Eyes and the sun: why ultraviolet radiation is dangerous for vision. Danger of eye diseases

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Hi all! My name is Lyudmila Panyushkina, I am a practicing ophthalmologist, and I also run my own blog about eye health. In my work, I often come across myths and prejudices: some still believe that blueberries help with eye diseases, while others are sure that vision worsens from glasses.

Especially for website I will answer the most common questions and tell you how to maintain eye health for a long time. The article does not replace specialist advice and is not scientific, but is for informational purposes only.

1. Is radiation from screens harmful to the eyes?

2. I work a lot on the computer and my eyes get tired. What should I do?

As we have already figured out, complaints about fatigue, discomfort, redness and dryness in the eyes do not arise due to radiation from monitors, but due to improperly organized workplace and infrequent blinking.

How to prevent the appearance of unpleasant symptoms? It's much easier than it seems:

1. Maintain visual mode. For example, you can use the 20-20-20 rule: look at objects 20 feet away from you for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
2. Make sure that the diopters in your glasses are suitable for working at a computer (after 40–45 years, glasses for distance and glasses for working at a computer will be different).
3. Use moisturizing drops for dry eyes.
4. When organizing your workplace, observe the following standards:

• The screen should be located at a distance of approximately 50–60 cm from the eyes, preferably 20 cm below eye level.
• The height of the chair should be adjusted so that your feet are completely flat on the floor. Do not forget to adjust the chair to the child if the computer is shared with adults.
• Face your computer away from other light sources to minimize screen glare.
• Reduce lighting or use anti-glare screens.

3. Is childhood myopia caused by gadgets?

Many parents consider television to be the main culprit in the development of myopia in children. Let's see if this is actually true.

Most children are born with farsightedness (that is, they have a slight plus). As the child grows up, the eyeball stretches, lengthens, and farsightedness is corrected without any correction. If the eye grows too rapidly, myopia appears. In this case, in order to see well, the child needs minus glasses.

The causes of myopia are still not fully known. The main role is played by heredity and external environmental factors. Among the latter, the protective effect of sunlight on the risk of myopia has been the most studied. According to several large studies, walking outdoors can reduce the incidence and progression of myopia.

What about near-sight stress, which has long been considered the main factor causing myopia? Modern research does not find confirmation of this theory. Teenagers who watch TV or spend a lot of time on the computer have a greater chance of developing or worsening myopia because they deprive themselves of sunlight and do not spend time outside, and not because of gadgets. Despite parents' concerns about children being stuck in front of screens, it is unlikely that ophthalmologists should limit this time. It is necessary to shift the focus of parents’ attention from gadgets to organizing children’s leisure time outside the home, in the fresh air.

Recommendations for limiting screen time are more important not for preserving vision, but for the normal development of the child’s nervous system. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 2 years of age avoid watching TV completely and use gadgets for very short periods of time. At older ages, it is necessary to limit the total time watching television to 1-2 hours a day, and children aged 2-5 years are recommended to use gadgets no more than 1 hour a day.

4. Are sunglasses required?

Both adults and children, regardless of skin type, have a high chance of damaging their eyes from excessive exposure to UV radiation. It is important to remember: the damage from UV radiation is cumulative; it accumulates throughout life. People with light iris colors (blue, green) have a higher risk of developing cancers such as iris melanoma or uveal melanoma.

UV radiation is not blocked by fog or clouds. You're at risk for the most UV radiation during the middle of the day, at high altitudes, and when light is reflecting off water or snow. Therefore, it is important to choose good sunglasses for both yourself and your children.

Sunglasses should block 100% of harmful radiation. Give preference to lenses marked UV 400 and remember: the color intensity of the lenses does not affect this parameter; glasses with both dark and light lenses can protect equally well. Glasses also differ in light transmission. There are 5 categories of filters. They are designated by numbers from 0 to 4 (usually the number is indicated on the inner surface of the lens next to the CE mark). A filter marked “0” transmits from 80 to 100% of light, while a filter marked “4” transmits from 3 to 8%. In the city, for example, for driving a car, the 1st or 2nd filter category is enough, for a trip to the sea or to the mountains - the 3rd or 4th.

