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Summer Eye Safety

Here at Drs. Gibson, Gibson & Moore, we want to help you keep your eyes safe and make sure you know why it’s important to keep them safe. Summer is when most people like to spend time outdoors doing fun activities to cool off, so this season make sure to think about the protection of your eyes. The UV rays not protected by the ozone layer are called UV-A and UV-B. UV-A can affect your overall vision since it harms the macula, which is located at the back of your eye and is your central vision. UV-B affects the cornea and lens of your eye, which can in turn, be more harmful than UV-A.

In a short amount of time, if one’s eyes are exposed to too much of the sun’s UV rays, one can develop a “sunburn” on their eyes called photokeratitis. This is a temporary condition and symptoms include the feeling of something stuck in your eye, red eyes and extreme sensitivity to light. Over time, too much exposure to the sun’s UV rays can be harmful and lead to cataracts or macular degeneration. Cataracts creates cloudy vision and can continue to increase poor vision over time. Macular degeneration is a condition that can lead to blindness when you are older and affects more men than women. It’s one of the leading causes for vision loss, which is why sunglasses are so important to your eye safety.

It’s pretty easy to protect your eyes from these harmful rays. Make sure when you buy a new pair of sunglasses that they provide protection against UV-A and UV-B rays. They are usually labeled as UV400 or 100 percent UV protection. For added protection, during a long day at the beach or on a boat ride at a lake, wear a hat. Don’t forget about the kids either! If their sunglasses fall off their face constantly while playing on the beach or doing fun activities outdoors to cool off, try getting goggles. They will stay on and your kids will be protected from the sun, sand and everything else. Even if it’s cloudy out, it doesn’t protect you from UV rays.

Have a fun a safe summer from all of us here at Drs. Gibson, Gibson & Moore! Don’t forget to visit us for all your Lubbock eye care needs.

Drs. Gibson, Gibson & Moore

Author Drs. Gibson, Gibson & Moore

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