Protect your eyes from UV damage

Dr. Ying Lu inspects a pair of sunglasses

The snowy days may be behind us, but we still need to cover up to protect against ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Before heading out into the sunshine, consider the harmful effects of UV rays on our sight.

When the sky is overcast, you still need sun protection. Overexposure to the sun can cause cataracts, a form of eye damage in which a loss of transparency in the lens of the eye clouds vision.

Other types of eye damage include photokeratitis (reversible sunburn of the cornea), pterygium (tissue growth that blocks vision), skin cancer on the eye lids and around the eyes, and macular degeneration.

Dr. Ying Lu, an ophthalmologist with the Eye Centre at The Scarborough Hospital, offers the following ways to help you protect your eyes from sun damage this summer:

1. Sunglasses provide the best sources of UV protection. Choose sunglasses that are at least 95 per cent UV protection. Dr. Lu says you don’t have to spend a lot of money on expensive sunglasses; just be aware of the UV protection rating.
2. Choose a lens tint that blocks at least 80 per cent of transmissible light, but no more than 90 to 92 per cent. Lens tint does not protect you from UV rays, and can affect your ability to see correctly.
3. The sun can damage the skin around your eyes in as little as 15 minutes. Wearing sunscreen or cosmetics with a sun protection factor (SPF) can help to protect you from sun damage. Sunscreen has absorbing and reflective chemicals that react to sunlight. Use sunscreen with minimum SPF 15 and reapply every two hours. If your sunscreen does not have an expiry date, do not use it after three years from the purchase date.
4. Wear a wide-brimmed hat, which can block half the UV rays that hit the eyes from above.
5. Pay attention to weather forecasts. If a heat warning is in effect, try to stay in the shade, carry an umbrella or avoid exposure to the sun.

Seven tips to reduce your risk of cataracts and protect your vision

Cataracts can occur at any age, but they occur most commonly in seniors over 60.

“Cataracts are a gradual clouding of the natural lens of the eye,” explains Dr. Ying Lu, an Ophthalmologist at The Scarborough Hospital. “Light is unable to reach the retina, causing vision loss. Cataract surgery helps restore vision by replacing the clouded lens with a clear one.”

Cataract surgery takes only 15 minutes and patients stay in the hospital for about three hours. If there are no other eye diseases, patients can get all vision back within one or two days.

Each year, The Scarborough Hospital performs around 6,000 cataract surgeries. The hospital has one of the busiest Eye Centers of its kind in Canada, with two operating suites at the Birchmount campus dedicated exclusively for cataract surgery. The suites are equipped with the most advanced ophthalmic equipment in North America.

Although cataract surgery is very advanced, prevention is still key. Here, Dr. Lu shares her advice on how you can help reduce your risk of developing cataracts and prevent eye diseases:

1. Have regular eye exams to help detect problems early. If you are between 20 and 65, OHIP will not cover the regular exam unless you have cataract or other eye diseases. But regardless, if you do not see well, ask your family doctor to refer you to see an optometrist or ophthalmologist. If you are over 65, OHIP will cover your eye exam once a year.
2. Stay on top of your health. If you are diabetic, for example, you are at a higher risk of cataract and retinal disease. It is important that you take care of your blood sugar levels. With good control of diabetes, you can reduce complications significantly. If you have diabetes, you need to have a regular eye examination once a year. OHIP will cover the cost.
3. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes. Ultraviolet light may contribute to the development of cataracts. All sunglasses do the same job regardless of brand or price.
4. Eat a healthy diet. Antioxidants found in colourful fruits and vegetables are good for your overall health, including your eyes.
5. Maintain a healthy weight. Weight does not cause cataracts, but being overweight will increase your risk for diabetes and vascular diseases which can result in eye diseases.
6. Quit smoking and increase exercise. Smoking can cause thyroid-related eye disease and macular degeneration. The eye has multiple tissues and you want to help to protect all the tissue.
7. If you have clouded, blurred or dim vision or difficulty with your vision at night, consult your doctor. If it is a simple cataract, then a simple 15 minutes procedure will restore your vision. If it is not cataract, then the cause of decreasing vision needs to be diagnosed and treated.