Another important nuance: it is better to be without glasses at all than to wear dark glasses without proper UV protection. In bright sunshine, our pupils reflexively decrease in diameter, limiting the harmful effects of UV radiation on the lens and retina. If you are in the sun wearing sunglasses without a UV filter, the pupil will remain wide, allowing even more harmful radiation to enter the eye. If you doubt the quality of sunglasses, it is better to refrain from purchasing.

5. Is it true that blueberries and carrots improve vision?

Fruits, vegetables and the vitamins they contain are necessary for the human body, but the benefits of some of them are clearly overestimated: for example, there is a myth that blueberries and carrots have a beneficial effect on vision. Blueberries actually contain vitamins and microelements. But this does not mean that its appearance in your diet will protect you from eye problems.

There is not a single study that could confirm the benefits of this berry for human vision. The situation is approximately the same with carrots. In general, eye diseases are rarely associated with a lack of vitamins, and a normal diet completely satisfies the eyes’ needs for vitamins. Therefore, it is much more effective to consult an ophthalmologist if you have problems with your eyes, rather than load up on vegetables, fruits and berries, hoping for a magical healing.

6. Is it true that nulliparous women cannot undergo laser vision correction? What are the risk factors?

It is a myth. Laser correction is a fairly safe procedure; the risks involved are minimal. Before the operation, a thorough examination is carried out: the parameters of the eye are analyzed (diopters, thickness and topography of the cornea, the condition of the retina and optic nerve, and so on), and exclude inflammatory diseases and pathology of the cornea, which may adversely affect the result of the correction.

To correctly calculate the parameters of laser treatment, it is necessary to make sure that myopia does not progress, and that the minus that we measure during the preoperative examination is true and will not change after several days or months.

And here we smoothly approach pregnancy and childbirth. The fact is that against the background of hormonal changes in a pregnant and lactating woman, the cornea may swell slightly, which will lead to an increase in the minus. This phenomenon is temporary and goes away after childbirth or completion of lactation. This is why no one will give you laser correction during pregnancy, since it is easy to make a mistake with the calculations and get overcorrection. At any other time, if your myopia is stable and there are no other contraindications, you can safely decide to undergo surgery. Not having a child or planning to have one should not be an obstacle to good vision.

7. Will wearing glasses worsen your vision?

It's just the opposite. If vision is imperfect and the image cannot be focused on the retina, we see the world around us unclearly. This happens with myopia, farsightedness and astigmatism. Glasses or contact lenses come to the rescue, they shift the focus to the retina and return us clear vision. There is no point in being afraid of glasses. Properly selected glasses cannot harm your eyes.

Adequate correction is especially important in children. Vision is an acquired skill. Just as a baby gradually learns to walk, he also learns to see. A necessary condition for the development of the visual apparatus is the receipt of a clear image from the retina into the brain. If this does not happen (due to imperfect vision), then the brain receives distorted information and simply gets used to seeing poorly - a “lazy eye” develops. If adequate correction is not carried out in time, in adulthood no glasses will allow you to read the bottom lines in the table, and strabismus may develop.

If you read the article to the end, then you may already guess that there will be no advice about blueberries, visual gymnastics, limiting time spent in front of screens, and other similar things. Eye health primarily depends on your overall health and lifestyle.

If we are talking about children's vision, then in order for it to develop correctly, it is important to remember the need for full correction (glasses or lenses), long walks and regular monitoring by an ophthalmologist. According to the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the first examination by an ophthalmologist should take place before 6 months. This allows us to exclude serious pathologies that may interfere with the normal development of the visual apparatus, such as congenital cataracts, glaucoma, corneal opacities, and so on. Observation by a doctor should be carried out annually from the age of 1 to 3 years. Its goal is to identify conditions that may lead to the development of a “lazy eye” (high farsightedness and myopia, astigmatism, strabismus). It is recommended to carry out a vision test according to the table from the age of 3 or 4 and then at 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 15 years.

