There are good scientific reasons to be concerned that UV absorption by the eye may contribute to age-related changes in the eye and a number of serious eye diseases. Protection can be achieved by simple, safe, and inexpensive methods such as wearing a brimmed hat and using eyewear that absorbs UV radiation. Clinical experience and evidence from accidents and experimental studies show that UV-B is more damaging, presumably because it has higher energy. Optimal sun protection should screen out both forms of UV radiation. Cataract is a major cause of visual impairment and blindness worldwide.
Cataracts are a cloudiness of the lens inside the eye which occurs over a period of many years.
Laboratory studies have implicated UV radiation as a causal factor for cataract. Furthermore, epidemiological studies have shown that certain types of cataract are associated with a history of higher exposure to UV and especially UV-B radiation. Age-related macular degeneration is the major cause of reduced vision in the United States for people over age 55. Pterygium is a growth of tissue on the white of the eye that may extend onto the clear cornea where it can block vision. It is seen most commonly in people who work outdoors in the sun and wind, and its prevalence is related to the amount of UV exposure.