CHICAGO—Prevent Blindness America (PBA) has dedicated May as UV Awareness Month in an effort to educate the public on the best way to protect their eyes from UV damage.

The national non-profit group has a dedicated Web resource, the “Prevent Blindness America UV Learning Center,” sponsored by Transitions Optical, Inc., which provides free information on UV, tips on purchasing the best eye protection and even a quiz to test UV knowledge. Consumers are invited to log on to www.preventblindness.org/uv. The group is also offering a free brochure, “Protecting Your Eyes from the Sun.”

“We tend to think that tanned skin is glamorous or attractive, but the process is actually quite dangerous,” said Daniel D. Garrett, senior vice president of Prevent Blindness America. “Damage from UV exposure can cause cataracts or be a factor in macular degeneration”

Noting that as the weather begins to warm, some Americans may want to head to their local tanning salon to get a good “base tan” before they don their bathing suits and shorts, PBA pointed out that without the proper protection, tanning beds can cause serious burns, not just to the skin but to the eyes. PBA reports, citing the American Academy of Dermatology, more than 1 million Americans use tanning salons every day.

PBA also cited a recent survey conducted by Transitions Optical, Inc. which finds that individuals remain largely unaware of the dangers that prolonged contact with ultraviolet rays can pose to their eyes. The survey found that while nearly 80 percent of consumers are aware that UV exposure can cause skin cancer, only 5 percent know it can harm the eyes.

In addition, 57 percent of survey respondents do not wear protective eyewear when in the sun for extended periods of time. Children are also susceptible to UV damage and should be encouraged to wear UV-blocking eyewear for all daytime outdoor adventures, even during overcast days. And, PBA also noted that people who have had cataract surgery or other retinal disorders, and people who take certain medicines, such as tetracycline, sulfa drugs, birth control pills, diuretics and tranquilizers, are also at special risk for eye damage.