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Most of us know that too much sun can cause sunburn and skin damage. But did you know that the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can also harm your eyes? UV light is invisible. It can’t be seen by the human eye. But it can still damage your vision.

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Sunlight has a mixture of both visible and invisible rays, or waves. The long waves, like radio waves, are harmless to people. But shorter waves like UV light can cause problems. There are two types of UV rays. UVA can cause wrinkles and aging of the skin. UVB is responsible for sunburns and most UV-related cancers.

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Several eye problems have been linked to UV light as well. These include cataracts, which are cloudy areas in the eye’s lens. Cataracts can make vision blurry, hazy, or less colorful. Excess UV light has also been linked to cancers of the eyelid.

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Wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat is a safe and easy way to protect your eyes from UV light. To protect your eyes from sun damage, choose sunglasses that block at least 99% of both UVA and UVB rays. These might also be marked with a UV400 rating.

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Check your local weather forecast for the UV index, which shows the intensity of UV rays. Even on cloudy days, the UV index can be high and potentially harmful to eyes.

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Learn more about protecting your eyes from the sunlight from the National Institutes of Health.