Summer just wouldn't be summer without spending some time in the sun or watching a great fireworks display on the Fourth of July. But without precaution and protection, these mainstays of summer can be harmful to your eyes.
The American Optometric Association (AOA) warns outdoor enthusiasts about photokeratitis - an eye condition much like sunburn to the skin. The symptoms cause the eyes to get red, tear excessively and have an uncomfortable sensation like that of something being in the eye. Photokeratitis is temporary and rarely causes permanent damage.
Long-term sun exposure can, however, cause more serious damage. Exposing eyes to the sun in small amounts over a period of years can increase the chances of developing cataracts and damage to the retina. These conditions are irreversible.
It is especially important for children, who may spend much of their summer vacation outdoors, to wear eye protection. Even the very young should have eye protection when outdoors.
Wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat or cap are excellent prescriptions for protecting one's eyes while soaking up the sunshine. AOA recommends that to be effective, sunglasses must:
* block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation;
* screen out 75 to 90 percent of visible light; and
* be perfectly matched in color and free of distortion and imperfection.
Neutral gray lenses are the best for maintaining color perception.
Consumers should look for lenses that have been awarded the AOA Seal of Acceptance for Non-Prescription Sunglasses or Ultraviolet Absorbers/Blockers, providing substantial protection of the eye from naturally occurring environmental UV radiation.
AOA also suggests that friends and families stay away from private firework use and instead enjoy professional displays to protect and preserve eyesight.
Each year over the holiday, thousands of adults and children are seriously injured as a result of fireworks and pyrotechnic devices. Many burns and injuries affect eyesight, permanently damaging, and in some cases blinding, the victims.
From a special study of fireworks-related injuries covering the period of June 19 to July 19, 2004, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates there were 6,600 emergency room-treated injuries, most involving firecrackers, rockets and sparklers. In total during 2004, the CPSC estimates 9,600 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with fireworks. The CPSC estimates 1,400 fireworks injuries were to the eyes in 2004. Most of these eye injuries were contusions and lacerations.
About two-thirds of the fireworks-related injuries were burns, and most of the burns involved the hands, eyes and head or face. Almost 40 percent of the victims were under 15 years old, and three times as many males were injured as females.
Believe it or not, sparklers are the highest cause of fireworks injuries requiring trips to the emergency room. Sparklers can easily burn children since they heat up to 1800 degrees - hot enough to melt gold.
The sun and fireworks don't have to take the fun out of summer - just make sure your eyes and skin stay protected.
source : Here
The American Optometric Association (AOA) warns outdoor enthusiasts about photokeratitis - an eye condition much like sunburn to the skin. The symptoms cause the eyes to get red, tear excessively and have an uncomfortable sensation like that of something being in the eye. Photokeratitis is temporary and rarely causes permanent damage.
Long-term sun exposure can, however, cause more serious damage. Exposing eyes to the sun in small amounts over a period of years can increase the chances of developing cataracts and damage to the retina. These conditions are irreversible.
It is especially important for children, who may spend much of their summer vacation outdoors, to wear eye protection. Even the very young should have eye protection when outdoors.
Wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat or cap are excellent prescriptions for protecting one's eyes while soaking up the sunshine. AOA recommends that to be effective, sunglasses must:
* block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation;
* screen out 75 to 90 percent of visible light; and
* be perfectly matched in color and free of distortion and imperfection.
Neutral gray lenses are the best for maintaining color perception.
Consumers should look for lenses that have been awarded the AOA Seal of Acceptance for Non-Prescription Sunglasses or Ultraviolet Absorbers/Blockers, providing substantial protection of the eye from naturally occurring environmental UV radiation.
AOA also suggests that friends and families stay away from private firework use and instead enjoy professional displays to protect and preserve eyesight.
Each year over the holiday, thousands of adults and children are seriously injured as a result of fireworks and pyrotechnic devices. Many burns and injuries affect eyesight, permanently damaging, and in some cases blinding, the victims.
From a special study of fireworks-related injuries covering the period of June 19 to July 19, 2004, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates there were 6,600 emergency room-treated injuries, most involving firecrackers, rockets and sparklers. In total during 2004, the CPSC estimates 9,600 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with fireworks. The CPSC estimates 1,400 fireworks injuries were to the eyes in 2004. Most of these eye injuries were contusions and lacerations.
About two-thirds of the fireworks-related injuries were burns, and most of the burns involved the hands, eyes and head or face. Almost 40 percent of the victims were under 15 years old, and three times as many males were injured as females.
Believe it or not, sparklers are the highest cause of fireworks injuries requiring trips to the emergency room. Sparklers can easily burn children since they heat up to 1800 degrees - hot enough to melt gold.
The sun and fireworks don't have to take the fun out of summer - just make sure your eyes and skin stay protected.
source : Here
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