Harmful Effects of Ultraviolet Light

Ultraviolet (UV) light has shorter wavelengths than other light. Humans cannot see this light, but some animals such as bumblebees can. It is emitted from the sun, and people need small quantities to produce vitamin D, which is essential for strengthening bones. Most of the UV light radiating toward the Earth is blocked by the ozone layer. This is beneficial because excessive UV exposure can damage your health.

Skin Cancer

• Skin cancer can be caused by overexposure to UV radiation from the sun. Particularly affected by this are Australians, who are exposed to more intense UV light than people in other parts of the world. This is caused by the hole in the ozone layer in the Antarctic region that allows radiation through to the country. Consequently, overexposure has resulted in Australia having the highest rate of skin cancer in the world.

Skin Disorders

• The most visible harmful effect of UV light is sunburn, which is directly caused by overexposure to the sun. Too much UV light also causes premature aging and actinic keratosis, which are red, rough growths or patches on the skin.

Eye Damage

• According to the World Health Organization, overexposure to UV light has been linked to cataracts that can lead to blindness. Less severe but yet damaging eye conditions also include photokeratitis and photoconjunctivitis. These are inflammations of the eye tissue, causing a redness like sunburn. Chronic eye disease is also associated with excessive UV light exposure, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Immune System

• The World Health Organization suggests that in developing countries' overexposure to UV light stops vaccines from working properly. Furthermore, your immune system's effectiveness is decreased when you're overexposed to the UV light from the sun. This results in an increase of infections, virus and fungal infections because the body cannot defend itself from the invasive bacteria.