Don’t just sunscreen your skin: Your eyes need UV protection too

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- As July kicks off Ultraviolet (UV) Safety Awareness Month, many people are diligent about slathering on sunscreen to protect their skin. But there's another crucial area we often overlook: our eyes.

Just like our skin, our eyes are incredibly vulnerable to the sun's harmful UV rays, and neglecting them can lead to serious long-term vision problems.

Dr. Jessica Randolph, a leading ophthalmologist at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health, explained that UV rays can harm your eyes in two distinct ways.

"In the short term, you can get what's called photo keratitis, which is sort of like a sunburn on the cornea on the front part of the eye," she said.

If this happens, you'll likely experience painful, red, irritated and light-sensitive eyes.

Prolonged exposure to UV rays significantly increases your risk for serious conditions, including cataracts, macular degeneration and even skin cancers around or within the eyes. Symptoms of long-term damage can include slow vision changes, unusual growths on the eyeball or chronic irritation.

Dr. Randolph also clarified the two main types of UV rays we should be aware of:

• UVA rays: These are the ones that penetrate deeper into the eye.
• UVB rays: These are more intense but primarily affect the surface of the eye, often responsible for that "sunburn" sensation.

To prevent eye damage, wearing protective eyewear is highly recommended, especially when you're outdoors between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when UV radiation is most intense.

"Even if it's cloudy, it's still important to wear those sunglasses that block UVA UVB rays," Dr. Randolph said.

When choosing sunglasses, always look for a "UV 400" label.

"A lot of people ask about polarized glasses," Dr. Randolph added. "Those are great for decreasing the glare, but you want to make sure that they also have that UV protection built in as well."

While July is designated as UV Awareness Month, Dr. Randolph stressed that eye safety precautions should be a year-round habit.

"Even in the winter. And like I mentioned, on cloudy days, it's important for people to wear sunscreen every day on the face, even in the winter, to make sure that we're protecting our skin and eyelids from those changes," she said.

As we head into the holiday weekend, it's vital to remember that safety eyewear is crucial when handling fireworks. Dr. Randolph noted that firework-related eye injuries are unfortunately common during this time, so being prepared with proper protection is key to preventing injuries.