July -- the height of the sun season -- has been designated UV Safety Month, a time when doctors take special effort to warn people about the harm that ultraviolet radiation can do to the body.
Sun and Your Eyes
Ultraviolet, or UV, rays can cause significant damage to unprotected eyes, resulting in a number of different illnesses and disorders that can rob people of their sight.
Both short- and long-term exposure to UV rays can cause vision problems and eye damage, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Air and Radiation.
Sun and Your Skin
Damage stems from invisible ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which comes in two forms. UV-B rays, which have a short wavelength, can darken, or tan, the skin's surface, but they also can burn it. The longer wavelength UV-A rays can be dangerous as well because they penetrate the skin and damage tissue at a deeper level.
July 2010
Sources: HealthDay and Healthwise
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