The main causes of visual impairment in adults are diabetes, cataracts, glaucoma and age-related retinal degeneration. Therefore, regular monitoring by an ophthalmologist is important:

• aged 40–54 years: every 2–4 years.
• aged 55–64 years: every 1–3 years.
• aged 65 years and older: every 1–2 years.

Don't forget to wear sunglasses, eat a varied diet, monitor your blood pressure and blood glucose levels, and watch your weight. Quit smoking and enjoy physical activity. All this, much better than dietary supplements and miraculous techniques, will help you see well for as long as possible. Be healthy!

About attitudes towards glasses

Since we are talking about glasses, we can distinguish two types: sunglasses and glasses with optical lenses for the correction of certain visual impairments.

Let's focus on sunglasses. Even though these glasses were intended to protect the eyes from too much light, some people began to wear them like a watch or a tie. This category of people can be seen wearing sunglasses at almost any time of the day. They don’t really care whether the blinding sun is shining or whether it’s already twilight and hiding the outlines of objects. Wherever they are - whether on the beach, or in a store - everywhere instead of their eyes we see spots of dark glasses.

Meanwhile, means of protecting the eyes from excess light were provided by nature itself. The protective role here was played by the eyelids, which can move closer together, and the pupil, the size of which can decrease, thus regulating the amount of light entering the eye. Only in very bright lighting, for example, during electric welding, on the beach, in the desert or in a snowy area, where the sun's rays reflected from the surface multiply the intensity of the light falling into the eyes, does the need for sunglasses arise. This need may also arise for drivers during a long trip on the highway in sunny weather, when their eyes are constantly focused on the road. The reflection of light from it in such cases is not very pleasant for unadapted eyes.

Constantly wearing sunglasses leads to photophobia (photophobia), when even the amount of light that a normal eye can easily withstand leads to pain in the eyes from which the usual dark glasses have been removed. In addition, wearing glasses with glasses painted in different colors often causes the so-called after-effect, which manifests itself in disruption of the correct color perception of the world for quite a long time.

That's why:

1. do not wear dark glasses unless absolutely necessary;
2. if you still have to turn to sunglasses, know how to choose them correctly. It is advisable to select (for the reason stated above) black (gray) glasses and avoid glasses with lenses painted in any other color. Glasses must block at least 70% of the incident light. With, for example, a forty percent light delay, they are practically useless. C. L. Thomson also advises doing the following check on your sunglasses. You need to move them away from you at arm's length and look through them at some distant object. It should not look enlarged or reduced. In addition, when the glasses move, there should not be any “ripples” or image distortion;
3. Accustom your eyes to bright light. This is achieved through solarization exercises.

How to choose the right glasses

It has now been established that sunglasses must meet the following basic requirements:

1. dim visible light until comfortable;
2. additionally weaken light in the blue range (390-450 nm), which is dangerous for the retina and is the cause of photoretinitis (light burn of the retina) and blindness from senile macular degeneration of the retina (irreversible damage to photoreceptors);
3. additionally weaken light in the ultraviolet band 320-390 nm, which accelerates the development of cataracts;
4. block ultraviolet light shorter than 320 nm, which causes corneal burns and conjunctivitis;
5. maintain the ability to distinguish between traffic light signal colors. The requirements according to claims 2 and 3 are especially important, since excessive darkening of the 480-650 nm band compared to the 320-450 nm bands (for example, blue glasses) leads to the fact that behind such a filter more of the exact light from which you need to protect your eyes.

Spectral requirements for glasses are regulated by national standards. The most rational standards are considered to be the UK - BS 2742, Germany - DIN 58217, USA - ANSI Z80 and Australia - AS 1067. USSR standards 1975-79. for sun lenses and glasses do not meet today's requirements.

In accordance with these standards, there are 3 main groups of sunglasses - Cosmetic, General and High UV-protection glasses.

