(http://www.PreserveMacForte.com) Since July happens to to be UV Safety Month, now’s as good as time as any to consider the effects that ultra violet rays can have on the eyes, reported Medical Daily recently.
According to the article, there are three kinds of UV rays given off by the sun. However, only two of these three varieties can cause harm. UV-C, does not present a risk to humans since the ozone layer absorbs this type of UV ray. UV-A and UV-B, meanwhile, can have an adverse impact, potentially leading to complications such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.
The article cited the World Health Organization as saying that some 18 million persons around the globe have no vision due to cataracts. Of this amount, up to 5% may be attributable to UV radiation.
Persons whose eyes absorb substantial quantities of UV radiation over a relatively short time frame will probably encounter something called photokeratitis, which has eye symptoms such as sensitivity to light, excessive tearing, redness and gritty feeling. The symptoms, fortunately, are usually temporary.
While photokeratitis and its symptoms are basically temporary, long-term UV rays exposure can lead to more serious medical complications. According to the article, there are scientific studies that back up the belief that persons need to be mindful of even minimal UV exposure over a time frame of many years raises the odds of ultimately getting a cataract and may lead to retina damage.
According to the article, the best defense against harmful UV rays is projection — both outside and inside.
When outdoors, it is best to wear sunglasses with a wide-brimmed head covering. While simple, these pieces of outdoor equipment will do wonders in blocking UV rays. Of course, not all sunglasses where created equal. People need to ensure that the lenses are constructed out of Trivex or polycarbonate. They also need to block at least 99% of the two types of harmful UV rays, block out no less than 70% of visible light and need to be free of any imperfections.When indoors, wearing glasses with melanin lenses will help to absorb damaging rays, noted a portion of the article citing the American Macular Degeneration.
Another important consideration is diet, since eating the right things can safeguard eye health. For example, produce like collard greens, kale, tangerines, peppers and corn are known to be good for the eyes.