UV rays can cause skin and eye damage, including sunburn, skin cancer, and blindness. Lighter-skinned people are more at risk, and even bouncing UV rays off surfaces like sand or snow can cause damage. Pterygium, a growth on the eye, can also occur.
Many people have heard that they should protect themselves from excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. Many of them, however, don’t know what dangers arise if they don’t. UV rays can cause eye and skin damage.
Sunburn, which is characterized by red, sore skin, is a common negative effect of exposure to ultraviolet rays. In many cases, this condition is caused when people try to use the sun to change their skin color. Some people also use UV tanning beds for this purpose and sometimes their skin takes on an unwanted orange hue. Sunburns and excessive tanning are often considered temporary, but these things can have long-lasting effects.
Lighter skinned people are more sensitive to UV rays than darker skinned people, and they intentionally expose themselves to too much UV risk. Albinos, for example, are generally the most sensitive human being. As a result of exposure to ultraviolet rays, many develop skin cancer and die at a relatively young age.
Skin cancer isn’t just a risk for albinos; it can be a risk for anyone, especially those with fair skin. There are three types of skin cancer. Two of these, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, are often cured when caught early enough. The third type, melanoma, is a very dangerous malignant form of cancer. Both squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma can lead to death.
Exposure to ultraviolet rays can also burn your eyes. A person doesn’t have to try to stare at the sun for this to happen. Photokeratitis is a condition in which the cornea is damaged by exposure to ultraviolet rays and as a result, the sufferer usually goes blind. This condition occurs when the cornea absorbs too much UV-B light too quickly.
Photokeratitis can occur when UV-B rays bounce off a surface, such as sand or snow, and enter the eye. The associated blindness is usually temporary, like other forms of sunburn. It is painful, however, and can lead to problems like cataracts later in life. Cataract causes a loss of transparency in the lens of the eye. As a result, things often look blurry.
Pterygium is another eye problem caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays. This condition involves a growth, which is usually wing-shaped, that develops on one side of the eye. It can continue to grow until it affects the cornea. Eventually, a person’s vision may be blocked and surgical removal may be required.
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