If you spend a lot of time outdoors, you may develop certain eye conditions. Just like your skin gets sunburn if you don’t protect it, your eyes are also vulnerable to it (when you don’t protect them).
Our eyes have a clear outer layer (the cornea) that protects them from rays. But more exposure to the sun can damage that. UV light, snow, and water can also burn our corneas if we don’t protect our eyes with sunglasses. As a result, you may start experiencing pain in your eyes. You can even get a headache if you don’t pay attention to it early.
Here, we’re discussing some common vision issues caused by sunburn and what you can do to protect yourself.
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Cataracts
This condition causes blurry, cloudy vision. It also reduces your night vision. It usually attacks elderly adults, and studies show that over 50% of Americans who are older than 80 have this condition. Exposure to sunlight without adequate protection can worsen cataract development. If things get to that level, only surgery then becomes a viable solution.
A reliable Port Melbourne optometrist can suggest ways to replace the natural lenses in your eyes with artificial ones. It’s always better to protect your eyes than to pursue treatment, as it is costly and has far-reaching consequences.
Cancer
Cancer can attack any part of your body, and eyelids are no exception. Most people don’t even consider this a possibility, but it is happening on a huge scale.
This kind of cancer completely changes your facial appearance. People suffering from this also lose their eyelashes, not to mention the spots on their eyelids that keep irritating them.
Macular degeneration is also a form of cancer, which is way more serious than normal vision problems. It can cause blurry vision and even permanent vision loss if not treated promptly.
Growths on Eyes
Growths on the eyes are bumps that cause constant irritation and, in some cases, vision changes. One type of bump is a pinguecula, which can appear right inside or outside of the eyelid. It can be white or yellow and contain fat. The more it grows, the higher the chances of inflammation and eye redness.
Pterygium is another growth (also called the surfer’s eyes). It’s a bump that starts on the conjunctiva and moves all the way to the cornea. If not treated promptly, it can grow much larger, cover the entire cornea, and cause psychological distress as well.
Macular Degeneration
It’s an eye disease that completely blurs your central vision. It damages the central part of the retina, making it extremely difficult to read or recognize different faces. It has two forms, namely dry AMD and wet AMD. 80% of cases are linked with dry AMD. It happens when the light-sensitive cells in the macula slowly break down (and are replaced by tiny yellow deposits).
The wet AMB is less common but far more severe. It happens when abnormal blood vessels grow beneath the retina and start leaking blood.
When the sun can trigger so many issues, it’s better to take every measure to protect your eyes. Carelessness here can lead to consequences nobody wants in their lives.
