The hot days are fast approaching. During this period, we need to take special care of our eyes. Failure to protect them from harmful UV radiation is a common cause of conjunctival burns and can even lead to the development of eye diseases such as cataracts and MAD.
Whenever the sun shines, whether we are in the mountains or by the sea, we should take care to protect our eyes. During the summer, UV radiation is particularly intense and therefore the risk to the eyes is greater.
Glasses - which ones should you choose?
The best way to protect your eyes is, of course, glasses. However, not all of them do their job properly. They are often chosen for their appearance rather than their function. It is advisable to check before purchasing that the spectacles have the correct UV filters and safety certificates (European safety standards are indicated by the abbreviation CE).
- The wrong spectacles can have the opposite effect to the one desired. Dark glasses restrict the light entering the eyes, causing the pupils to dilate and catch even more ultraviolet radiation. Tinted glasses without the right parameters can therefore prove dangerous for the eyes, says Dr Anna Maroszyńska-Wojnowska of the Lexummedica eye clinic in Krakow.
The colour of the glasses is also not without significance. Brown, grey and blue lenses work best on strong sunny days. Orange, yellow, light green and pink lenses, on the other hand, are best on cloudy days (low light levels) and in artificial lighting.
photo ojoimages
The wrong choice can mean conjunctival burn...
The consequences of careless eyewear selection are usually unpleasant. One of the most common consequences is sunburn of the conjunctiva. This manifests itself mainly through redness, tearing, itching and burning of the eyes. Fortunately, this condition can be treated on its own, e.g. with compresses of strong tea or eyebright or special eye drops. This condition usually takes 48 to 72 hours to heal.
Dangerous free radicals promote the formation of MAD
If you do not protect yourself from the sun, you can also expose your eyes to even more serious conditions than conjunctival burns. Staying in the sun for long periods of time dries out the eyes and leads to the formation of so-called free radicals.
- Free radicals are chemical molecules that circulate through the human body and damage the delicate structure of eye cells. The most vulnerable to their effect are the delicate walls of the capillaries that nourish the retina, explains Dr Anna Maroszyńska-Wojnowska from the eye clinic. - When the delicate structure of the retina and optic nerve is exposed to free radicals, it is unable to regenerate effectively and this can lead, among other things, to cataracts and MAD, she adds.
