damage the retina, affecting our ability to see fine details. Accumulation of HEV is often linked to the cause of macular degeneration.
Ultraviolet light (UV)
Among all the lights, UV radiation is the most harmful. Short-term effects of overexposure to this light can inflame our eyes, causing light sensitivity and excessive tearing. Long-term effects can cause cataracts, or even irreversible damage to the retina.
Tips for a safe play under the sun
Do not let the sun’s destructive properties hinder your fun under the sun. With proper protection, you can enjoy your time under the sun.
Choose your sunglasses by their ability, not by color. The darkness of your sunglass lenses do not determine its ability to block UV rays. However, for HEV protection, go for bronze, copper or reddish-brown colored sunglass lenses.
Be 100% UV-protected. Some sunglasses only offer partial UV protection. Look for sunglasses that can block 100% of UV rays.
Go for wrap-around styles. This ensures that the rays do not make their way through the sides.
Head first. Wearing a broad-brimmed hat reduces the chances of rays from reaching your eyes by 50%.
Don’t rely on contact lenses alone. Contact lenses with UV protection only protect part of your eyes. Have the rest of your eyes protected with sunglasses.
Wear sunglasses under shades. Clouds, haze, and shades do not stop UV rays from getting to you. Unless you are indoors, UV rays can reflect against surfaces like roads, buildings, and snow,onto you.
Keep an eye on the sun. During sunny days, make it a point to wear sunglasses.
Sun-proof children. Keep children out of the sun when it's at its peak. Damage to eyes is cumulative over our lifetime, so equip them with sunglasses and hats during sunny days.
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Published in eye glamour (vol.17) under the Eye Care section on September 2010.
