As the sun shines brighter and the days grow longer, summer brings with it a host of outdoor activities, from beach trips to hiking adventures. While we often remember to protect our skin with sunscreen, our eyes can sometimes be overlooked.
I’m Juliet Menakaya, the owner and principal optometrist at Junic Eye Care. With over a decade of experience in eye care, I’m passionate about helping my patients in Canberra understand how to best care for and protect their eyes.
At Junic Eye Care, we believe that safeguarding your vision is just as important as protecting your skin. Here’s everything you need to know about summer eye protection.
Why Summer Eye Protection Matters
During the summer months, UV (ultraviolet) radiation from the sun increases significantly. According to cancer council Australia, Australia has some of the highest levels of UV radiation in the world – in fact, UV radiation is strong enough to cause sunburn in as little as 11 minutes on a fine summer day. This radiation can lead to serious eye conditions, including:
– Cataracts: Clouding of the lens, which can impair vision. This can take years to develop. Each time you bask in the sun without eye protection, you increase your risk of cataract forming over time. People of all ages should take precautions whenever they are outdoors.
– Macular Degeneration: This is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults. Some people are at a higher risk of developing macular disease because they have low macular pigment, which protects against UV light. Macular pigment is made up of antioxidants such as lutein, which is thought to act as a natural sunscreen for the macula. However, the macula, are highly susceptible to photochemical damage from continuous UV exposure, resulting in retinal diseases, like AMD. It’s believed that the combination of long-term UV light and oxidative stress may damage the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a tissue layer that is part of the retina’s metabolic processes.
– Photokeratitis: This condition is also known as Arc Eye and Snow Blindness. It is a painful condition akin to sunburn of the eye and is caused when the eyes are exposed to too much ultraviolet (UV) light including from the sun, welding arcs, tanning lamps and therapeutic UV equipment. Symptoms including irritation, pain, redness, photophobia, blepharospasm, lacrimation and blurring can typically occur 6-12 hours after exposure, but usually resolves within 24-48 hours. These symptoms are caused by temporary damage to the corneal epithelial cells on the surface of the eye.
– Pterygium: A growth on the surface of the eye that can affect vision. It is caused by long-standing exposure of the eyes to ultra-violet (UV) light, dust, and wind. Because of this, it is commoner near the equator, where UV levels are higher, than in temperate parts of the world. Surfers, skiers, fishermen, farmers, and others who spend long hours under the midday sun or near rivers, oceans, and mountains are at risk. Pterygium if left unmanaged can lead to astigmatism thus reducing the sharpness of vision. It can also lead to irritation of the affected eye. patients are usually concerned about its cosmetic appearance.
BCC: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a low-risk cancer that is the most common malignant tumour of the skin. BCC is the most common type of non-melanoma skin cancer in Australia, accounting for about 66% of all skin cancers. BCC rarely spreads to other parts of the body. Instead, it slowly enlarges, causing no pain, though bleeding may occur from the surface. Around the eye (periocular), the most usual form and location is a small hard whitish nodule that appears on the lower eyelid. People who work outdoors are more likely to develop BCC.
By taking proactive measures to protect your eyes, you can enjoy the summer sun while minimizing the risk of these conditions.
To visit our optometry practice, click the “Book Online” button at the top of the page or call (02) 6152 8585 today.
References:
- https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/sun-safety/uv-index.
- Amari B, Merle BMJ, Korobelink JF, et al. Lifetime ambient ultraviolet radiation exposure and incidence of age-related macular degeneration. Retina. September 6, 2023.
Roberts JE. Ultraviolet radiation as a risk factor for cataract and macular degeneration. Eye Contact Lens. 2011 Jul;37(4):246-9.
CANBERRA OPTOMETRIST
Juliet obtained her Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Benin, Nigeria in 2006. She completed an internship programme before migrating to Australia, where she completed a master’s degree in public health at the University of Sydney in 2014. Following this, Juliet obtained a Master of Orthoptics from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in 2017.
Juliet has completed her competency in optometry examination with OCANZ (Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand), and obtained her ophthalmic prescribing rights from ACO (Australian College Of Optometry Victoria). Juliet has worked in various positions, including retail Optometry, the Ophthalmology Department at Canberra Hospital, and more recently, at the John Curtin School of Medical Research (ANU).
As a dedicated Canberra optometrist, Juliet is passionate about helping people with low vision, and binocular vision anomalies hence her interests in Low Vision Rehabilitation, Eccentric Viewing Training and Paediatric optometry.