Years of UV exposure and squinting in bright sunlight doesn’t just cause wrinkles. “There’s a strong relationship between sun exposure and developing age-related eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration, which cause impaired vision or loss of vision,” says Dr. Thau. “Cancer of the eyelids and skin around the eyes is also common.”
Sun damage can also cause benign growths on the white of the eye—called pterygia—which can be removed surgically, but often recur and can impair vision if untreated. Your eyes can even get sunburned! Photokeratitis is a temporary, but painful, sunburn of the cornea.
Outsmart UV rays with sunglasses that have large coverage like Smith Optics FIXX ($109)
