The weather is getting warmer, so what does that mean with respect to our eyes?  Well, I don’t know about you, but when the weather warms, we want to get outside and hit the beach and go for a swim.

 

When heading outside don’t forget your sunglasses and if you are hitting the water your swimming goggles.  (Don’t forget we have prescription swimming goggles for kids 5 and over).

 

Just in case you aren’t already aware ultraviolet (UV) light damage is cumulative to more than our skin it is also damaging to our eyes.  Most of this damage happens before we are 18 years old.  Therefore, it is very important that we get our children wearing sunglasses from as early as possible.

 

Now you might be wondering what are some of the problems that can occur with prolonged UV exposure?  Well, here are a few of the most commonly observed results.

 

Pterygium – where the conjunctiva starts to grow over the cornea (like a wing of tissue over the clear part of the eye)

 

Pingeculi – yellowing of conjunctiva due to hyaline degeneration of the connective tissue due to UV damage.  It can look like yellow bumps on either side of your iris (the coloured bit of your eye).

 

Cataract- where the lens inside your eye becomes cloudy and has to be replaced.

 

Ocular cancers – yes you can get cancers in your eye.  Most commonly you see Basal or Squamous cell carcinomas on the skin of the eyelids around your eyes but you can also get cancers in your eyes too.

 

Hopefully, reading about some of the consequences of UV exposure will make you think about both your own and your child’s eye safety.