The length of time it takes for the sun to damage your eyes depends on how long you are staring at the sun without protection.įor example, it only takes 100 seconds for your eyes to incur permanent retinal damage if you’re looking directly at the sun, with no protection, for that entire time. How long does it take for the sun to damage your eyes? Wearing a wide-brimmed hat is another way to protect your face and eyes from the sun's rays. Wrap-around sunglasses, the preference of many athletes, help block that peripheral sunlight from entering your eyes. If your sunglasses don’t offer the maximum amount of UV protection (100% UV 400), or if there’s space to the sides of your face where the sun can still get to your eyes, you could still be vulnerable to sun damage. UVC: While these rays have the potential to be the most damaging, nearly all are blocked by the ozone layer.Ĭan the sun damage your eyes while you’re wearing sunglasses? UVB: Any UVB rays that make it through the ozone layer are absorbed by the cornea, which can lead to photokeratitis, pingueculae and pterygia. UVA: Lower-energy UVA rays, which are able to get past the cornea to the lens and retina, have been linked to the development of cataracts and macular degeneration. There are several categories of UV rays with differing levels of energy: UVA, UVB and UVC. The sun's UV rays can damage your eyes even when the sky is overcast. The sun is a life-giving force, so how can it be so damaging? How does the sun damage your eyes? Here are some other eye conditions that can result from ultraviolet (UV) exposure: It’s also known as welder's flash, snow blindness and arc eye, though you don’t have to be around welding or snow to get it. Technically, your corneas suffer sun damage through a condition called photokeratitis. Fortunately, not all sun-related eye conditions are permanent.įor example, did you know that your eyes can get sunburned? The sun can damage your eyes, even if you don’t realize it.

Staring at the sun damage