May is UV Awareness Month - Bella Eye Care Optometry

Now that spring is finally here in full bloom, we are all spending a bit more time outside. With that fresh air and sunshine comes healthy (or in this case not so healthy) increase in ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Overexposure to ultraviolet light is responsible for a number of bad things with humans such as skin cancer and cataracts.

The National Eye Institute has also found a link between ultraviolet rats and oxidative stress in our lenses. UV can also cause corneal sunburn (photokeratitis) pterygium, and macular degeneration.

There are different types of UV. UV-A radiation has lower energy and penetrates deep into the eye, which may injure the macula, the part of the retina responsible for sight in the center field of vision. UV-B radiation is presumably more dangerous and is mainly absorbed by the cornea and lens of the eye and can damage those tissues.

Children are especially susceptible to the dangers of UV radiation from the sun as they receive almost 80% of their lifetime exposure to the damaging rays before the age of 18, while their lenses are the clearest.

Most of the dangers of UV radiation to the eye can be solved a good pair of sunglasses, and guess who sells the best sunglasses in the region? Why we do, of course. Stop in today and let us show you some great ways to look good and protect your valuable eyesight.