Author: Joel Harrison
Posted: 19 May 2010 16:18
A new study involving daily contact lenses that were made of a substance that blocks UV rays (senofilcon A silicone hydrogel) suggests that people who wear them are protected against the harmful effects of sunlight. These include macular degeneration, cataracts and others.
The results are unambiguous, and the researchers who conducted the study are positive that all eye doctors should recommend UV-blocking contact lenses to their patients. However, they should also be informed that such lenses do not provide a complete protection, as they do not cover the whole eye. Therefore, patients should use them in connection with other protective eyewear.
Cataracts are responsible for 48% of cases of blindness worldwide. The depletion of the ozone layer, the consequence of which is increased UV radiation, is generally thought to increase the incidence of cataracts, already affecting approximately 40% of individuals aged 50 to 60. This, in turn, makes the need for more protection against UV rays extremely important. Hopefully, the results of the study will improve the awareness of the problem.
