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Can You Get Sun Poisoning in Your Eyes?

Sun poisoning, or photodermatitis, is the body's reaction to UV rays, and can go beyond the typical sunburn to include symptoms such as dizziness, vomiting, headache, rashes, blistering, fever, and chills. Just as the sun can damage the skin, it can also damage the eyes.

  1. Damaging Rays

    • There's a reason why sunglasses are recommended at a minimum safety standard of UV400. They're like sunblock for the eyes, protecting against UV-A rays that penetrate deep into the eye, and UV-B rays that damage the cornea and lens.

    Retinopathy Disease

    • Did your parents ever warn you against looking directly at the sun? They were right. The sun can damage the eyes by inflicting the retina with solar radiation. This can be temporary or lead to retinopathy disease.

    Cataracts

    • According to MedicineNet.com, sun poisoning can also increase the risk for developing cataracts, a leading cause of blindness. When the lens behind the iris and pupil has its share of wear and tear, it can become cloudy, affecting vision.

    Macular Degeneration

    • Another leading cause of blindness in older adults, macular degeneration, is the gradual blurring of sharp vision caused by injury to the macula, or central portion of the retina. This condition can be induced by regular UV exposure and poisoning.

    General Swelling and Sunburn

    • More typical results can be congruous with the sunburn occurring on the rest of your body--the eyes can get red, swollen or puffy.

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