INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Cataracts, other growths and some cancers are directly related to UV exposure.
The next time you head to the drugstore to buy sunscreen, don't forget to pick up some sunglasses, too
That's because both products work to protect your body from the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays.Wearing sunglasses for protection should not
be reserved for sunny summer days, says Dianna Seldomridge, spokeswoman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and practicing eye doctor
There's UV light on cloudy days and during other seasons of the year -- anytime it's daytime
"It's important to protect your eyes all year round," she says.What's the harm Cataracts, other growths and some cancers are directly
related to UV exposure.Americans are perhaps better versed about the risks of skin cancer from too much sun on unprotected skin than they
are about the risks to the eye
The underlying process is the same, says Albert Jun, an ophthalmologist at Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute
In human tissues - whether skin or eye - he says: "UV light causes oxidative stress
It plays a role in the aging process and in disease processes."Cataracts occur with normal aging - the lens of your eye gradually turns
They can cause your vision to be blurry or doubled, and can lead you to have difficulty seeing at night
When severe impairments of vision result, cataract surgery may be recommended
More than 3 million Americans undergo the surgery each year.Cataracts progress slowly, Jun says
"A 40-year-old will have some evidence of cataract, but it doesn't affect vision." Fifty percent of white Americans have cataracts in their
late 70s; Hispanic Americans and African Americans have somewhat lower prevalences: 45 and 40 percent, respectively, according to the
National Eye Institute.So age is the main risk factor, and research has implicated exposure to the sun's UV rays as another
"UV exposure increases your risk of getting more advanced cataracts, or cataracts at earlier ages," Jun says
In other words, you might get cataracts in your 40s or 50s instead of your 70s or 80s.People living near the equator or at high altitudes
"There's regional susceptibility and genetic susceptibility," Jun says
Other risk factors for cataracts include smoking and diabetes.In addition, some evidence suggests UV light has more effect on the eyes in
early life, childhood and into your 20s
The public health message to protect eyes from the sun is appropriate for all ages, but perhaps it should be aimed especially at the
young.Other eye conditions are related to UV exposure, including the noncancerous growths known as pinguecula and pterygium
The former is a yellow spot or bump on the white of the eye, and the latter, also known as surfer's eye, is a fleshy growth that can spread
to the cornea and affect vision
These growths are related to UV exposure, as well as frequent exposure to dust and wind.Age-related macular degeneration has been associated
with UV exposure, though the evidence for this relationship is weaker
Seldomridge says the data are "very mixed."Damage from sunlight and its UV rays accumulates, Seldomridge says
"It's a lifetime risk," she says
She recommends parents teach their children to wear sunglasses and hats when they're outside.There's no need to buy expensive sunglasses
Look for shades that are labeled full UV protection, or protects against UVA and UVB, or "UV 400," which means it blocks light at
wavelengths up to 400 nanometers (which covers both UVA and UVB rays)."Darker lenses don't necessarily offer more protection
The color of the lens doesn't matter," Seldomridge says, adding that what matters is whether they're labeled UV protection
Sunglasses do not wear out, with regard to UV protection, unless they're damaged or scratched, she says.Think about coverage, though
"I tell all my patients: Large sunglasses or wraparound sunglasses are best," Seldomridge says
More coverage means more protection from light getting in.Are there alternatives to sunglasses What about a baseball cap "A baseball cap
gives some protection, but sunglasses are better," Jun says
He advises wearing sunglasses when you're outside doing yard work
In addition to UV protection, you'll be protecting your eyes from debris thrown by the lawn mower or from a branch while pruning.Your car's
windshield does block UV rays, but the car door window may not
Indeed, some studies have noted cataracts being more common in people's left eyes than right, presumably from time spent driving.So wear
Not just for fashion, but for your eye health.(This story has not been edited by TheIndianSubcontinent staff and is auto-generated from a
