Boom! It’s time to talk about vision.

Celebrating Independence Day is always one of my favorite holidays. The summer days, BBQs, time with friends. These festivities create challenges for your eyes. Moreover, it is important to be careful where you are lighting fireworks. This is not the only challenge to your vision this holiday.

Starting your Independence Day

Something we don’t often talk about with this holiday is how many people are outside. From enjoying parades, family BBQs, walks, and more. Especially in sunny Colorado, it is so important to protect your vision from UV rays. Sun glasses are the sunscreen for your vision! Keeping those eyes healthy is so important.

First, the length and duration of sun exposure can damage the eyes. This can create blurred vision, light sensitivity, dry eyes, excessive tearing, blindness and more. Secondly, it is important to know individuals with darker eyes may be less likely to notice the intensity of sun rays. Darker are not as sensitive to light. As a result, it is very important no matter your eye color to protect your vision from sun damage.

Are there really issues related to sun damage and vision?

According to All about Vision, there are five prominent conditions caused by the sun.

  1. Aging – sun damage is attributed to 80% of visible signs of aging. Creating wrinkles around the eyes, sun spots and loose skin.
  2. Corneal Sunburn – this is as painful as it sounds. It is possible to sunburn your eye, or what some call the “skin” of the eye.
  3. Cataracts – cataracts shows to be related to an increase or acceleration of cataracts in patients eyes.
  4. Pinguecula and Pterygia – big words for naming growths on the white portion of your eye due to sun exposure.
  5. Macular Degeneration – although the impacts are not fully understood, it is showing that some studies suspect like cataracts macular degeneration can be accelerated with UV exposure.

Sun damage cannot be reversed. It is best to wear some shades this holiday! If you ask us, we will tell you to wear protective sunglasses all year around.

Finishing your Fourth of July Holiday

Now, we want to look at protecting those eyes during fireworks. According to Eye Care of Delaware, fireworks can damage vision. As we enjoy the festivities of Independence Day, it is so easy to lose ourselves in the moment. Additionally, this is not just looking at firework injury to the eye but also eye strain.

First, let’s look at some statistics regarding firework injury to the eye. According to Baylor College of Medicine, 11,000 firework related injuries occur each year.  One in six injuries led to permanent vision loss. Over 300 Americans lose sight in one or both eyes per year. Almost half of the injuries are in children under 14 years old.

Stay Safe!

Furthermore, it may be best to let the professionals handle the fireworks. Attending a fireworks show at a park or other public area is typically safer than fireworks in the back yard. In addition, there are firework bans in effect due to high fire danger. Also, be sure to pay attention to the warning labels of the fireworks.

Wearing protective eyewear can keep those kids safe during fireworks. In addition, the safest way to see fireworks is at least 500 feet away. If the worst case happens please go to an emergency room immediately. Do not run, rinse, or remove objects from the eye.

If you need something to help with this holiday, from sunglasses to safety gear, don’t hesitate to contact us today!