Your Eyes, Sun Damage & Maine Summer

“Summer in Maine means lots of outdoor activities-and the need to remember to protect your eyes from sun damage,” commented Jordan Sterrer, M.D. a Maine Ophthalmologist at Eyecare Medical Group in Portland, ME. “It’s a great time of year to enjoy all that the Maine outdoors can offer, but many people don’t realize the multiple effects and degree to which the sun can damage your eyes and the surrounding tissue,” stated Dr. Sterrer. “Too much UV light from the sun can affect the surface of the cornea and actually cause an “eye sunburn” or “photokeratitis” which is uncomfortable and may temporarily impact vision,” noted Eyecare Medical Group Corneal Specialist Ravi Shah, M.D. “Excessive ultraviolet inside the eye can hasten the formation of cataracts-and if it reaches the retina can also cause a type of “solar retinitis” and increase the risk of macular degeneration, explained Dr.Sterrer. “Further, we are all susceptible to eye and eyelid cancers from the sun. Even though the eyelid is designed to protect the eye itself from the sun, eyelid skin is very thin and fragile and can be easily damaged by the sun. The number and types of eyelid cancers are many and a cause for concern among everyone,” noted Robert Daly, M.D. a Maine eye surgeon at Eyecare Medical Group who is a specialist is cataract surgery, glaucoma as well as eye plastic surgery. 

Thus, we should ALL take simple but effective precautions to protect our eyes and the structures inside and around our eyes: 

Wear a Brimmed Hat 

Use Sunscreen 

Wear Proper UV Protecting Sunglasses 

Using some common sense precautions goes a long way to protecting your eye health and vision. If you or someone you know has questions about eyes and sunlight or proper UV and sun protection for eyes, please feel free to call Eyecare Medical Group at 888-374-2020 and schedule an appointment, visit Eyecare Medical Group or facebook.com/eyecaremedicalgroup 

Eyecare Medical Group is a leading ophthalmology practice in Portland, Maine staffed by a team of eye care specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained glaucoma specialists, retina specialists, cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants, (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. 

Eyecare Medical Group is conveniently located for patients from throughout Maine including 

Auburn, Augusta, Bangor, Bath, Berwick, Biddeford, Bridgeton, Brunswick, Cape Neddick, Casco Bay, Cumberland Center, Eliot, Freeport, Gardiner, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Kittery, Lewiston, Old Orchard Beach, Sanford, Scarborough, South Portland, Springvale, Topsham, Waterville, Westbrook, Winslow, Wiscasset, Yarmouth, Portland, Skowhegan and York Maine.