Cosmetic lenses, as the name suggests, are practically ineffective, but also harmless. Lenses with a high degree of protection are necessary primarily for high mountains and polar regions, equatorial-tropical regions and conditions of ozone anomalies. And finally, General lenses are summer lenses that meet the requirements of our middle zone. In case of independent individual selection, the assessment is made based on the subjective feeling of comfort. It is useful to keep in mind that: 1. for normal operation, no more than 1500 lux (cd/m) is sufficient, while street light is at least 20-30 times more than this value; 2. the eyes gradually age under the influence of sunlight and this dependence is of a dose nature, i.e. the small daily damage caused by light accumulates over time (years!).

In other words, when choosing sunglasses for conditions of increased solar radiation, it is preferable to choose glasses with increased ultraviolet protection and reduced transmission in the blue region of the visible spectrum. According to a visual assessment - in light, the colors of such lenses can be neutral, brown, greenish-brown, but not blue or violet.

There are risk groups and situations where sunlight can be especially harmful to the eyes. Children, the elderly and people with retinal diseases are most vulnerable to the harmful effects of sunlight. The most dangerous light conditions are excess solar radiation with a high content of ultraviolet and blue rays: high mountains, polar regions, southern seas and deserts. Therefore, urgent advice to residents of the middle zone and more northern latitudes who want to relax in the south - preserve your vision for the future - protect your eyes with high-quality sunglasses. In addition to the fact that solar radiation is higher in the south, the short-wave part of the spectrum is additionally reflected from water, creating very harsh working conditions for the eyes.

There is another very serious reason for the need for sunglasses - atmospheric ozone anomalies. Today, it is no longer a sensation to hear that fishermen are catching blind fish, or to hear about thousands of blinded sheep, near-sighted flocks of rabbits, or blinded kangaroos. These terrible facts are a consequence of man-made life - a decrease in the ozone layer of the earth, which entails an increase in the level of solar radiation on the surface of the earth, including the most active invisible range - ultraviolet.

Doctors say that for people who have suffered more than six sunburns during their lifetime, the risk of melanoma (cancer) doubles, and ultraviolet burns at an early age are especially dangerous. And the most vulnerable is our organ of vision, our eyes.

And I would like to dwell on one more nuance. Now a very wide range of dyes for polymer lenses is imported into our country - dozens of colors and shades. Unfortunately, many, when ordering glasses from Opticians, select the color of the lens to match the color of the frame, hair, clothing, etc., forgetting that light of certain colors can excite the human psyche - and this is not necessary for a choleric person at all, or depress it what a melancholic person does not need, etc. Therefore, when choosing glasses for yourself, trust your intuition - you should be comfortable in them.

Checking glasses for quality

Good and fashionable sunglasses cannot be very cheap. Try on the glasses to check how comfortable they are - whether the nose pads put pressure on the bridge of your nose or whether the temples are too tight. If you tilt your head, your glasses should not fall off or slide down onto the tip of your nose. When you wear sunglasses, you should feel comfortable. Evaluate the quality of color rendering: when the light intensity decreases, the colors should not change, the white color should remain white, without a rainbow tint. Select a small object and try to see it in detail. Take off your glasses and compare your perceptions. If you do not notice any differences or distortions, you can buy.

Branded lenses keep all colors natural, only slightly changing the shade. It is believed that on average, for normal vision, our eye needs 20–30 times less light than in sunny weather.

In accordance with the Law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights,” sunglasses must be equipped with a label in Russian or international languages, which contains all the necessary information. Ultraviolet radiation is abbreviated as UV. On the temple of good sunglasses, the protection category or certificate number should be written, which coincides with the number indicated in the passport for these glasses.

When purchasing glasses, you should also consider the color of the lenses. Filters of different colors enhance the functioning of some photoreceptors of the eye and weaken others.

Pink sunglasses are attractive as a fashion accessory, but have a low degree of darkness. Red glasses irritate the nervous system, so a person wearing such glasses gets tired faster. Yellows make the world brighter, especially on cloudy days. They increase contrast, reduce eye strain and are recommended for motorists at dusk, in bad weather, early in the morning, in foggy conditions, as they have the ability to improve visibility on the roads. Orange ones are designed to reduce the glare of light sources on human eyes at night.

