September 15, 2009

Despite their claims to safety; the list of dangers related to using tanning beds grows longer!      
   Many people don’t realize that tanning booths can cause irreversible damage to your eyes, thus making protective goggles your first and most important line of defense.
   The truth of the matter is, you won’t be able to feel the damage to your eyes immediately, as you do when you look directly into the sun, but research has shown that eye damage can be significant.   
   Eye damage from tanning beds may include: Pterygium; a non-cancerous growth of the clear, thin tissue that lays over the white of the eye; cornea damage and the risk of squamous cell, cancer of the eye.

     The cornea can become damaged, because of the amount of UV light it is exposed to. Resulting in a burning of the cornea, you will know if your cornea has been damaged in this way because it is extremely painful. The good news is that this type of damage can repair itself if you stay away from the UV rays from tanning booths and sunlight while it is healing.   
   Many people who continually use tanning beds, without using the proper eye protection, may develop cataracts. Left untreated, cataracts can result in the individual losing their eyesight over time. It can even result in blindness. However, most cataracts can be taken care of with surgery. It is not always possible for the damage to the eyes to be resolved. Therefore, you need to know the facts and do all you can, to prevent such eye damage from happening to you.   
   When using a tanning booth, make sure to keep your eyes closed and wear proper protective eyewear. If the salon provides goggles, make sure they are a quality brand, known to offer the best protection.   
   Be sure goggles fit you properly. If you plan to use a tanning booth often, you may want to invest in getting a high quality pair of your own to take with you.

 Dr. Paul Dougherty has helped pioneer many of today’s most popular vision correction techniques. He serves as medical director of Los Angeles-based Dougherty Laser Vision, and as assistant clinical instructor of ophthalmology at UCLA’s Jules Stein Eye Institute. He is also one of just 40 surgeons worldwide to serve on the editorial board of the Journal of Refractive Surgery – the official peer-reviewed refractive surgery specialty journal published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). Dr. Dougherty's research has been published extensively in peer-reviewed journals. He routinely teaches advanced surgical techniques, and lectures worldwide at universities and major ophthalmology conferences.