Without the sun, humans wouldn't be able to survive. From providing UV rays for plant growth, keeping the planet warm, and making beach vacations beautiful, there's no shortage of benefits to regular sun exposure. But too much of a good thing can quickly become dangerous. More than a few hours of prolonged exposure to UV can lead to significant skin damage, including sun damage, skin cancer, and sunburn. But did you know that there are many ways the sun can also cause damage to your eyes? Macular degeneration, blurred vision, cataracts, snow blindness, temporary vision loss, and cornea vision damage are all side effects of too much exposure to harmful UV rays. Our eyes play a large part in daily activities so proper eye protection is a necessity to maintain optimal eye health. Even if your eyes heal, you shouldn't risk developing eye conditions from the sun and its powerful UVB rays! Keep reading to learn more about how sun damage to your eyes can affect your vision and what steps you can take to keep your risk of developing UV light damage low.

Common Sun Damage to Your Eyes

A short period of direct sunlight on the skin can be beneficial to your overall health. But when it comes to your vision - more risk is involved. The eye is made up of many delicate parts, including the cornea, that needs UV protection from the sun's rays to avoid becoming damaged. Those who spend long hours in the sun can not only increase their chances of developing some eye diseases like cataracts, but they can also develop corneal sunburn, macular degeneration, and even skin cancer of the eyelids. There are some symptoms caused by sun exposure and UV light (like blurry vision or a gritty sensation in the eye) that may only temporarily damage your eyes. However, other eye conditions from UV rays may cause permanent damage. Significant damage isn't limited to UV light from warm outdoor weather. Sun damage can occur during the winter and from an indoor tanning bed too. Tanning beds still emit ultraviolet radiation, like UV A and UV B rays, which still cause eye damage. Light enters through the ozone layer during wintertime, especially at higher altitudes, increasing the chances of developing snow blindness, cataracts, symptoms like cornea issues, and significant eye diseases all year round.

Protect Your Eyes from Sun Damage

The only way to avoid eye conditions from UV light and UV radiation exposure is to regularly wear UV-blocking sunglasses. Wear sunglasses anytime you are going to be in the sun or exposed to UV radiation to maintain clear vision. This is important to remember for those who prefer contact lenses or who take other precautions like wearing a wide-brimmed hat too. Nothing is as beneficial to provide proper UV protection as wearing sunglasses. An eye care specialist will be able to answer any questions you may have regarding your specific symptoms. If you already have vision conditions (like cataracts), it's important to be honest about your current level of daily ultraviolet light exposure with your eye doctor. This will assure you are prescribed the correct treatment so that your eyes can begin to heal. After your eye doctor has determined your prescription, make it a top priority to not only purchase regular glasses but also wear UV-blocking sunglasses every day to protect your vision from the sun. $39DollarGlasses has a great selection of sunglasses and prescription sunglasses to block UV rays for men, women, and kids!

Order Prescription Sunglasses Online from $39DollarGlasses

Protect your vision from the sunlight and its ultraviolet rays by ordering prescription sunglasses online from $39DollarGlasses! $39DollarGlasses was founded by eye doctors who understand how ultraviolet light can damage your eyes. Get started with our ExactFit™ Virtual Try-On technology today to find the perfect pair of sunglasses for you and your family. With hundreds of affordable frames for any style preference or age, at $39DollarGlasses we believe all customers deserve the best treatment no matter their unique symptoms or wear needs. In some cases, your favorite glasses frames can even be re-lensed with UV-blocking sunglass lenses as well. Whether you prefer a transition lens, clip-on UV eye protection, or separate sunglasses visit $39DollarGlasses.com today to browse stylish prescription glasses for every occasion and lifestyle. For more articles on the latest in eyewear and how to maintain optimal vision health, check out our blog here.