Greens are good for outdoor recreation, tennis, fishing and driving on a bright sunny day. Blue ones are beautiful, but they should not be worn by those who are driving, as they disrupt the color rendition and you can confuse the colors of the traffic lights. Lilac with a slight brownish tint provides the greatest comfort to the eye.

When buying “chameleon” glasses, carefully examine the lenses - the darkening should be perfectly even. "Polarized" glasses allow enough light to pass through, but at the same time reflect ultraviolet rays and eliminate glare. This is also indicated by stickers with the inscription “UV 400”, which means one hundred percent protection. There are glasses with a mirror coating in various shades: silver, gold, pink, lilac. Lenses reinforced with this coating better reflect sunlight and provide sufficient comfort to the eye.

Gradient glasses - with a smooth transition from dark (top) to light shade (bottom) - come in a variety of shades. Sports glasses differ not only in shape - they fit snugly to the face, but are also made of especially durable and lightweight materials. Driving glasses are designed for those who often drive a car; they help protect their eyes from the blinding light of oncoming headlights, and the anti-reflective coating eliminates “bunnies”.

How much and why

Sunglasses are probably the very first accessory that vacationers buy when they arrive in Yalta. And residents of the city, where the sun shines all year round, cannot do without them. With the onset of the holiday season, a huge number of off-site points selling eyeglasses appear on the Embankment and city beaches. True, it is not possible to be one hundred percent sure of the good quality of glasses. Although on the temples of almost all glasses there is a small “passport” on a string, indicating the country of manufacture “Made in China” and even “Made in Italy” and with all the symbols characterizing quality. But these “passports,” as the sales assistant explained to us, come separately in a box with glasses and are attached to the glasses by the sellers themselves while laying out the goods on the display. So, you can attach any “passport” to any glasses.

At another point of off-site sales, we tried to clarify with the seller how to find out the degree of darkening of the lenses, to which we received a very specific answer: “Ask me, I’ve been selling them for so long that I can determine the degree of protection by eye.” Although in fact, you can only check the protective ability of glasses from ultraviolet radiation with a special device in an optical shop. There are no “passports” for children’s glasses at all, and even the first glance at their quality, as a rule, leaves much to be desired. And this despite the fact that children's eyes are more susceptible to ultraviolet radiation. True, at some retail outlets there are not just stands with glasses, but also glass display cases, where mainly branded Polaroids are presented for sale.

Branded optical stores offer glasses from famous brands and new collections. Here they will tell you everything in detail about the model, quality, country of origin, and you can hope that here you will receive a real “passport” - a guarantee that it is not a fake, and your eyes will be protected.

It is widely believed that only glasses with glass lenses fully protect the eyes from harmful radiation. This is not entirely true. Glass lenses have excellent optical properties, high abrasion resistance, stable shape, but are quite fragile and heavy. These glasses should not be purchased for children, or for outdoor activities, driving a car or motorcycle, where glasses may fall and break. In such cases, glass glasses are much more dangerous than plastic ones, as they can break and damage the lens of the eye, they are also much heavier, faster and fog up more. Plastic is much lighter and resists impacts well. All over the world, both manufacturers and buyers have long appreciated the advantages of high-quality polymer lenses, the optical characteristics of which are in no way inferior to glass ones.

So when choosing glasses, take care of your health first. Take care of your eyes, because they are the mirror of your soul. Be healthy!!!

We asked Yalta residents: What guides you when buying glasses?

Irina Ragulina, Deputy Head of the Accounting Department:
- First of all, I pay attention to the quality and darkness of the glass. Precisely glass, since I always buy glasses with glass lenses.

Roman Semenov, programmer:
- When choosing glasses, I look at the quality and manufacturer; I generally prefer Polaroid with plastic lenses.

Alexander Klopot, seller:
- First of all, I care about health, that is, about protecting my eyes, and I choose only glass. Glass provides better protection.

Alexandra Serebrova, waitress:
- The most important thing is the style so that it fits and preferably the color of the arm - to match the handbag or the color of the clothes that I wear most often.

