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Most people are aware of how the sun can affect and damage their skin. Likewise, the majority of outdoor enthusiasts are well-versed in effective ways to protect their skin from the sun.

Protecting Your Eyes from UV Damage

However, many summer revelers are less aware of (or have a tendency to overlook) the effect the sun can have on their eyes. Although maybe not as apparent as a blaring sunburn after a long day of summer fun, UV eye damage is just as dangerous.

Use this UV protection guide to learn the potential risks of sun exposure and learn how to effectively protect your eyes from the most damaging UV rays.

Types of UV Damage

There are two basic types of rays from which you need protection: UVA and UVB. UVA rays are the deeper penetrating of the two and are much more prevalent. These rays impact your central vision and can damage the macula, which is a part of your retina in the back of your eye. UVB rays are most known for their role in causing sunburns and skin reddening, but they can also have an effect on your eyes. In fact, this type of UV radiation damages your cornea and lens and has been shown to cause even more damage to vision than UVA rays.

Depending on the frequency and intensity of your exposure to damaging radiation as well as the methods you utilize to protect your eyes, exposure may lead to a number of eye concerns, including:

• Macular degeneration
• Cataracts
• Pterygium
• Cancer of the eyelids
• Corneal sunburn

As eyesight is likely one of your most relied upon senses, it is crucial that you learn proper summer eye care and protect your eyes any time you are in the sun.

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Summer Sun Protection Tips

Most eye care is generally straightforward; however, protecting your eyes involves more than just throwing on your favorite pair of shades. Effective summer sun protection takes intentionality and knowing what to look for to really protect your eyes. Use these sun protection tips recommended by your eye doctor to avoid preventable damage to your eyesight.

Choose Your Sunglasses Carefully

While classy summer shades are a favored accessory for many, don’t just go for style when investing in sunglasses. Rather, look for a pair that is labeled with “100 percent UV protection” or “UV400” to make sure you are getting the right type of protection. Likewise, opt for a larger style with a bit of wrap around to avoid rays penetrating your eyes from the side. If you need help protecting your eyes from the sun, ask your eye doctor for recommendations or have them take a look at your shades.

Wear a Hat in Addition to Sunglasses

In addition to sunglasses with the right UV protection, wear a wide-brimmed hat that will further protect eyes. A hat will block roughly half of the UV rays to which you are exposed. This protection also gives you a better defense against rays that may penetrate above or around your sunglasses. Look for a hat with an effective UV rating to get the most protection.

Avoid Peak Hours

While most people love to soak up the sun’s rays mid-day, this time of day is also when the sun can be the most damaging. If at all possible, avoid sun exposure between 10 AM and 4 PM to protect your eyes from the most aggressive UV rays. In the event that you must be out during the middle of the day, though, always wear protective gear, including sunscreen, and seek shade whenever possible.

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Never Gaze Directly at the Sun

Even with protective eyewear, looking at the sun directly can cause significant damage to your eyesight. The most common type of damage caused by direct sun contact is retinopathy, a form of retina damage caused by solar radiation. The easiest way to protect your eyes is to avoid gazing directly at the sun during the day, including during an eclipse.

Avoid Exposure Even When It’s Cloudy

Many people are fooled by cloudy days. Thinking that the clouds provide protection from the sun’s rays is an easy way to damage your eyes without even realizing it. Don’t be fooled. Practice safe eye care and wear protective sunglasses and a hat even when it is cloudy out.

Your best defense against the sun is knowing the damaging effects of the sun’s rays and wearing the right kind of protection. Use these sun protection tips to maintain your eyesight and avoid as much preventable damage as you can.

With the rush of our daily lives, it’s easy for things to slip your mind. You may forget to take the trash out or to return that phone call from your mom. But one thing you never want to forget is to schedule a vision screening.

It’s natural to have questions before making an appointment for a vision test. Your eye care is important to us, so we answered some of the most common ones for you.

What Does Your Eye Doctor Look for During a Vision Screening?

You may have received a vision screening at work or at school years ago. Maybe you had a visual screening test when you renewed your driver’s license.

This is not the same as a comprehensive eye exam. A screening is usually performed by volunteers, a school nurse, or a DMV employee and will last only a few minutes.

During a vision screening, you will be tested for major problems as quickly as possible. Some things that are tested for include blurred vision and loss of muscle control. This is usually done by reading the letters on an eye chart.

What is the Difference Between a Vision Screening and An Eye Exam?

A vision screening test is intended to identify people with undetected vision problems. During a screening, you will be tested for many things including symptoms of major eye problems, and if the person performing the visual screening foresees any major issues, they will recommend you schedule an appointment with your optometrist or ophthalmologist for further examination.

