Eye Safety Tips for Surfers
Here are contributor Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler's tips for protecting your eyes as a surfer.
* Wear sunglasses - Be sure sunglasses have good wrap around design to block light from sides
* Best protection is wear both sunglasses and hat since hat blocks light coming in from above rim of sunglasses
* Wear sports sunglasses or goggles in swimming pool or ocean since water gives reflection of sunlight so double UV exposure
* Never look directly at the sun since it can cause retina damage
* Apply an artificial tear drop prior to pro-longer period of time in sun, think of this as sunblock for your eye
* Have your children start weaing sunglasses (we started our 4 y.o. twin girls in sunglasses when they were just one year old).
* Don't apply sunscreen too close to the eyes as it can get in and burn - if you are exercising while wearing sunscreen don't apply to eyelids as sweat will cause it to get into the eyes which can burn
* Avoid opening your eyes in a swimming pool with chemical chlorine as it cause caused blurred vision for the rest of the day
* Swim with swimming goggles with tinted UV protection - they also allow you to open your eyes under water
* If you've been out in the sun all day and wake up the next day with painful eyes, put artificial tears in.
If still painful, see eye doctor right away.
According to Dr. Wachler, "I-Brite can treat the yellowing, bloodshot, and pigmented eyes that is caused by years of being in the sun, damage begins starting as a child playing outside without sunglasses."
From his wesite, "Dr. Brian S. Boxer Wachler, MD is a world-renowned ophthalmologist, nationally and internationally admired for his expertise in Keratoconus treatments, LASIK and other vision correction procedures. Dr. Boxer Wachler was named as one of "America's Top Doctors" by Castle Connolly this year. He founded the Boxer Wachler Vision Institute in Beverly Hills, California to further research into new vision correction procedures and provide patients with the most advanced vision care treatments. He has served on the Board of Medical Directors of a non-profit Keratoconus Foundation and was Chairman of the Communications Committee for the Internal Society of Refractive Surgery. Because of his expertise, he is routinely invited to lecture worldwide on the latest advances in Keratoconus treatments, safety in refractive surgery, and other new refractive surgery innovations. He has published over 65 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in his field and is widely regarded as one of the world's best eye surgeons."
Risk:
Surfers live in the sun. Sunlight is very intense and the ultraviolet light can cause permanent, chronic yellowing (pinguecula) and redness (pterygium) in the whites of the eyes. Unprotected sun exposure increases risk of cataract development and macular degeneration. People with darker pigmented skin (Blacks, Hispanics, Asian) have high risk of sun causing permanent brown spots in whites of eyes.Recommendations:
* Wear sunglasses - Be sure sunglasses have good wrap around design to block light from sides
* Best protection is wear both sunglasses and hat since hat blocks light coming in from above rim of sunglasses
* Wear sports sunglasses or goggles in swimming pool or ocean since water gives reflection of sunlight so double UV exposure
* Never look directly at the sun since it can cause retina damage
* Apply an artificial tear drop prior to pro-longer period of time in sun, think of this as sunblock for your eye
* Have your children start weaing sunglasses (we started our 4 y.o. twin girls in sunglasses when they were just one year old).
* Don't apply sunscreen too close to the eyes as it can get in and burn - if you are exercising while wearing sunscreen don't apply to eyelids as sweat will cause it to get into the eyes which can burn
* Avoid opening your eyes in a swimming pool with chemical chlorine as it cause caused blurred vision for the rest of the day
* Swim with swimming goggles with tinted UV protection - they also allow you to open your eyes under water
* If you've been out in the sun all day and wake up the next day with painful eyes, put artificial tears in.
If still painful, see eye doctor right away.
According to Dr. Wachler, "I-Brite can treat the yellowing, bloodshot, and pigmented eyes that is caused by years of being in the sun, damage begins starting as a child playing outside without sunglasses."
From his wesite, "Dr. Brian S. Boxer Wachler, MD is a world-renowned ophthalmologist, nationally and internationally admired for his expertise in Keratoconus treatments, LASIK and other vision correction procedures. Dr. Boxer Wachler was named as one of "America's Top Doctors" by Castle Connolly this year. He founded the Boxer Wachler Vision Institute in Beverly Hills, California to further research into new vision correction procedures and provide patients with the most advanced vision care treatments. He has served on the Board of Medical Directors of a non-profit Keratoconus Foundation and was Chairman of the Communications Committee for the Internal Society of Refractive Surgery. Because of his expertise, he is routinely invited to lecture worldwide on the latest advances in Keratoconus treatments, safety in refractive surgery, and other new refractive surgery innovations. He has published over 65 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in his field and is widely regarded as one of the world's best eye surgeons."
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