July Is UV Safety Awareness Month

July is UV Safety Awareness Month. The goal is to raise awareness about ultraviolet radiation (UVR) as the days grow longer and more time is spent outdoors. UV Safety Awareness Month takes place in July because the sun emits the most UVR, and people spend more time in the sun during the summer.

Overexposure to UV radiation can damage your skin and eyes, so it’s essential to know what it is and understand the risks and how to protect yourself.

The History of UV Safety Awareness Month

UV Safety Awareness Month is a reminder to protect yourself against UV radiation. Why is UV Safety Awareness Month necessary?

In 1992, Canada developed the UV Index (UVI) as the effects of the sun’s harmful rays on the eyes and skin seemed to be increasing. Within two years, the United States National Weather Service (NWS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) had all adopted the UVI. By 2002, the Global Solar UVI had become the standard measure of UV radiation.

In 2008, July was named UV Safety Awareness Month by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

What Is UV Radiation?

UV radiation is invisible radiation that comes from the sun and some artificial light sources (e.g., tanning beds, grow lights, etc.). There are three types of UV radiation, and they are measured by wavelength:

• UVA – UVA has the longest wavelength. Most of the UV radiation that reaches Earth’s surface is UVA because it’s not absorbed by the ozone layer. In fact, 80% of UVA radiation gets through the atmosphere even on a cloudy day.
• UVB – UVB has a shorter wavelength than UVA. Most of this radiation is absorbed by the ozone.
• UVC – Earth’s ozone absorbs all UVC radiation. The only way you can be exposed to it is through an artificial light source such as a sunlamp or tanning bed.

How To Protect Yourself From UV Radiation

You don’t have to stay out of the sun all the time to be safe. There are a number of things you can do to protect your eyes and skin so you can still enjoy some fun in the sun.

Choose the Right Sunglasses

It’s a good idea to wear sunglasses anytime you’re outside. Use these tips to help you choose the right pair:

• Look for a sticker or tag that says UV400. This means the lenses block 99% or 100% of UVA and UVB radiation. If you’re not sure if your sunglasses have UV-blocking lenses, take them to an optical shop. They can use an instrument called a photometer to test the lenses.
• Wraparound-style sunglasses can help block sunlight from getting in your eyes from the sides. Bigger frames are also a good choice because they cover more of your face.
• Polarized and UV-blocking lenses aren’t the same thing. Polarized lenses prevent glare from surfaces such as water and snow, but they don’t block UV radiation.
• More expensive sunglasses aren’t always better than a cheaper pair. The most important features of any pair of sunglasses is that they have a UV400 rating to protect your eyes.

Use Sunscreen

The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to block 90% of the sun’s UVA and UVB rays. SPF stands for sun protection factor and is the amount of time you can be outside wearing sunscreen before getting sunburned. With SPF 30, you can stay outside 30 times longer without getting burned than you would if you weren’t wearing any sunscreen.

Avoid the Sun During Peak Hours

The sun is the strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Staying indoors during this time can help protect your skin and eyes.

Don’t Look Directly at the Sun

You’ve probably been told not to stare at the sun during an eclipse because your eyes can be damaged. This is true. You shouldn’t look directly at the sun any time, especially if you’re not wearing sunglasses.

Staring into the sun can cause solar retinopathy, which is damage to the central and most sensitive part of the retina. You may find that you can’t see as clearly after looking at the sun. In some cases, solar retinopathy will go away in three to six months, but it also can cause some permanent vision loss.

Wear a Hat

A hat offers double the amount of UV protection. It keeps the sun out of your eyes and off your head and face, two areas that are at a high risk of skin cancer.

Risks of UV Radiation

You probably know that spending too much time in the sun can be bad for your skin, but you may not be aware that overexposure to harmful UV rays can also damage your eyes.

How UV Exposure Affects Your Eyes

Several eye problems can be attributed to long-term exposure to UV rays:

• Cataracts. A cataract is when the lens of your eye is cloudy, making your vision blurry or hazy. Cataracts happen when proteins in the lens break down. Long-term exposure to UV radiation can break down these proteins.
• Pterygium. Pterygium, also called Surfer’s Eye, is a growth on the white part of your eye (sclera) that covers the sclera, cornea, iris and pupil.
• Pinguecula. A pinguecula, which is a protein and fat deposit on your sclera, can be irritating and sometimes can affect the way tears cover the eye.
• Eye cancer. Some studies show that UV radiation could cause eye cancer, but it’s still unclear if this is the case.
• Eyelid cancer. Since your eyelids are skin, they’re also susceptible to skin cancer. Too much UV radiation can result in basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, two common forms of skin cancer.
• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Some research has found that long-term exposure to damaging UV rays without eye protection can increase your risk for AMD. People with AMD have blurry central vision that’s caused by the breakdown of the macula, the part of the eye responsible for clear, straight-ahead vision.
• Photokeratitis or snow blindness. Too much UV radiation can damage your eyes in winter too. Snow blindness is caused by the sun reflecting off of snow or water. It’s a painful condition that affects your cornea (clear front layer of your eye), conjunctiva (clear tissue covering the sclera), and the inside of your eyelid.

How UV Radiation Affects Your Skin

The first type of skin damage you likely notice from UV radiation is sunburn. Sunburn is the result of UVB radiation penetrating the top layer of the skin.

UVA rays can do longer-term damage because they penetrate the middle layer of your skin, leading to fine lines and wrinkles.

The biggest risk of extended and/or unprotected sun exposure is skin cancer, which is mostly caused by UVB rays. In the United States, Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. It’s often found on the face, arms, hands, neck, and head because these are the parts of the body that see the most sun.

Benefits of UV Radiation

Not all exposure to the sun’s UV rays is harmful. Spending time in sunlight causes your body to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D builds bones by helping your body absorb calcium and phosphorus from food. You only need five to 15 minutes of sunlight two or three times a week to get this benefit.