 
| |
As more ultraviolet radiation
reaches the Earth, we face greater risk of sunburn, skin cancer,
and eye problems. Learn what can go wrong and find a simple
way to protect yourself. |
|
|
 |
| |
Sunburn is the most obvious sign that too much of the sun's
UVb
radiation has hit our skin. Fire-red flesh and searing pain
remind us—all too late—of the dangers of staying out
in the sun. Those perils have grown worse as stratospheric
ozone depletion allows more ultraviolet
light to reach Earth's surface.
Overexposure to the sun can also cause freckles and wrinkles,
which you may regret later in life. (These are nature's clues
for letting you know you've had too much sun.) Far more dangerous,
of course, is the risk of skin
cancer. Scientists know that UVb light triggers the growth
of cancerous cells.
Luckily, skin cancer is one of the easiest forms of cancer to
cure. It also is one of the easiest to spot because it's out
there on the surface. If you learn how to look even for small
changes in your skin and see a doctor on a regular basis, you
can catch suspicious problems before they spread. Even so, no
survival strategy beats not getting skin cancer in the
first place!
SEEING THE THREATS TO OUR EYES
Growing evidence reveals that too much sunlight can damage our
eyes. Cataracts
(cloudy lenses) and macular
degeneration of the retina
(the light-sensitive part of the eye) may become more common
as exposure
to UVb rises.
The eye's outer layer,
the cornea,
blocks only some UVb light—and none of the UVa.
(UVc
never reaches the ground.) Overexposure can result in a condition
called corneal
photokeratitis, or "snow blindness." It's like getting sunburn
on the surface of the eye. This sometimes happens when sunlight
bounces off snow or another reflective surface, then hits the
eye. It's very painful and can lead to temporary blindness.
Solar radiation
can also affect the lens of an eye. The good news is that the
lens absorbs most of the UVb radiation, thereby protecting the
retina. The bad news is that this can lead to cataracts.
That's a condition in which a cloudy opaque area covers the
lens and prevents light from passing through to the back of
the eye. Today, simple surgery can remove cataracts. But, unfortunately,
this procedure is not available everywhere in the world.
|
Hole in the 'Zone
Home | What's Going On Up There? |
What's Eating the 'Zone?
Solar Radiation On The Rise | Don't Get Burned!
|
 |
 |
| |
GLOSSARY
| Q&A
| LESSON PLANS
ABOUT THE SITE
| YOUR COMMENTS
| SITE CREDITS
| SITE MAP
 
|
|
|
Exposure: Reduce the time you spend
in direct sunlight, especially between 
