Summer eye care

Like all great things, the powerful and resourceful energy of the sun too has a flip side to it. The ultraviolet (UV) rays emitted from the sun could cause serious damage to the human eye, with maladies ranging from cataracts, cancer of the eye-lids, macular degeneration, corneal burns, benign growths and solar retinopathy. Harmful as they are, UV rays are even more intense during the hot summer months, especially at noon. The levels of UV radiation in India are very high.

The skin has a capacity to adapt to UV radiation by producing melanin (tan) that protects against UV exposure. The human eye does not have such a capacity, but becomes more sensitive with repeated exposure. Reflective UV light, or glare from water, sand, snow and even the road, can have a debilitating effect on the eye.

Are you a person whose work demands spending most of the day under the scorching heat of the sun? If the answer is ‘yes’, then your eyes are at considerable risk. The longer the exposure of the eyes to the sun the greater is the risk of developing UV related problems.

For safety purpose, eye care professionals suggest wearing sunglasses that filter 99-100 percent of UV radiation. Ideally these glasses should block both UV-A & UV-B. However, sunglasses do not provide complete UV ray protection as a lot of peripheral light leaks around the lenses can still affect the eyes.

Technological advancement in the eye care industry has resulted in the development of contact lenses that absorb UV rays to a large extent. However, contact lenses are not a foolproof solution to protect yes from UV rays as they do not provide protection to the outer surfaces of the eye.

Combined usage for sunglasses and UV blocking contact lenses to get maximum protection from UV rays that reach the cornea and get into the eye.

In addition to the above eyewear, protective gear such as wide rimmed hats and umbrellas should be taken along during summers.

Owning the right pair of contact lenses and sunglasses is a good investment that helps in protecting your eyes and vision for years to come.