Too much sun exposure won’t just make you see spots temporarily, but there may be permanent side effects if you’re not careful. Although wearing sunglasses is the best way for you to shield your eyes, sometimes people still get eye damage. But what kind of damage can be caused by too much sun? Let’s take a closer look.
Photokeratitis
Although this condition is usually temporary, it’s not something that you want to expose your eyes to. Photokeratitis is a condition that causes the cornea to swell, which can result in redness, tearing, blurred vision, light sensitivity, or pain in the eyes.
Pinguecula
This next eye condition causes a white or yellow bump on the conjunctiva. Usually, patients with this condition live in areas that are near the beach, in the desert, or other sunny areas. Although this eye condition doesn’t go away on its own, it can usually be treated with some prescription strength eye drops and after an eye exam.
Macular Degeneration
One of the more severe eye diseases that’s caused by too much sun exposure is macular degeneration. When the center of the retina (the macula) is exposed to to much sun damage, it can begin to change which can result in changes in vision like blurred vision, blank spaces in vision, and even blindness.
What Can I Do to Avoid These?
There are several things that we encourage our patients to do to avoid eye damage including:
- Wearing sunglasses
- Wearing a large brimmed hat
- Coming into our office for regular eye exams
- Avoid being out in the sun during prime hours between 10 am and 4 pm
If you want to keep your eyes safe and protected from sun damage and eye diseases, then make sure that you don’t leave the house without sunglasses on.
To learn more about how you can take better care of your vision, contact our Clarkston or Pontiac offices and all (248) 334-4931.
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