Every summer, we’re reminded how important it is to slather on sunblock when headed outdoors. Ultraviolet radiation — high-energy invisible light rays emitted by the sun — can wreak havoc on unprotected skin, and the longer you’re sunbathing, the higher the likelihood that you’ll incur a bad sunburn. Though sunburns “may seem like just a temporary irritation,” the Skin Cancer Foundation reports, sunburns “can cause long-lasting damage to the skin” and significantly elevate your risk of developing skin cancer.
But your skin isn’t the only sun-sensitive part of the body. Take a moment to consider the health of your eyes before you next head outdoors. Our eyes are home to our most dominant sense — sight — and as such they are complex, light-sensitive organs. Composed of several delicate structures, it’s entirely possible for the eyes to incur injury not so different from a sunburn of the skin.
[See: 9 Surprising Facts About Sunscreen.]
Dr. John Hovanesian, an ophthalmologist with Harvard Eye Associates in Laguna Hills, California, says “we don’t usually use the term ‘sunburn,’ but the eye’s sensitive outer structures are susceptible to both short-term and long-term damage from the sun. In the short term, the white of the eye (conjunctiva) can become very red and irritated. The cornea can suffer from photokeratitis, sometimes called a welder’s flash burn or snow blindness. This causes pain and foggy vision for a number of hours, and it may occur many hours after exposure to the sun.” Also sometimes called ultraviolet keratitis when caused by overexposure to sunlight, this painful condition can also occur after exposure to artificial light sources such as the electric arc that comes from a welding torch, when it may be called corneal flash burn.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology describes the cornea as “the clear front window of the eye.” The cornea sits over the pupil and the iris, the colored parts of the eye, and focuses light into your eye. But too much light can damage it, just like too much sun on your skin can damage skin cells causing a sunburn.
“In the longer term, sunburned eyes can form pterygium or pinguecula, which are non-cancerous growths that are unsightly and cause irritation to the eye, sometimes requiring surgery to correct and sometimes causing permanent damage to vision,” Hovanesian says. Also sometimes called surfer’s eye, these growths result from long-term exposure to wind, dust and UV light from the sun, the AOA reports. Pinguecula often appear as a yellowish patch or bump on the conjunctiva, often on the inner side of the eye closer to the nose. A pterygium is a fleshy-looking growth that may extend from the conjunctiva to the cornea. When it becomes large enough, a pterygium can impede vision.
The good news, is “sunburn of the eyes is not that common,” says Dr. Allison Babiuch, an ophthalmologist at the Cleveland Clinic. “But it certainly can happen. What’s worse, is that with extended exposure, “you can also have damage to the back of the eye,” to a structure called the retina. The retina is a film of tissue along the back side of the eyeball that contains millions of light-sensitive cells and nerve cells that receive and organize visual information. This information is then forwarded to the optic nerve, which passes it onto the brain, which enables you to interpret what you’re seeing.
The retina is delicate and “can get damaged from direct sunlight exposure,” but you have to work to get this sort of damage, called solar retinopathy. “It can happen if you’re staring right at the sun,” which is why we’re cautioned to wear special glasses or take other precautions when viewing a solar eclipse. During an eclipse, the sun can still damage the retina, even though it might not hurt as much as staring directly at a full sun.
“The retina cannot regenerate by itself,” Babiuch explains. So solar retinopathy can result in permanent blindness. The cornea, on the other hand, can regenerate and can typically recover from damage incurred from too much exposure to UV radiation.
What Are the Symptoms of Sunburned Eyes?
Hovanesian says that photokeratitis can cause “pain that feels like sand in the eye and foggy vision.” Other symptoms may include:
— Redness and inflammation of the white part of the eyes.
— Blurry vision or seeing halos.
— Tearing or watering of the eyes.
— Swelling.
— Sensitivity to bright light.
— Headache.
— Contracted pupils.
— Eyelid twitching.
— Temporary blindness.
The longer the exposure, the worse the symptoms are likely to be, the AOA reports.