A comprehensive eye exam, on the other hand, is an in-depth examination performed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. During an eye exam, you will be checked not only for visual acuity and color blindness but also for signs of serious eye problems, like glaucoma and cataracts. Vision problems can be treated if they are detected early.

Early signs of serious health problems can also be detected during your eye exam. These can include high blood pressure as well as the risk of stroke and diabetes. Your doctor will discuss your results and go over any eye care instructions they may have.  

Adults should have comprehensive vision exams every two years. However, if you’re 60 or older you should have your eyes checked once a year to make sure you are seeing as well as you should.

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What is a Cataract Screening?

A cataract screening is usually one part of a comprehensive eye exam. People with a cataract see the world as if they are looking through a foggy window. It can be hard to drive a car or read, and they may become more sensitive to light. Cataracts develop slowly and cloud the lens of the eye over time.

They are the leading cause of vision loss in adults 55 and older. During the visual screening, we will review your symptoms and medical history, and perform a few specialized tests.

These Tests May Include:

Visual Acuity Test – You will be asked to read a line of letters on a chart or through a viewing device. The letters will get smaller the farther down you go. Your eyes will be tested one at a time by covering one eye, then the other. This vision screening test determines your vision at a given distance.

Slit Lamp Examination – A slit lamp is a microscope that uses a bright line of light, or a slit, to allow your doctor to examine the anatomy in the front part of your eye. This allows your eye doctor to look at your cornea, lens, iris, and the area between your cornea and iris.

Factors that Increase Your Risk of Cataracts Include:

• Age
• Diabetes
• Previous eye injury
• Previous eye surgery
• Extreme exposure to sunlight
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Use of certain medications
• High blood pressure
• Excessive alcohol use

A vision screening should be a part of everyone’s regular health routine. Undetected vision problems can lead to issues at work or school. Why take the risk?

Do your eyes a favor and call us today to schedule your vision screening.

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Eye Irritation From Makeup Use

Here’s a question we get asked pretty frequently: Can my use of eye makeup or mascara products affect my vision? As eye doctors, it’s something important to consider for any of our patients that use eye makeup and mascara products.

In short, it’s unlikely that you’ll experience vision problems from using eye makeup – but it is possible. Let’s outline the basics.

Eye Makeup Health Risks

Since everyone’s eye needs and makeup use routines are different, there’s a lot to be aware of. It boils down to: be careful, be clean, and be safe. When it comes to your eyes, you only get one pair, so make sure you take care of them if you use eye makeup!

Below are the top things our eye doctors think you should be careful about.

Contacts

If you wear contacts, it’s entirely possible for your mascara or eye makeup to get into your contacts and ruin the integrity of the lens. This can possibly cause an infection. Make sure you put your contacts in before applying mascara or eye makeup. Be extra aware of the sterility of your hands and lenses.

Scratched Cornea

It’s serious and it’s all too common – scratching the corneas happens when people are not careful when applying mascara. Scratching a cornea can lead to dangerous infections, so make sure to be careful when applying mascara or makeup.

Try to avoid applying eye makeup or mascara in the car – that’s one of the most common places where people will scratch a cornea.

Avoid using mascara that uses fibers to thicken and lengthen the lashes. The fibers may fall into the eye, scratching the cornea.

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Eye Makeup Allergies

If you’re sensitive to certain materials or are known to have allergic reactions, you should always test makeup before putting it on to avoid eye irritation. Some brands will label their makeup as hypoallergenic or ophthalmologist-approved. If you’re having allergic reactions in your eyes to makeup, you should talk to an eye specialist about your options.

Eye Infections And Pink Eye

If you share your makeup with others or don’t clean your makeup brushes, bacteria can grow. This can cause a bacterial infection, such as conjunctivitis, or more commonly known as pink eye.

Make sure not to share your makeup, especially with people who have been around others with bacterial infections.

Also, make sure to properly conceal your makeup when you’re done using it. If you’re using dry makeup, you may be able to sanitize it with alcohol wipes. Be aware that some makeups may dissolve in alcohol.

Leaving Makeup On

Some makeups have non-toxic components, like glitter, that could cause an irritation, especially if it gets into your eyes while you’re sleeping.

We cannot stress this enough – remove your makeup at the end of the night before you sleep. Try not to fall asleep with any makeup on – especially anything near your eyes.

Expired Eye Makeup

A lot of people tend to ignore the expiration dates on their makeup and mascara – but the reason that they’re in place is that makeup tends to have preservatives in it to keep bacteria from building up inside of it. The preservatives do not work after the expiration date. Do not keep expired makeup. The eye irritation is not worth it!

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