Sunburned eyes? You bet it happens!

sunglasses - fashionable and protective

Your eyes can get sunburned

Solution: sunglasses. We know, its not as if you needed another reason to wear cool sunglasses ( we know you don't ). But what about your prescription glasses? Do they have the Transitions technology that automatically darkens the lenses in sunlight built in? Maybe you should invest in that before your next visit to Costa Rica.

When you expose your eyes to prolonged or intense UV light, you can develop a condition called photokeratitis, which is basically sunburn. It can feel like redness, pain and sensitivity, “as if you had a scratched cornea,” said Dr. Vincent K. Young, chief of ophthalmology at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital.

It happens in sunny locations, such as at the beach. The condition usually heals within a day or two, said Dr. Zubair Ansari, an ophthalmologist at the University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. But you may need lubrication drops, cool compresses, rest and possibly antibiotics.

While your corneas are regenerative, he added, longtime exposure to the sun without protection can increase the risk of certain kinds of cataracts. Dr. Ansari said. “I tell my patients that if you’re in a situation where you’re using sunblock, you also want to be wearing protective eyewear” .

excerpted from Well Newsletter By Jancee Dunn