Based on materials from http://news.allcrimea.net, 2010

About the benefits of the sun

Is it possible to get a beautiful tan without harming your health? Of course, if you do it wisely, remembering to take precautions from the sun's rays. After all, they not only have a beneficial effect on our body and soul, but also pose a great danger.

The sun is a guarantor of health, one of the most important medicines known to man for a long time. It gives joy of life and strength, strengthens the body, spirit, mind and heart.

Under the influence of sunlight, blood circulation improves and metabolism is activated. The sun strengthens the immune system. In addition, sunlight activates phagocytosis. Phagocytes protect the body by devouring foreign bodies: viruses, bacteria, pathogens. Therefore, in summer people are less likely to get colds. Vital vitamin D, which serves as a building material for bones and teeth, is formed in the skin exclusively under the influence of sunlight. A lack of this vitamin in children leads to rickets, impaired bone tissue formation, and in adults to the appearance of osteoporosis (bone fragility).

The sun enhances the production of certain sex hormones, as a result it kindles love, sensuality, gives pleasure and strength. Perhaps this is precisely what explains the frivolity of “resort” novels. In addition, in sunlight, the “hormone of joy” is actively produced - serotonin, which is responsible for a good mood. As a result, on a clear sunny day, the dull mood disappears without a trace, people are full of energy and feel rejuvenated.

Sun damage

Excessive ultraviolet radiation and the absence of necessary precautions can cause irreparable harm to the body.

Excess sun leads to a weakening of the immune system, since all its forces are aimed at protecting the body from dangerous rays. In addition, sunlight penetrating the skin increases the formation of so-called T-suppressive cells. If there are many of these cells, the body stops responding to attacks from viruses and bacteria.

Ultraviolet radiation is one of the main factors of aging. According to the latest data, UV rays are able to penetrate the genetic apparatus of skin cells, damage it and activate free radicals, which are responsible for skin aging. The skin does not forget a single ray of sunlight that touched it, starting from the first day of life. Even a few sunburns during childhood increase your risk of skin cancer. The slogan of the American campaign to combat skin cancer is: “Golden tan today, payback tomorrow.”

What is heaven sending us?

The solar spectrum is divided into ultraviolet rays (UV rays) and infrared rays (IR rays).

UV rays make up only 5% of all radiation, but they are the ones that affect the skin. These rays are invisible. There are three types of UV rays: UVA, UVB and UVC. Long-wave UVA rays (320-400 nm) penetrate into the deep layers of the skin. Short-wave UVB rays (290-320 nm) damage primarily the top layer of skin, causing tanning, and, if no protective measures are taken, redness, sunburn and blisters. Thanks to the ozone layer, UVC rays, which are the most dangerous for humans, should not reach the Earth. But due to significant environmental pollution, ozone holes have appeared in the protective layer of the atmosphere, through which these dangerous radiations pass to Earth.

The luminary owes its warmth to infrared rays. Their effect is superficial, however, due to overheating in the sun, blood vessels burst, and a red mesh appears under the skin. In addition, these rays worsen the harmful effects of UV rays.

Solar protection

Each of us has our own protection from the sun's rays, called our “Natural Level of Protection.” This is the amount of time you can stay in the sun without using sunscreen without risking sunburn. The duration of such sun exposure depends on skin type and ranges from 5 to 40 minutes. During this period, the skin tries to protect itself from sun rays using its protective mechanisms.

So, under the influence of sunlight, human pigment cells (melanocytes) begin to intensively produce a special protective substance - melanin, which gives the skin a dark tint. This substance protects the body from solar radiation. So the tan that appears on the skin is nothing more than one of the most important protective mechanisms of the skin.

In addition, when exposed to UV rays, the surface layer of the skin (epidermis) becomes thicker within a few days. These are the so-called light calluses. They prevent sun rays from penetrating into the deeper layers of the skin.

If the body is exposed to sunlight for a long time, then natural protection becomes insufficient, cells are damaged, and sunburn (redness) occurs. To avoid this and relax calmly and carefree under the sun, you need to use sunscreen. All sunscreens have an SPF rating.

