Ultraviolet Protection
Another lens treatment that is beneficial but invisible to the naked eye is ultraviolet (UV) protection. Just as we use sunscreen to keep the sun's UV rays from harming our skin, UV treatment in eyeglass lenses blocks those same rays from damaging our eyes. Overexposure to ultraviolet light is thought to be a cause of cataracts, retinal damage and other eye problems.
An ultraviolet treatment is simple and quick to apply to most plastic eyeglass lenses, and it does not change the appearance of the lenses at all. The exception is polycarbonate lenses, which don't need anti-UV treatment because it is an inherent property of the material.
Q: Why should you wear sunglasses that eliminate UV and reduce HEV light?
A: Because of the following
harmful effects of UV and HEV (high energy visible) light exposure and
age-related changes:
1. cataracts-a cloudiness of the lens that is a major cause of visual
impairment
2. pterygium-tissue growth on the white of the eye that can block vision
3. photokeratitis -
temporary sunburn of the cornea
4. cancer of the skin around the eye
5. corneal degenerative changes
6. age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
AMD is the major cause of blindness in the United States for people over age 55. Exposure to UV and intense violet/blue visible radiation (HEV) has been shown damaging to retinal tissue in laboratory experiments, thus scientists have speculated that long-term exposure to sunlight contributes to the aging processes (such as AMD) in the retina.
Q: Isn't UV exposure just a major concern as you get older?
A: No one is immune to the harmful effects of UV exposure. This includes: children who typically spend a great deal of time outdoors, and whose ocular lens is partially transparent to UVA and very much transparent to HEV light. People who spend long hours in the sun because of work or recreation, or those who have certain retinal disorders are also at greater risk.
Q: What factors increase the risk?
A: Any factor that increases sunlight exposure of the eyes will increase the risk for ocular damage from UV radiation. People with less ocular pigmentation (melanin) are also at greater risk.
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