Can tanning beds cause eye problems? – Healthy Bite Guide (2023)

FAQs

Can tanning beds cause eye problems? ›

The UV light in tanning beds is so strong that even closing your eyes during a tanning session won't protect them. A few of the eye health problems that can result from indoor tanning are cataracts, macular degeneration, dry eye, sunburn, and blurry vision.

Tanning beds produce high levels of ultraviolet (UV) light, which can tan the skin but can also burn the cornea, the clear covering of the eye. You do not feel the burn until 6 to 12 hours after exposure, so you can suffer a severe corneal burn without realizing it while tanning or immediately after.

Protecting Your Eyes While Tanning

If you choose to tan in a tanning bed, always wear goggles specifically intended for indoor tanning, and be sure to place them properly to cover your eyelids completely and prevent eyelid burns. Sunglasses will not full protect your eyes from the UV rays produced by the tanning bed.

Photokeratitis is a short-term example of damage from UV light. Photokeratitis is essentially a sunburn on the cornea of your eye (one of the most integral parts of your eye). While only temporary, photokeratitis can be extremely painful, cause swelling to the eye, and even result in permanently blurred vision.

Bruising and redness: Any part of the eye may appear red or bruised. Vision changes: You may see floating black spots or flashes of light (floaters and flashes). In addition to eye floaters, you may notice blurry or double vision and other vision problems.

Your eyes can get sun burnt! Tanning with no eye protection can cause red, itchy or watery eyes. These symptoms are all indications of short-term eye damage.

"It is possible to reverse [sun damage] to some extent utilizing lasers, chemical peels and certain topical medications to destroy dark spots and vessels, encourage collagen deposition and remove the damaged layers of skin," Dr. Bard says.

Most indoor tanning professionals recommend 3 tanning sessions a week until a tan is developed, and then 2 each week after that to maintain the tan. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations prohibit more than 1 tanning sessions in a single day. Avoid overexposure.

Protective eyewear are made of dark plastic lenses that are worn to protect the eyes during indoor tanning. The skin of the eyelids is thin and delicate, and only offers less than 25% of protection from harmful rays.

It is a common misconception that simply closing your eyes or placing a towel over them will serve as adequate protection from UV rays. However, the skin on your eyelid is very thin and the UV rays can still penetrate through.

How can you prevent UV damage to your eyes? ›

Wearing sunglasses and a hat is the simplest and safest way to protect your eyes from UV rays. Choose sunglasses that that fit well and that block light from coming in around the lenses. Choose a hat with a broad, dark brim that shades your eyes and reduces glare.

Tanning beds emit UV radiation that may cause skin cancer. But the beds may also cause changes to the brain.

When the center of the retina (the macula) is exposed to to much sun damage, it can begin to change which can result in changes in vision like blurred vision, blank spaces in vision, and even blindness.

Why is it hard to see in the sun? Glare can make it hard to see in the sun, but if you are struggling to see even with sunglasses on, it could indicate that you have early cataracts. Another reason might be you have a corneal abnormality causing a slight haze that is worse in sunshine.

The leading causes of blindness and low vision in the United States are primarily age-related eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma.

The best way to make sure your eyes are healthy is through a comprehensive eye exam. Symptoms of certain eye conditions may not occur until the disease is advanced. Sometimes you can only diagnose an eye condition through an exam. This is why an eye exam is critical.

Despite injury or disease, the cornea can still repair itself quickly. However, there are situations where damage is too severe for the cornea to heal on its own – such as with a deep injury to the cornea.

Remove Makeup and Jewelry

Make sure to take off all rings, necklaces, and other jewelry before entering the tanning bed to avoid unwanted tan lines. Additionally, you should arrive at your tanning session free of makeup, essential oils, and perfume.

In a recent survey of adolescent tanning bed users, it was found that about 58 percent had burns due to frequent exposure to indoor tanning beds/lamps. 10 minutes in a tanning bed is equal to four hours on the beach!

You can lose up to 50% of your tan if you aren't using quality lotion. The lotion helps your skin absorb the UV rays and will help you get the most out of your tanning session.

How do you treat sun damaged eyes? ›

Don't rub your eyes. To relieve your discomfort, place a cold washcloth over the closed eyes, use artificial tears, and/or take an oral over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®). Usually the condition goes away on its own within a few hours to days.

Usually, the skin will not tan after the first session, and the results only become visible after 3-5 sunbed tanning sessions. These sessions allow the skin to oxidize its melanin, darken the cells, and produce a tan. Lighter skin types may need a few extra sessions for the tan to deepen.

