The sun’s shining high and mighty and overexposure can surely give you a nasty sunburn even skin cancer and irreversible eye damage in the long-run. But with summer season slowly passing into autumn, avoiding the great outdoors is perhaps the last in your wish list. So if you’ve already planned for a garden picnic, ride the waves in your sailboat, play in the park or simply the usual travel to work, here’s how to protect the eyes from possible sub damage without compromising any of the fun.
The Fun Sun Facts
We usually see children drawing the sun as a bright yellow sphere which seems to dominate almost everything in the picture. But in real outer space, the closest star to our home planet is more than that and burns in a vibrant and dazzling pure white which indicates unprecedented heat and ultraviolet rays.
The surface of the sun is known as the photosphere having a temperature of approximately 5,800 Kelvin whereas the core sizzles even hotter than that like around 16 million Kelvin. Such a tremendous amount of heat is produced by the thermonuclear reaction of hydrogen to helium conversion.
Direct light from the sun bleaches out photosensitive pigments of the retina causing temporary/partial blindness which is why we’re told not to look at it directly.
Sun Pins in the Eye
Ultraviolet rays from the sun cause collective damage to the eye and can even result in pterygium which is the tissue growth on the white area causing a drop in the vision. It can also lead to AMD or deteriorates part of the retina. Adding to this, UV rays also result in the development of cataracts against which a research report has been released indicating 12 million people worldwide suffer from blindness based on cataracts.
Sun Damage & Eye Protection
The best way is to stay away from direct sunlight but, if that’s impossible, check out a few handy tips below:
- The UV radiation can penetrate through layers of clouds so, always shield the eyes even if you aren’t staring directly.
- UV rays are most intense during midday which is why it’s better to avoid the sun between 10 in the morning to 2 in the afternoon.
- The location also makes a huge difference! The higher the altitude, the closer you are to the equator thus stronger would be the UV rays.
- Water, snow, sand, glass and other transparent surfaces, as well as to object, can reflect sunlight greater than usual which makes it necessary to take all precautions.
- Choose a good pair of sunglasses, wear a broad-brimmed hat and have your YAG laser surgery or any other treatment done as per the doctor’s recommendation rather than delaying deliberately.
- For those having light-colored eyes, they need extra protection against UV rays as compared to those having a darker eye tone.
- Children are far more vulnerable to damage from UV rays so be extra careful when outside with the little ones.
Not all sunglasses are the same and neither the ability to deflect sunlight to its maximum. It’s best to wear prescribed pair which offers greater protection without hampering your ability to see clearly.