During summer, Earth’s orbit brings the continent closer to the sun, resulting in a 7% increase in solar UV intensity. Specialist Clinics of Australia explains this is up to 15% more UV than Europeans are exposed to. While the UK has UV Index 6-8, Australia has UV Index 10-14.
Even in winter, Australia experiences UV levels of 3 and above, which are considered unsafe levels of exposure. The Australian sun is strong enough to cause a sunburn in as little as 11 minutes, so it is extremely important that you’re aware of how much time you are spending in the sun and ensure you are taking appropriate precautions.
A healthy amount of sun exposure is important for the body and mind, with a range of benefits to your physical and mental health, including your eye health. You should be careful, however, when spending a lot of time outdoors and be wary of sun damage to eyes.
The impact of UV overexposure on eye health
Healthy levels of sunlight have been demonstrated to protect against eye disease, and lead to healthier overall eye growth.
As explained in an article by Michigan State University, dopamine is necessary for healthy eye growth – a hormone stimulated by natural light. This means time outdoors can help to fight vision conditions such as nearsightedness. Higher levels of sun exposure also lead to more macular pigment, which prevents age-related vision loss. This pigment is known to prevent damage to the retina by absorbing blue light.
Just as healthy sunlight exposure can protect against disease, unhealthy exposure to UV radiation can increase risk of disease and eye damage, and lead to premature ageing. There are two types of UV light, the most harmful being ultraviolet A (UVA) which reaches the back of the eye and can damage central vision. The second type of UV radiation is Ultraviolet B (UVB), which is absorbed by the cornea and lens.
