Did you know that your skin is not the only thing that can be sunburned? It’s possible to sunburn your eyes. The technical term for sunburned eyes is photokeratitis. While you’ll likely feel the effects of sunburned eyes for several days, in most cases, you will heal fully. However, if you continually expose your eyes to the sun or other UV light, such as a tanning bed, the long-term damage that occurs from exposure to the UV light is serious. People whose eyes are damaged by the sun and other UV light sources are more prone to developing cataracts, macular degeneration, and other eye issues.
What Are the Symptoms of Photokeratitis?
The symptoms of sunburned eyes are ones you might be able to confuse with other things, like allergies or feeling tired. But if you know you were exposed to a lot of sunlight, or you opened your eyes while in a tanning bed, you should be mindful of the potential for developing photokeratitis. Symptoms include watery eyes, an inability to tolerate bright lights, bloodshot eyes, or feeling as if you have something in your eyes, like a grain of sand.
How to Prevent Sun Damage in Your Eyes
Even though the symptoms of sunburned eyes will normally go away within a few days, the long-term damage can be significant. The longer you are in the sun, or the more often your eyes are exposed to direct sunlight, the more likely you will be to develop conditions like macular degeneration. To protect your eyes, wear eyeglasses that have a UV protective coating and wear sunglasses that block at least 99% of UV rays and wrap around to protect the side of your eyes.
We have full-service optical shops in both Pontiac, MI and Clarkston, MI and carry a wide variety of frames to fit every budget. Our desire is to assure you the best vision possible and your glasses, contact lenses and sunglasses are an important part of that process. We guarantee the quality of our frames and lenses. Contact us at (248) 334-4931 or fill out a Contact Form here.
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