This is particularly applicable to fair-skinned persons who sunburn easily and who receive prolonged occupational or recreational exposure. Studies have shown that in Europe persons who are now age 30 have a higher incidence of melanoma than persons at age 30, ten years earlier. Another deleterious effect of UV-B is damage to both the cornea and lens of the eye. The initial response of the eye to exposure to UV-B radiation is the condition termed photokeratitis in which the front of the eye, the eyelids and the skin surrounding the eyes become reddened. Cataract, a disease of the lens is the most prevalent form of ocular damage associated with UV exposure.
Corrective surgery can prevent most cataracts from causing blindness.
However, in the United States, cataract remains the third leading cause of legal blindness. In developing countries, where the percentage of the World aged population is greatest and where such operations are not always available, cataracts result in a much higher incidence of blindness and can become a major public health problem. It has been estimated that a one-percent decrease in stratospheric ozone will be accompanied by a 0.6 to 0.8 percent increase in cataracts. Ultraviolet radiation is known to affect the immunological defenses of the skin. In these instances, the skin's immune response is the body's first line of defense.