Protecting Your Eyes from UV Radiation-Tips for Retinal Health

Ultraviolet radiation is invisible to the human eye. The longer the eyes are left unprotected and exposed to ultraviolet radiation, whether from artificial light or the sun’s rays, the greater the possibility for damage. In the same way you would lather your skin in a broad-spectrum sunscreen to shield the skin from sunburn, wrinkles, sagging skin, dark spots and the risk of cancer, protecting your eyes from UV radiation is essential for your retinal health. Ultraviolet radiation modifies the proteins in the lens of the eye, worsening eyesight, ultimately forming cataracts, and in severe cases, causes cancer to the eyelids including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. You could also develop pterygium, which is basically a sunburn on the eyes. If you have ever had a sunburn on the skin, you can only imagine the inflammation and discomfort on the eyes.

Protecting your eyes from UV radiation starts with helpful tips for retinal health. While obvious, wearing 100% UVA and UVB blocking sunglasses is a simple solution. The UV coating on the lenses of sunglasses absorbs and reflects harmful light. An additional anti-reflective coating ensures the light does not bounce back from the inside of the lenses into the eyes. Polarized lenses reduce glare from additional reflective sources like environmental factors such as water, snow and sand. If you do not want to switch from indoor to outdoor glasses, consider opting for transition lenses that do the work for you and offer peace of mind protection no matter where you are.

Safeguarding your eyes from UV radiation is necessary to protect your vision. While exposure to the sun is not typically avoidable, you can take proactive measures to easily avoid artificial sources of UV radiation that include tanning beds, mercury vapor lighting, welding arcs and some types of incandescent lights and lasers. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat when outdoors and limiting your time in the sun will also aid in protecting the health and safety of your eyesight. In addition to implementing sun protection for the eyes, scheduling regular eye exams with retinal imaging is important. Retinal imaging is a painless diagnostic exam that evaluates the health of the retina and detects underlying conditions that may not yet have produced noticeable symptoms. These retinal diseases include macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.

Let’s help protect your eyes by discussing your lifestyle habits and finding answers to the quality of your eye health with a comprehensive eye exam. Call Retina Consultants of Nevada at 702-369-0200 to schedule your appointment. For more tips on optimal retinal health, visit WEBSITE.