Whether skiing, snowboarding, mountain climbing, shoveling snow, or just strolling outside this winter, it’s important to protect your eyes from the sun’s powerful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Exposure to UV rays during winter can temporarily harm the eyes as well as increase the risk of developing sunlight-related eye disorders, including cataracts a leading cause of reduced vision in the United States.
Ultraviolet radiation reaches the eye not only from the sky above but also by reflection from ground surfaces. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), while UV radiation is generally lower during winter months, snow reflection may double an individual’s overall exposure. The WHO advises that fresh snow may reflect as much as 80 percent of UV rays, compared to other surfaces such as, grass, soil and water, which reflect less than 10 percent of UV radiation; dry beach sand (about 15 percent), and sea foam (about 25 percent).
“The greatest measure of UV protection can be achieved with a combination of UV-absorbing sunglasses, UV-blocking contact lenses and a wide brimmed hat,” advises Brian Linde, OD, a Montana-based optometrist and past president of the Montana Optometric Association.
Sunglasses alone are not enough
“While sunglasses with UV blocking lenses can help shield eyes from UV rays in sunlight, they only block about 50 percent of UV radiation, because sunlight also enters the eye from above, below, and around the sunglasses,” explains Dr. Linde. “It is just as important to block these peripheral UV rays,” he adds. “UV-blocking contact lenses provide added protection by effectively blocking sunlight that may enter the cornea from the top, bottom, or sides of the glasses.”
Not all contact lenses offer UV protection, and, of those that do, not all provide similar absorption levels. Among contact lens brands, only ACUVUE® ADVANCE™, ACVUE® ADVANCE™ for ASTIGMATISM, and ACUVUE® OASYS™ Contact Lens brands carry the Seal of Acceptance for Ultraviolet Absorbing Contact Lenses from the American Optometric Association’s Commission on Ophthalmic Standards. The lenses offer the highest level of UV-blocking�* available, blocking more than 90 percent of UVA rays and 99 percent of UVB rays that reach the lens. On average, contact lenses without UV blocking block approximately 10% of UV-A radiation and 30% of UV-B radiation.
“Although UV-blocking contact lenses provide important added protection for patients, they should not be viewed as a stand-alone solution,” says Dr. Linde. “Contact lenses should always be worn in conjunction with high-quality UV-blocking sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat for maximum UV protection for the eyes.”
For winter sports participants, Dr. Linde also recommends ski goggles because they can help prevent debris and snow from blowing into the eyes. He also cautions people who spend a lot of time in snowy conditions to be aware of “snow blindness,” or photokeratitis, a condition caused by excessive exposure of unprotected eyes to ultraviolet light reflected by the snow. This condition, which can damage the cornea, causes eye pain, extreme sensitivity to light and the sensation of having sand in your eye. Symptoms may not appear until 6-12 hours after exposure. Though the cornea will usually heal with time and treatment, Eye Care Professionals advise taking proper precautions.
ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR™, ACUVUE ADVANCE™ for ASTIGMATISM and ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR™ PLUS are indicated for daily wear vision correction. ACUVUE OASYS may also be worn for up to 6 consecutive nights/7 days of extended wear as recommended by an eye care professional. Contact lenses should not be worn for longer periods than recommended by an eye care professional. As with all contact lenses, eye problems, including corneal ulcers, can develop. Some wearers may also experience mild irritation, itching or discomfort. Lenses should not be worn if the wearer has an eye infection or experiences eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. If these conditions occur, the wearer should contact their eye care professional. Consult the patient information guide available from your doctor for complete information. For further information, talk to your eye care professional or call 1-800-843-2020 or visit acuvue.
Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc.
The VISTAKON division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. specializes in disposable contact lenses which it markets under such brand names as ACUVUE®, ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ with HYDRACLEAR™, ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ for ASTIGMATISM, ACUVUE® OASYS™ with HYDRACLEAR™ PLUS, ACUVUE® and ACUVUE® 2; 1-DAY ACUVUE® ;ACUVUE® BIFOCAL ; ACUVUE® TORIC, and ACUVUE® 2 COLOURS™.
ACUVUE®, ACUVUE® ADVANCE™, HYDRACLEAR™, ACUVUE® OASYS™, ACUVUE® 2 COLOURS™, and VISTAKON® are trademarks of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
Helps protect against transmission of harmful UV radiation to the cornea and into the eye.
WARNING:
UV-absorbing contact lenses are NOT substitutes for protective UV-absorbing eyewear such as UV-absorbing goggles or sunglasses because they do not completely cover the eye and surrounding area. You should continue to use UV-absorbing eyewear as directed. NOTE: Long term exposure to UV radiation is one of the risk factors associated with cataracts. Exposure is based on a number of factors such as environmental conditions (altitude, geography, cloud cover) and personal factors (extent and nature of outdoor activities). UV-Blocking contact lenses help provide protection against harmful UV radiation. However, clinical studies have not been done to demonstrate that wearing UV-Blocking contact lenses reduces the risk of developing cataracts or other eye disorders. Consult your eye care practitioner for more information.
Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc.
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