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UV Damage To The Eyes – Why You Should Wear Sunglasses
People usually have some understanding of the damage that continuous and frequent exposure to the sun can have on the skin, but they do not always consider the effects on the eyes. Light contains invisible wavelengths that can also cause eventual damage to the eyes. These waves can be divided into visible and high energy visible (HEV) light that cause ultra violet (UV) damage if you don’t protect your eyes.
Visible light is the portion that gives the perception of colour to the eye and HEV is the upper end of the spectrum in the violet blue band approaching ultraviolet. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays can cause UV damage and have effects later in life that may lead to macular degeneration.
Ultraviolet light waves are electromagnetic radiation that is found to be stronger in higher altitudes or in open highly reflective environments such as snow, water and sand. These ultraviolet rays can be divided into three types of light, UVA, UVB and UVC. While most are aware that excessive exposure to ultraviolet waves leads to sunburn, there are other damaging effects to health that may occur, particularly to the eyes.
UVA (also known as longwave or black light) penetrates the skin and eyes and may cause premature aging. It has also been linked with eyestrain and fatigue in the short term.
UVB (also known as medium wave light) is the most damaging of the sun’s rays and is known to be a factor in retinal damage and the development of cataracts. Ultraviolet B waves are also associated with other problems that can lead to eye disease and possibly blindness.
Ultraviolet waves of the C subtype (also known as shortwave or germicidal light) are not a particular problem to the eyes, as they are mostly absorbed by the outer atmosphere before it reaches the earth. UVC radiation is usually found in artificial sources such as germicidal light and mercury arc lamps.
Do not forget when buying sunglasses to look for those with 99-100% protection against UV damage. The lower amount of protection is most likely when purchasing photochromic lenses that would need a certain amount of ultraviolet waves to operate adequately.
It is not all bad news, of course some exposure is certainly beneficially to health. All that people should understand is that moderation of exposure to ultraviolet waves should be observed for health purposes.
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