By Joe Schneiderhan, O.D., Optometrist
The sun – we love it and look forward to seeing it in the spring and after a string of cloudy days. Like all things, moderation is key. Sunlight provides an excellent source of vitamin D, but too much sun can cause your skin to burn. Likewise, your eyes can handle some time in the sun without sunglasses, yet too much of the sun’s UV exposure has negative effects on your eyes and vision.
Sunlight is made up of two types of harmful rays, long wave ultraviolet A (UV-A) and short wave ultraviolet B (UV-B). Everyone is different, so there is no magic time limit. The amount of pigment in our skin and eyes determine the amount of natural protection we have.
Did you know your eyes can actually get sunburned? Excessive exposure to UV rays have short- and long-term consequences to your sight, which can be prevented.