A day at the beach can cause sunburnt eyes - here's how to prevent it

• Sunburned eyes, a condition called photokeratitis, happens when UV rays burn the surface of your eye.
• Some of the symptoms include redness, pain, swelling, blurred vision, and sensitivity to light.
• Photokeratitis typically goes away between 6 to 48 hours.

You might be vigilant when it comes to protecting your skin from harmful UV radiation, but are you protecting your eyes, too? It is possible to get a sunburn on your eyes. It's a condition known as photokeratitis and it's common for people who spend a lot of time on the skip slopes or surfing.

Here's what causes photokeratitis, as well as how to treat it and prevent it in the future with the right sunglasses.

How do you get photokeratitis?

Photokeratitis is often caused by the reflection of the sun off of a surface. One of the most common ways to get photokeratitis is actually from snowsports since the white snow reflects the sun back at your eyes. This phenomenon is more commonly known as snow blindness.

You can also get it from being out on the water, where the sun will reflect back, or even on the beach if the sun is reflecting off the sand. It may also happen from looking directly at the sun, or spending a lot of time outdoors without adequate eye protection.

UV radiation from the sun damages cells and their DNA. This is what causes reactions like sunburn and sun poisoning, but UV rays can also damage your eyes if you aren't protecting them with sunglasses, hats, staying in the shade, or a combination of these.

Symptoms of photokeratitis

According to Benjamin Bert, MD, ophthalmologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center, the main symptoms of photokeratitis are:

• Redness
• Pain
• Swelling
• Tearing
• Blurred vision
• Eyelid twitching
• Sensitivity to light
• Gritty feeling in the eye
• Inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the mucous membrane covering the whites of the eyes

Bert notes that in more serious cases, you might not be able to open your eyes, and your vision may be severely impaired. If you're experiencing those symptoms, it's important to call your doctor and seek care, especially if this is going on for longer than a day.

In these severe cases, your doctor will assess the damage and possibly prescribe a mild steroid to decrease inflammation. Prescription eye drops are another option.

However, if your case is less severe and does not impact your ability to open your eyes or see, you may be advised to wait it out and avoid the sun until your eyes have healed.

How long does photokeratitis last?

Depending on the severity of the burn, you might have symptoms for anywhere between 6-48 hours.

"It's just like with sunburns - sometimes it's a mild burn, and it'll go away on its own. You just need to take it easy and not get re-exposed," Bert says.

Like with skin sunburns, once you've noticed symptoms, it's too late. Cell damage has already been done. That's why it's crucial that you get indoors into a dark room to rest your eyes as soon as notice symptoms of photokeratitis.

If you are wearing contacts, take them out to prevent further irritation. A cold compress over your eyes can help relieve discomfort, as can anti-inflammatory over-the-counter pain relievers like Ibuprofen.

Long-term health risks

A sunburn typically heals in a couple of days, whether it's on the eyes or skin. However, according to Bert, photokeratitis adds to the cumulative damage that's occurring in the eye throughout life - especially if you get photokeratitis multiple times. UV damage adds up over time, causing possible long-term issues.

According to Bert, these chronic health risks include:

• Accelerated aging of the skin around the eyes
• Aging of the eyes themself, which leads to vision loss problems earlier in life
• Developing cataracts
• Benign but permanent growths in the eye such as pterygium or pinguecula. However, if these grow big enough and cover part of the cornea, they can impair your vision.
• Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (cancer of the surface of the eye)
• Ocular melanoma, another type of cancer, which can occur on the surface or in the eye

Prevention of burnt corneas and other eye problems

The easiest way to protect your eyes from sunburn is to wear sunglasses, says Bert. However, not all sunglasses are created equal.

Here's what to look for in sunglasses to best protect yourself from photokeratitis:

• Built-in UV protection. The best type of UV protection is "100% UV protection" or "UV400" which blocks 99-100% of UV light.
• Polarized lenses, which can minimize the impact of reflected light.
• Bigger frames to protect more surface area

If you're shopping at a specialty sunglasses or glasses store, ask the sales associate for help with finding these features.

Smaller frames provide less protection, not just from the front, but also from the top, bottom, and sides. Bigger frames offer more surface area protection head-on, but still, you are dealing with UV rays coming in from the side, which can still cause damage.

Related Article Module: How to treat a sunburn: Debunking the coconut oil, vinegar, and shaving cream myths

Bert recognizes that while they may not be the most fashion-forward, wrap-around style full-coverage sunglasses provide the most coverage because they don't allow UV rays to get in through the sides.

To be extra safe, especially if you're wearing smaller frames, wear a hat to create some additional shade for your eyes, or sit under an umbrella.

Insider's takeaway

Sunburnt eyes are a real risk when you spend time outdoors - especially if you are spending time on the ski slopes or near the ocean. Photokeratitis usually lasts less than a couple of days, but over time repeated cases of photokeratitis can increase your risk of long-term eye damage or even cancer. To prevent photokeratitis, always wear polarized shades while outdoors.

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