UV Eye Protection & Eyewear Time!

“It is that time of year to remember to maximize your UV eye protection with the selection of proper eyewear,” noted Leslie Doctor, M.D., a Fairfield County eye specialist with offices in Norwalk, Westport & Wilton, CT. “May has been designated as Ultraviolet (UV) Eye Protection Awareness Month, so we thought it would timely to comment on UV protective eyewear and precautions people should take,” commented Dr. Leslie Doctor. “The summer months are a great time to be outdoors-walking, hiking, swimming-going to the beach-and just enjoying our the southern Connecticut coastal areas. With more exposure to the sun and ultraviolet or UV rays on a daily basis, we need to be reminded to use proper UV eye protection”, remarked Dr. Doctor. 

We all know the potential damage that sunlight and ultraviolet (UV) radiation can cause to skin. Most people do not know or appreciate that ultraviolet light (UV) can also cause significant damage to eye health and vision. Exposure to UV has been linked to many eye problems and in some instances is thought to quicken the onset of eye diseases such as cataract, age related macular degeneration (AMD), certain cancers on the delicate skin around the eye, Pterygia-a growth of white tissue on the surface of the eye-and even Photokeratitis, a type of sunburn of the cornea. “One of the most concerning aspects of UV eye damage and injury is that it is cumulative and often doesn’t become noticeable to patients for many years,” noted Dr. Doctor. 

Some precautions regarding UV eye protection include: 

• Always wear sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays. Sunglasses without UV protection may shade the eyes but actually cause the pupils to dilate, allowing in even more harmful rays. 
• Wear a brimmed hat along with sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays. 
• Choose wrap-around sunglasses to protect the eyes and the skin around the eyes. 
• Be aware that although some contact lenses may offer UV protection, they cannot protect the entire eye and the skin around it. 
• Choose sunglasses made of unbreakable polycarbonate, especially for children and for those who lead active lifestyles. 
• Be sure to ask your doctor about the photosensitizing side effects of any medications that you might take.
• Always wear eye protection when using a tanning bed. According the American Academy of Ophthalmology, tanning beds can produce UV levels up to 100 times more than the sun, which can cause serious damage to the external and internal structures of the eye and eyelids. 

Today we have wide range of UV protecting eyeglass lenses available to choose from. Eye protection from UV needs to be complete but doesn’t have to be overly expensive. High quality sunglasses should block out 99-100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation. It is also important to have UV protection in everyday eyewear, which is readily available with a number of UV blocking eyeglass lens materials, specialized coatings and photochromic lenses. 

Patients visiting Doctor & Associates can speak with our Eyewear at Willows Opticians staff who will be able to provide the proper counseling and fitting of UV protecting lenses and eyewear. These eye care professionals can offer a wide variety of UV blocking lenses, coatings and color changing lenses to keep you safe.

If you or someone you know has a question or concerns about ultraviolet (UV) eye damage and injury and how to select protective eyewear please feel free to call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates or facebook.com/doctorandassociates to schedule an appointment. 

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice providing eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and management of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services. For those patients in need of eye surgery, as a founding member of the Wilton Surgery Center, Doctor & Associates eye surgeons are able to provide eye surgery in a convenient, close to home and cost effective ambulatory surgery center.

Whatever your eye care, eye health or vision correction needs might be-Doctor & Associates can serve as a Connecticut ophthalmic consultant and will be conveniently located for patients from Fairfield County and southern Connecticut including Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Cannondale, Aspetuck, Redding, Trumbull, Shelton, Monroe, Darien, Glenbrook and Ridgefield Connecticut.