UV RISK FACTORS
~ Vision Expert Available
to Discuss the Importance of proper UV Protection for
the Eyes ~
October 2011
Washington, D.C. – Many consumers
may know that shielding their eyes from damaging UV
rays is important. But they may not be aware that they
can be more susceptible to UV eye damage based on the
color of their eyes or that their children are more
at risk due to their age and the amount of UV they are
exposed to.
As we enter fall, it’s natural
to think there’s less risk of UV damage from the sun,
but many people have factors that put their eyes at
greater risk of damage from the sun’s rays year round.
The Vision Council has an expert available to discuss
factors that put people’s eyes at greater risk of damage
from UV exposure. Risk factors include:
-
Age: Children receive three times the annual
sun exposure of adults. And a child’s lens cannot
filter out UV rays, so more radiation actually reaches
the retina. At the same time, decades of sun exposure
make older people’s eyes much more prone to visual
problems and disease.
-
Eye color: The color of the iris appears
to play a role, with some studies suggesting that
blue eyes are at higher risk for UV damage than
brown eyes. Light-colored eyes are most frequently
found in people of Northern European origin, where
there is less natural exposure to UV radiation.
In contrast, brown eye color tends to be dominant
in those originating from regions where year-round
exposure to sunlight is greater. An increased risk
of ocular melanoma has been found in those with
blue, green or grey iris colors.
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