4 Long-term Effects of Photokeratitis: What Should You Be Aware Of?

Our eyes, like our skin, can get burnt by the sun.

When your eyes get sunburned, it’s called ‘photokeratitis.’ It happens when the thin surface layer of the clear front of your eye (the ‘cornea’) is damaged by UV light from the sun.

UV damage to the eyes is cumulative. Just as many sunburns can lead to skin cancer, the more UV your eyes are exposed to over the years, the greater your risk of serious eye conditions, including:

Cancer

Chronic UV exposure to the eyes is associated with melanoma in the eye, skin cancers of the eyelid and squamous cell carcinoma of the eye surface. Treatment sometimes requires removal of the eye.

Macular Degeneration

Prolonged exposure to UV rays can cause sight-threatening damage to the central part of the back of the eye (macula). This results in an irreversible loss of central vision. Macular degeneration is a common age-related eye condition. Once the damage is done, it can’t be reversed, but sunglasses offer protection from UV rays and prevention of retinal damage caused by repeat exposure.

Pterygium

Chronic UV exposure to unprotected eyes can cause pterygium or ‘surfer’s eye.’ It’s when tissue grows on the cornea and can only be treated with surgery.

Cataracts

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 16 million people suffer blindness to cataracts each year, and up to 20 per cent of cataracts around the world are caused by overexposure to UV radiation.

That means that 320,000 people (20% of 16 million) could have kept their sight if only they had taken the simple precautions to avoid overexposure to UV rays.

If you have further questions about photokeratitis, speak with your local Eyecare Plus optometrist.