July is UV Safety Awareness Month. It's as much about protecting your eyes as it is about your skin.
There are two kinds of damage from UV rays, according to medical experts. There’s a short-term impact, which is essentially a sunburn. That’s called photo-keratitist. You’ll feel gritty, sandy and blurry vision.
The long-term impact could be a progression of cataracts. There is also macular degeneration, which is bumps and wrinkles on the back of the eye, known as the retina.
Damage could also be pinguecula, which is like a callus on the front part of the eye. Thankfully, despite some discomfort, your vision should be fine. But you always want to err on the side of caution.
So wear sunglasses, a hat or anything that will help block UV rays from bouncing off the sand and water at the beach and into your eyes.
"Know, when you are wearing sunglasses what's most important is that they're 100% UVA and UVB protection," said Dr. Ashley Szalkowski, OP, Guild Eyewhere Studio. "So when they don't have that 100% protection, that's when you're allowing some of those UV rays to hit the eyes and can cause that damage."
It's similar to how you need broad-spectrum sunscreen.
Even on shady days, you are still at risk. Szalkowski sees a misconception that polarized lenses are best. They’re just really good at reducing glare.
She also broke down what color lenses are best for your surroundings.
Black lenses will dull what you’re seeing. Brown lenses are great for enhancing colors and contrast. Amber and orange lenses are great for overcast days.