Cancer Society New Zealand is highlighting optometrists and dispensing opticians’ crucial role in increasing awareness of UV protection for our eyes ahead of the 2021 summer season, and is encouraging all eyecare professionals to discuss how best to do this with their patients.
While most New Zealanders and Australians are probably familiar with the successful ‘80s Sunsmart Slip! Slop! Slap! campaign*, we are less aware of the need to protect our eyes from UV exposure, said Lucy Elwood, chief executive officer of Cancer Society NZ. “Melanoma rates in New Zealand are double that of any other country, except for Australia, which also has high rates. While it is encouraging that many people here know that UV radiation from the sun can cause skin cancer, there is less awareness that UV radiation also causes ocular and peri-ocular cancers and other eye diseases, including cataracts, photokeratitis and macular degeneration.”
Similarly, there’s a lack of awareness of when to wear UV eye protection, she said. “While there’s growing awareness that you need to apply very high protection sunscreen even if it’s cloudy, people tend to only wear sunglasses when it is sunny or when there is glare from the sun.”
Yet there is risk to the eyes even on cloudy days when the UV index is three or higher, said Elwood. “This is one of the reasons why both the Cancer Society in New Zealand and the Cancer Council in Australia have supported clear lenses that provide UV protection, such as Essilor’s Crizal UV prescription lenses. For people who wear prescription glasses, these untinted UV lenses play a very important role in further reducing their risk of ocular and peri-ocular cancers.”
