The Eyes Have It

Exposure to UVB rays in the first ten years of life has been found to be a significant factor in the development of Pterygium and Cancer of the eye surface. The findings are a result of research being carried out at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane under the direction of Professor Laurence Hirst. Professor Hirst says the discovery is particularly important in the prevention of these conditions.

"Treatment is not highly successful so prevention is a much better option," he says.

The study's findings also reveal that the rate of eye cancer has risen as the hole in the ozone layer has widened and our exposure to UV rays increased.

To protect children in the most vulnerable years of their lives, he recommends that preschoolers be kept inside between 10am and 2pm and if they must go out in the sun, that they be in strollers protected by a shade or wearing broad brimmed sunhats.

Professor Hirst recommends that children from six or seven years of age should start wearing sunglasses.