Vision Health Month

D6 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, FRIDAY MAY 11, 2018 DR. ROSS MOORE DR. STEVE MAZUR DR. DARREN CONNOR E S TA B L I S H E D I N 1 9 2 0 Providing Quality Eye Care and Eyewear for Close to 100 Years Specializing in Eye Muscle Imbalance, Computer Vision Syndrome With locations in Downtown Winnipeg and Winkler Noon Hour Appointments Available WINNIPEG 204.942.0059 WINKLER 204.325.8986 www.drrossmoore.ca T he culprit? None other than ultraviolet, or UV rays, the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum — which is primarily the product of the sun — that falls between X-rays and visible light, or between 40 and 400 nanometre (nm) wavelengths, to be precise. "While your skin warns you of overexposure to the sun through sunburn, your eyes don't provide warning signs to overexposure as quickly," says Dr. Jessie Fillmore, a Doctor of Optometry at G is for Glasses. "However, a condition called photokeratitis can occur when unprotected eyes are exposed to too much sunlight." There are three telltale signs of photokeratitis, notes Fillmore. "Symptoms are light sensitivity, redness of the eye and pain. If you experience one, two or all of these symptoms after spending a day outside without wearing sunglasses, it means your eyes — in particular, your corneas — have been exposed to too much sun." If you happen to experience these symptoms on a regular basis, you're courting trouble, she adds. "Damage to your eyes is cumulative — it happens over a lifetime. If you prefer not to wear sunglasses, long-term exposure to UV rays can cause debilitating eye diseases such as macular degeneration, cataracts and even growths on the surface of your eye. Those are issues you don't want to deal with." That said, there's a simple way to avoid those potentially crippling ocular conditions: get in the habit of wearing a pair of good-quality sunglasses. "Wearing sunglasses is a habit that should start right from infancy," Fillmore says. "The reason for that is simple. When you're young, your eye's lens is more transparent, which means it can't filter as much light out. Your eyes are much more vulnerable to UV rays early on, so it's very important that young children wear sunglasses. Think of them as sunscreen for your eyes." Essentially, everyone should wear sunglasses on a regular basis — it's that important. "Just as we've trained ourselves to wear sunscreen to protect our skin in summer, we need to train ourselves to wear sunglasses to protect our eyes. Not only that, but sunglasses should be worn year-round. Your skin might be covered up from the sun during the fall and winter, but your eyes aren't. They're always exposed to harmful UV rays." And those rays are coming at your eyes from every direction, which is why sunglasses should offer as much coverage as possible — and why lenses should be certified as being UV protective. "If you can, use wrap-around sunglasses, or a pair with lenses that offer the widest possible coverage," she advises. "When you're looking for a pair, look for a label that offers 100 per cent, or UV 400 protection. Lens quality is important; just because a lens has a tint, it doesn't mean it blocks out UV rays. The better the sunglasses, the better the protection and vision quality." Another good eye protection option is a pair of glasses outfitted with photo-adaptive lenses (such as Transitions). "They automatically change to a darker tint, which eliminates the need to put on a pair of sunglasses. Because the tint is built in, they're good for kids, too." Next comes the question, what constitutes optimal eye protection? "Combine a good pair of sunglasses with a hat — either a cap, or wide- brimmed hat," says Fillmore. "When you get into the habit of wearing the hat and sunglasses or sunglasses only, you'll realize how much more comfortable your vision is — so much so that you'll notice how hard it is to go outside without them on." It will pay to remember that sunglasses should be worn at all times when you're outdoors, she adds. "Most people think it's important to wear them when the sun is at it's highest point during the day (between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.), which isn't entirely true. The sun is more at eye level during the early morning and late afternoon — times when its UV rays could cause more damage." What's the upshot of avoiding eye damage from UV rays? "You need to incorporate the use of sunglasses into your daily life," says Fillmore. "It might seem like a little detail, but the reality is we only have one set of eyes. If you don't look after that little detail, it could cost you eyesight in the long run." PROTECT YOUR PEEPERS BY TODD LEWYS They're something you can't see, yet they're there, silently causing damage to unprotected eyes. Dr. Jessie Fillmore from G is for Glasses. Photo by Darcy Finley Happy helping Manitobans see their best for over 100 years! Thank you to all our patients... old and new... for trusting us with your eyes year after year. EYEWEAR • EYECARE 204-786-8991 1140 Portage Ave. www.armstrongandsmall.com Dr. Jocelyn Radawiec Dr. Gina Small Dr. Luke Small Dr. Matthew Lepage

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