As with most medical matters, the two most important questions are generally 1) what causes it and 2) how to treat it. Afflictions of the eye are no different. Because eyes are very sensitive compared to other organs, and because they serve such a vital purpose to your functionality, special care should be taken to ensure your eyes are safe and healthy.
You might not have known that the sun – the exact thing we need to be able to see at all when outdoors – can actually damage your eyes over time. What exactly does this mean, and how can you prevent it? Keep reading to learn more.
How Does the Sun Affect Your Eyes?
Light is the fuel that makes your eyes function. When we are outside, sunlight fills that role. As the light enters your eye, it is refracted towards your retina, which allows your brain to interpret what you are seeing.
However, despite its necessity, sunlight can actually damage your eyes if you are overexposed or underprotected. The UVA and UVB rays emitted by the sun are immensely powerful, and especially under prolonged exposure, these rays have been linked to various degenerative eye conditions such as:
- Cataracts – the crystallization of the lens of the eye over time
- Keratitis – the burning of the cornea, part of the refractive system of your eye
- Macular degeneration – the gradual fatigue of the macula, the point to which light is refracted
- Skin Cancer – development of cancer in the eyelid and surrounding skin
Your eye is an excellent filter of harmful rays in the majority of cases, but when repeated, unprotected exposure occurs, these ailments can appear.
Is Eye Damage Treatable?
Some of the afflictions that involve your eyes can be treated or heal on their own. Common deficiencies such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism can generally be treated with corrective lenses prescribed by your eye doctor.
Even minor trauma to the eye is treatable – minor cuts and damage to your eye that occurs as a result of physical contact will generally heal if treated promptly and properly.
However, damage to your eyes that results from sun exposure is, unfortunately, not easily treatable. The retina, cornea, and macula generally remain permanently damaged when overexposed to UV light. On the bright side, this kind of damage is easy to avoid, and the risk can be largely eliminated with simple preventive measures.
How to Protect Against Sun Damage
The best thing you can do for your eyes is wear eye protection. This can take several forms, depending on the situation:
- When outside, wear UV-blocking sunglasses. Make sure they cover your eyes completely, along with the surrounding areas.
- When working for long hours on a laptop, wear blue light filtering glasses. These will help reduce eye fatigue and prevent damage to your eyes from constant light exposure.
- If working in a dangerous or labor-intensive role, safety glasses or goggles are absolutely necessary to protect against blunt trauma to your eyes.
Other protective measures include wearing a hat to block sun from your face and never looking directly towards the sun – especially during solar events such as an eclipse.
Finally, regular check-ups with your eye doctor are an easy and recommended way to ensure your eyes are healthy and working properly. Your eye care specialist will be able to identify any signs of abnormalities and instruct treatment if necessary.
Schedule a Visit with Complete Eye Care of Medina
To ensure the healthy future of your eyesight, visit Complete Eye Care of Medina. We take a one-on-one approach to your eye health. During a visit to our clinic, a professional eye doctor will evaluate the health of your eyes and your current vision through a comprehensive eye exam. For our patients, we offer comfortable, easy testing that allows us to evaluate your risk for eye conditions such as macular degeneration and other afflictions. Contact us today and schedule your visit: completeeyecareofmedina.com.
FAQs
The eyes can heal after sun damage, but they may experience some vision changes. Many eye problems caused by sun damage are cumulative, meaning they result from repeated and consistent sun damage over many years. Cataracts, pterygium, and macular degeneration are treatable, but will not resolve on their own.
Can your eyes heal from sun damage? ›
Though sun damage can have dire consequences for your eye health, it is not always permanent. Your eyes can heal if the only damage they sustain is mild photokeratitis, which will diminish after a short period of time with immediate decreased exposure to UV light.
Can your eyes heal from damage? ›
Even minor trauma to the eye is treatable – minor cuts and damage to your eye that occurs as a result of physical contact will generally heal if treated promptly and properly. However, damage to your eyes that results from sun exposure is, unfortunately, not easily treatable.
Can the sun heal your eyes? ›
Good 'ol sunshine helps the human body produce Vitamin D, which plays an important role in slowing down the aging process and improving your vision. Eyes that lack exposure to natural light tend to look dull and lifeless, not to mention develop photophobia, which is extreme sensitivity to sunshine.
How long does it take for eyes to heal from sun? ›
In most cases, the symptoms tend to resolve within 24 to 72 hours. However, if the eyes were severely affected or there was extreme exposure to UV radiation, it could take several days to a week for a full recovery. During this time, it's crucial to provide proper care and avoid further exposure to the sunlight.
Can you completely reverse sun damage? ›
While medical professionals cannot reverse the effects of sun damage entirely, there are treatments that can help with collagen production, skin turnover, improvements in the appearance of dark spots and more. These include: Topical treatments containing retinol.
Can you reverse eye damage? ›
There's usually little you or your optometrist can do to reverse the damage already done to the eye. It's always better to prevent damage than try to cure it, and maintaining a healthy diet is a meaningful way to protect your vision health.
Can a damaged eye be repaired? ›
Some conditions that involve eye damage or vision damage can be reversed while others can't. That's why it's so important to see an eye doctor often to monitor the health of your eyes and your vision. We can detect problems before they become severe and make you blind.
Will my eye repair itself? ›
Most injuries to the eye are minor and will heal by themselves. But if the object isn't removed, it can cause infection or scarring. If the surface of the eye is scratched it may not heal and an ulcer may form.
Can I heal my eyes naturally? ›
Can you fix your vision without glasses? You can't heal or fix a nearsighted or farsighted eye, according to Dr. Natasha Herz, clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Treatment options to repair damaged skin include retinoids, lightening agents, chemical peels, laser skin resurfacing, dermabrasion and fillers.
How fast do eyes heal? ›
Your cornea may become slightly scratched if a small object gets into your eye – for instance, if you get a grain of sand under an eyelid or under a contact lens. Minor superficial scratches on the cornea will usually heal by themselves within two to three days.
Can the sun heal you? ›
Doctors have recommended UV radiation exposure to treat things like psoriasis, acne, jaundice, and eczema. So before you run out and start lathering your face with creams and wipes, give the sun a chance to play doctor. Finally, it's important to note that we do recommend sunscreen.
Can my eyes heal from sun damage? ›
The eyes can heal after sun damage, but they may experience some vision changes. Many eye problems caused by sun damage are cumulative, meaning they result from repeated and consistent sun damage over many years. Cataracts, pterygium, and macular degeneration are treatable, but will not resolve on their own.
How long does it take to recover from sun damage? ›
How long does the damage take to repair? Once they're formed, the half-life of DNA defects is 20-30 hours, depending on the efficiency of your own DNA-repair machinery. That means it takes 20-30 hours for your cells to repair even half the damage.
What does retinal damage look like? ›
Seeing floating specks or cobwebs. Blurred or distorted vision in which straight lines can look wavy. Defects in the side vision.
Does sun blindness go away? ›
Most cases of sun blindness are temporary and will pass with time. But, in rare cases, a person can experience permanent vision loss. Sun blindness may also be associated with other eye conditions like cataracts, which can be attributed to too much sun exposure.
Can your eyes heal from blue light damage? ›
If research proves that blue light damages the retina and macula, the eye conditions that develop as a result are generally irreversible. Treatments can only delay vision impairments or improve vision to only some extent and stop these eye conditions from worsening.
Is sunburned eyes permanent? ›
Reddy advises seeing an ophthalmologist right away if you experience any of these symptoms after being out in the sun. If your eyes become infected, the cornea can scar over and become opaque, permanently affecting your sight. If you avoid infection, photokeratitis usually clears up on its own in a few days.