Babiuch says that sunburn of the eyes can feel similar to a scratched cornea, and in some ways, the two conditions are quite similar. Sunburn to the cornea is “a lot of tiny micro insults to the cornea,” and this can lead to pain, watering of the eyes, blurred vision and the feeling that “there’s a foreign body in the eye. It’s a gritty sensation,” she says.
[See: 13 Foods That Do Your Eyes Good.]
How Long Does It Take Sunburned Eyes to Heal?
Damage to the eyes tends to resolve fairly quickly. “Short-term damage, such as photokeratitis or inflammation of the white of the eye, resolves in hours to days on its own,” Hovanesian says. However, “longer-term damage, such as pingueculum or pterygium, may never resolve without surgery.”
How Are Sunburned Eyes Treated?
Babiuch says “there are things you can do to make yourselves more comfortable while waiting for it to resolve.” These include:
— Applying a cold compress to the eyes. “A cold wash cloth over the eyes can reduce pain and swelling,” she says.
— Using artificial gel teardrops or a lubricating ointment. This can reduce the gritty or sandy feeling in the eye.
— Taking over-the-counter pain medications. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium can help reduce inflammation and irritation in the eye.
— Avoiding further sunlight exposure. “Don’t worsen your existing injury,” she says.
Who’s at Risk of Sunburned Eyes?
Anyone who ever ventures outside is technically at risk of developing photokeratitis, but people who spend time on or near water or in snowy locations are more likely to have the higher exposure to brighter light that’s associated with photokeratitis — more light reflects off of water and bright white surfaces and that can lead to trouble.
“People who are taking certain kinds of medications that increase photosensitivity may be at higher risk,” Babiuch says. “The warning label on the medication should indicate if the medication increases photosensitivity.” Common culprits include oral contraceptives, certain psoriasis medications, some antibiotics, antihistamines and medications that contain high levels of Vitamin A, such as certain acne medications.
“The other thing that could put you at higher risk is being at a higher elevation,” Babiuch says. “At higher elevations, the atmosphere is thinner, so there’s less blockage of the sunlight and that increases exposure for people who are up in the mountains. Especially if it’s snowy, you might not think about getting sunburned, but that’s where you can really get photokeratitis,” she says. Therefore skiers, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts playing or working at higher elevations should take extra precautions with their eyes.
And Babiuch adds that just because it’s cloudy, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re safe. “Even on a cloudy day, you should still be limiting sun exposure and wearing sunglasses, especially when you’re out in snowy and icy conditions and when you’re driving. The windows of cars don’t block all the UV radiation — you can get a suntan while you’re driving — so wearing sunglasses in the car is a good move.” Although you still want to get some sunlight every day — sunlight on the skin is how the body makes Vitamin D, and sunlight exposure has been associated with a variety of mental and physical health benefits — but you want to do so responsibly, in moderation.
She also notes that although they tend to be rare, it is possible to develop cancer in and around the eye, and too much exposure to UV radiation has been associated with these types of cancers. UV exposure has also been shown to worsen macular degeneration.
[See: Easy Ways to Protect Your Aging Brain.]
How to Prevent Sunburn of the Eyes
Sunglasses don’t just look cool. They can actually keep your eyes healthier and prevent sunburn. ” Sunglasses are key” for preventing sunburn of the eyes, Babiuch says, but not all sunglasses are created equal. “Look for ones that block out the UV rays.” These may be labeled as blocking 100% of UV rays or listed as UV-400. Hovanesian says you should also look for wrap-around designs to help block light entering from the sides. And you should wear these glasses whenever you’re outside, “even on cloudy days,” because UV rays can penetrate clouds.
Babiuch cautions that just because the lens color may be darker, that doesn’t mean the glasses will block UV rays or that they’re a better option. “Lighter colored lenses can work just as well, you just have to look for the label on it” that indicates how much of the UV light spectrum the lenses block.
In addition to sunglasses, there are other ways to shade your eyes from the worst the sun can offer. “Wear a hat with a brim to reduce light further. When skiing, always wear goggles that have a UV rating (most do), even on cloudy days,” Hovanesian says. Babiuch adds that limiting sun exposure, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the sun is strongest, can also help you avoid trouble.
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How to Prevent Sunburned Eyes originally appeared on usnews.com
