UV radiation threat ignored all day long

Younger generations need to be educated about the importance of protecting their eyes from UV radiation, new research has shown.

A latest study by the Vision Council in the US found UV radiation was often recognised as the culprit for sunburns and skin cancer but most people did not realise its damaging impact on the eye.

It said this left many vulnerable to short-term and long-term health problems such as photokeratitis, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and cancer of the eye and surrounding skin.

The Council's newly released 2013 study found that 40 per cent of US adults still did not wear sunglasses while outside. The study found 28.5 per cent did not wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from the sun, a figure that rose to 32.9 per cent for men but was lower among women.