Eyes and the sun are often not the best of friends. Looking in bright sunlight is usually not pleasant for the eyes, but it varies from person to person how unpleasant this feels. This has to do with the color of the eyes.
sun damage
In 2022 sunglasses may often be worn as a fashion accessory, but in the first place such glasses are of course there to protect the eyes from the sun. After all, the harsh UV radiation from the sun is not only harmful to the skin, but also to the eyes. The lenses of good sunglasses help to protect your eyes against this.
Also read: Blue, brown, green and everything in between: how is eye color determined?
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Every pair of eyes benefits from a good pair of sunglasses, but for those with lighter eyes, a good pair is even more important. That’s because blue or green eyes are often slightly more sensitive to light than dark eyes. How about that? This has to do with the amount of pigment (melanin). If the iris is light, less pigment is present than if the iris is dark. This pigment protects the retina from sunlight, as it were, so that dark eyes are usually less sensitive to the sun than light eyes.
The retina, sometimes called the retina, is a thin layer in the eye that is very sensitive to light. The light that enters the eyes through this membrane is converted by the cells in the retina into images and then into electrical signals. These electrical signals then travel via the optic nerve to the brain, where the image we see is eventually formed.
Helps your eyes
The retina is therefore a very important part of the eye and it is therefore important to keep it in good condition. Protecting the eyes from bright sunlight, whatever color your eyes are, is one way to do this. This prevents, for example, (extra) wear and tear on the retina.
Other parts of your eyes also benefit from sun protection. The cornea, the outer part of the eye that sits in front of the iris and pupil, can be damaged if you look too long in bright light. This is painful, your eyes become red, start to water and can tolerate (even worse) light. The symptoms often disappear after 1 to 2 days.
(Source: Penn State, Pubmed, Buoy Health, Oogziekenuuis Rotterdam, Thuisarts. Photo: Shutterstock)