Your eyes are 10 times more sensitive to UV than your skin

It is vital to protect your eyes from UV radiation.

Just like our skin, our eyes are susceptible to both the short term and long-term effects of UV rays, the facts don’t lie:
1. Australia has some of the highest levels of UV radiation in the world.
2. Eyes are 10x more sensitive to UV than your skin.
3. Estimated 20% of cataracts and almost 50% of pterygium treated each year is caused by sun exposure.
4. Cataracts is the most performed elective surgery in Australia.

We are urging all of our patients to protect their eyes from long term sun damage with a pair of quality sunglasses and most importantly UV blocking lenses.

Ensuring that your eyes have adequate protection from UV whilst you spend time outdoors with friends and family and enjoy the beauty of our local area is really important to us.  That’s why we recommend sunglasses for all adults and kids as part of our holistic eye care solution – assessing your eyes for UV damage is an essential part of our eye examination. While many people know the risk of UV to their skin, they are unaware of the impact of long-term exposure to UV on their eyes. Sunglasses are so much more than a fashion accessory.

The Skin Cancer Foundations research has shown that the eyes are 10 times more sensitive to UV than your skin. Often people think that being under a tree or wearing a hat is enough to protect them from harmful UV. However, it is crucial to wear quality sunglasses with high UV protection to avoid indirect UV damage from reflections off surfaces such as water, buildings or roads. Direct sunlight can also be more prevalent at this time of year as the sun is lower in the sky especially during the morning and afternoons. Creating an angle that streams direct sunlight into the eye.

40 minutes is all it takes for us to undertake a 360° comprehensive eye consultation. This consultation is the main weapon against avoidable vision loss and blindness by picking up early signs of eye disease so it can be diagnosed and treated.  The 360° eye consultation includes a holistic and extensive eye examination plus advice on health, diet and lifestyle and the latest eyewear solutions for maintaining healthy eyes and vision. 

1. Cancer Council, 2018
2. Australian Skin Cancer Foundation
3. Cancer Council Australia’s National Skin Cancer Committee and reviewed by RANZCO (Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists) 2013
4. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2016-17

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