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What Are Genetic And Environmental Factors That Affect The Risk Of UV Exposure

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Ultraviolet (UV) light is just outside of our visual range. It's fairly energetic and causes changes to human tissue. This should be fairly obvious since it tans the skin, causes sun burns, prematurely ages the skin, and can damage the eyes. Just as some types of people are more likely to suffer from skin cancer because of UV exposure, some types of people have a better than average chance of suffering from UV related eye damage.

There are two general factors that contribute to this vulnerability: your genetics and external circumstances that increase your exposure to sunlight.

Your Genetics

Just as fair-skinned people have a higher incidence of skin cancer, people with light-colored eyes such as blue or green have a higher risk of melanoma …show more content…

It simply takes more of it. It may not cause the same level of discomfort, but it still interferes with a clear view of the road when driving.

Your External Circumstances

There are many non-genetic external factors that affect your risk of UV related eye damage. These include:

You're an Outdoors Person

This makes sense since UV eye damage is a cumulative process. Your risk of UV eye problems later in life is the sum of all the hours spent every day in the sun. This includes cloudy days. Some activities are especially risky. These include skiing, mountain climbing, time at the beach, and boating. Nike sunglasses have a large selection that accommodates the needs of most outdoor enthusiasts and athletes.

You Live in Mountainous or Sunbelt States

The higher your altitude, the less protective atmosphere above you to protect against UV light. This means you get a higher rate of exposure than someone living at sea level.

Thick clouds and bad weather do block some UV light. However, sunbelt states are predominantly sunny, which means you get more UV exposure than those who live elsewhere. The southerly locale of the sunbelt states also means the sun is higher overhead during all seasons of the year. Sunglasses are a must for those living in areas with high UV

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