Vision Sun Damage Can be Stopped!

Unless you have been living under a rock, you probably know that Anderson Cooper went blind last week after spending a few hours out on the water in Portugal when his eyes became sunburned. Granted, he was only without his sight for 36 hours.

How does this happen? According to Cooper, it was overcast that day and he was only on the water for two hours. News flash: clouds do not stop UV rays! When reflecting off water or snow those rays magnify up to 10x normal strength. Eyeballs are particularly susceptible to UVA and UVB rays. Then, place a person in places of extreme sunlight (i.e. the beach, lakes, snow) and the risk escalates.

Cooper burned his retina, which temporary blindness is a common side effect.  That isn’t the only risk though. Those who do not wear sunglasses are more prone to get cataracts later in life.  Also, a person could get growths on the eye or skin cancer of the eyelids. If you have redness, irritation, tearing, blurry vision, and a feeling of sand in the eye (and have spent some time in the sun) you might want to get checked out.

But remember, this is 100% preventable. By wearing a lens that blocks 100% of UV rays, you are ensuring optical protection. Dr Tavel Purifier Polarized Lenses will keep your eyes safe. These aren’t just for hot, sunny, summer days. Your eyes are not safe in the winter – sports goggles and ski goggles can be fitted with Purifier Polarized Lenses to keep your eyes safe. If you have any questions at all, or want to learn more about protecting your eyes from the sun, visit one of Dr Tavel’s 20 locations.