The “sunburned eye” develops thousands of tiny micro- corneal abrasions, which leads to the severe eye pain, gritty sensation, and light sensitivity. Its surface layer, or corneal epithelium, is affected, and hours after the exposure it begins to break down. The cornea of the eye is primarily what is damaged by unprotected exposure to UV light. Photokeratitis can also occur in boaters and fisherman after prolonged exposure to sunlight reflecting off the water. “Welder’s burn” or “flash burn” occurs when a welder or someone near a welder is exposed to the welding arc while not protected. “Snow blindness” is a common term for photokeratitis that skiers or hikers experience after prolonged exposure to bright sun reflecting off the snow or ice, particularly at higher altitudes. Often, one will begin to notice slight eye pain and irritation the evening of exposure, and is awoken in the middle of the night or the next morning with more severe pain, light sensitivity, and blurred vision. Symptoms do not begin until 6-12 hours later, so the person does not feel anything during the prolonged period of UV light exposure. It is prevented by wearing proper sunglasses, goggles, or a mask when there is a risk of exposure. The source of the UV light is typically the sun, a tanning or sterilizing light, or a welding arc. It occurs after the eyes have had prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light rays. Photokeratitis is essentially a “sunburn” of the eye.
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