Does coconut oil reverse sun damage? If you do get a burn, there are a few things you can do to make the pain and inflammation a bit more manageable. Coconut oil is a popular remedy, and for good reason: while it won't actually heal your damaged skin, it can help soothe the discomfort and cool the burn.

Thanks to the UV light from tanning devices, Vitamin D can play an important in regulating calcium and phosphorus levels, two essential elements for supporting healthy bones. Your bones naturally break down, but thanks to Vitamin D – and other minerals – they recover.

You are likely to see results very quickly, therefore you will not need to spend as much time on the sunbed to get results. Do not spend more than a total of 10 minutes in any one session.

In addition to cherries, watermelon and other red fruits, peaches, apricots and melons are also ideal tanning foods. They are seasonal fruits and, as you might guess from their orange color, they are rich in beta-carotene.

Can I wear sunglasses during a tanning session? Sunglasses should not be worn during a tanning session. One of the reasons is the glasses cover a large part of the face around the eyes, leaving the skin untanned. Radiation in the tanning bed spreads differently and many rays can get into the eye.

Wearing sunscreen in a tanning bed prevents you from getting the bronze tan you are after. It also fails to protect your skin as it is only effective against natural UV rays. Tanning beds are not recommended because research repeatedly shows they are not safe.

Corneal damage, cataracts and macular degeneration are all possible chronic effects from UV exposure and can ultimately lead to decreased vision. 3. The eyelid skin is the thinnest of the whole body. UV damage induces dryness, wrinkles, accentuated skin furrows, sagging, loss of elasticity and mottled pigmentation.

Which part of the eye is most likely to be damaged by UV light? ›

UV radiation incident on the eye is largely absorbed by the tear film, the cornea and the lens.

Tanning damages your skin cells and speeds up visible signs of aging. Worst of all, tanning can lead to skin cancer. It's a fact: There is no such thing as a safe or healthy tan. Tanning increases your risk of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.

Tanning beds emit dangerous ultraviolet (UV) radiation and are linked to all three major types of skin cancer. UV radiation from tanning beds can also have a damaging effect on the immune system and cause premature aging of the skin, giving it a wrinkled, leathery appearance.

Prolonged exposure to UV rays increases your risk of developing malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. UV rays can also damage your eyes, causing problems such as irritation, conjunctivitis or age-related cataracts, particularly if you do not wear goggles.

The sudden appearance of many floaters — tiny specks that seem to drift through your field of vision. Flashes of light in one or both eyes (photopsia) Blurred vision. Gradually reduced side (peripheral) vision.

Options may include surgery to remove the vitreous or a laser to disrupt the floaters, although both procedures are rarely done. Surgery to remove the vitreous. An ophthalmologist who is a specialist in retina and vitreous surgery removes the vitreous through a small incision (vitrectomy).

Scotomas are blind spots — areas you can't see. They appear as dark, very light, blurred, or flickering spots and can be short-lived or permanent. Scotomas often don't cause you problems because you have two eyes. You may only notice a scotoma when you close the unaffected eye.

Eye floaters are one of the most common causes of both cloudy and blurry vision. These can look like squiggly lines, blobs, or other shapes moving across your line of vision. In most cases, floaters are nothing to worry about and will go away on their own.

Factors that can contribute to worsening eyesight. With that in mind, we take a better look at some of the reasons why your eyesight could be getting worse. This can include age, genetics, lifestyle, eye conditions and harmful light.

What are some problems associated with tanning beds? ›

Tanning damages your skin cells and speeds up visible signs of aging. Worst of all, tanning can lead to skin cancer. It's a fact: There is no such thing as a safe or healthy tan. Tanning increases your risk of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.

Anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours after an exposure to a source, patients will usually present with bilateral eye pain, photophobia, decreased vision, tearing, and will often have facial or eyelid erythema related to the UV exposure as well.

Opt for sunless self-tanners or spray tans. These are available in many forms, including lotions, sprays, and creams. The Skin Cancer Foundation advocates that no tan is a safe tan, and that regardless of whether women decide to go with their own glow or use sunless tanning methods, they avoid UV tanning.

Use self-tanner

The only safe way to tan is to use a self-tanning product or get a spray tan. Most self-tanning products and sprays are safe and FDA approved. These cosmetics do not penetrate the skin to cause harm like UV rays, and instead, just coat the outer layer.

If sun damage to the eye has already occurred, can you stop the deterioration? For the long-term problems that result from sun damage—cataracts, pterygia, pingueculae, macular degeneration—there is no way to reverse what's already happened.