SPF (Filtration PhotoStable) is a sun protection factor, which means how effective the protection against sunburn is, that is, how many times longer can you stay in the sun after applying sunscreen without risking getting burned.

Choosing a sunscreen

How to determine which sunscreen with SPF is gentle for you? It all depends on many factors. Firstly, on how your skin reacts to the sun (natural level of protection), secondly, how long you are going to sunbathe and, thirdly, on the activity of solar radiation in the place where you are staying.

So, sunscreens increase the amount of time you can safely spend in the sun without using sunscreen. How many times is written on the package (SPF index). For example, if your safe time in the sun is 10 minutes, then a product with SPF 5 will extend it to 50 minutes, and a product with SPF 20 will extend it to 200 minutes = 3 hours 20 minutes (10 minutes times 5; 10 minutes times 20 ).

Table 1. How to choose a sunscreen

* Safe time in the sun without using sunscreen (Natural level of protection), minutes.
** Required protection factor.

Dermatologists, however, advise not to exhaust the time calculated according to the formula and to leave the sun a little earlier. They suggest that radiation can harm the body before the protective agent wears off.

Regarding solar radiation activity. This indicator depends on the latitude of the place where you are going to sunbathe, the height of your sun lounger above sea level, the thickness of the ozone layer and other things. It is impossible not to take this into account, but it is impossible to take everything into account.

Consider the characteristics of your skin

Tanning oils are strictly contraindicated for oily skin. Preference should be given to low-fat sunscreen gels. The oil is only for sun-sensitive skin as it has a low sun protection factor. It is better to lubricate dry skin with milk or cream than with low-fat gel.

Sunscreens may cause an allergic reaction in some people. In this case, you should purchase hypoallergenic sunscreens.

Getting used to the sun

In the first days of exposure to the sun (at the first stage), it is necessary to use sunscreens with the highest possible protection factor (SPF). The second stage, when your skin has already begun to get used to the sun's rays (after two to three weeks), you can switch to a product with a lower SPF.

To reduce skin sensitivity to UV rays, you should consume more foods rich in vitamins and minerals.

Table 2. Substances especially necessary for the body

Drink more fluids!

Do you want to be cheerful, cheerful, active even in the hottest weather? Then drink at least two liters of fluid a day, and even more in the heat and with constant exercise. This is essential for the skin's defense mechanisms to maintain sufficient moisture. It is best to drink table mineral water, because... In addition to useful organic substances, it contains a large amount of mineral salts. It is their loss caused by sweating that must be compensated by the body. By the way, everyone can drink table mineral water: from young to old. But we do not recommend using medicinal mineral water, where the salt content exceeds 800 mg/l, as drinking water.

Experts advise not to drink cold liquids in hot weather, not to swallow them in one gulp, but to drink them in small sips. The maximum limit for the kidneys at a time is 150 ml of liquid - no more! It is better to drink drinks without carbon. Juices should be drunk natural and freshly squeezed. You should not drink concentrated juices or juices with added preservatives!

When to avoid the sun

If you are taking certain light-sensitive medications (antibiotics, birth control pills, etc.), avoid the sun. The package insert for the drug should contain the note “causes photosensitivity.”

If you have problems with your skin (flaking, redness, pimples or moles), then before basking in the sun, be sure to consult a dermatologist.

How do sunscreens work?

Modern sunscreens contain UVA and UVB filters (UVA/UVB). These are interceptors of UVA and UVB rays, respectively. They act either physically, reflecting rays like tiny mirrors, or chemically, absorbing them. These filters do not penetrate the skin and do not irritate it. They not only provide skin protection, help prevent sunburn, sun allergies, premature aging, and violations of the natural structure of the skin, but also allow you to achieve a beautiful, even tan that you have been dreaming about all winter.

In addition to filters, sunscreens contain various compounds that provide effective skin care: moisturize it, prevent moisture loss, soften and soothe it.

Applying sunscreen

Before you go sunbathing, you need to wash (take a shower) - your skin should be clean.

The sunscreen begins to work approximately 30 to 40 minutes after application. Therefore, it must be applied in advance before going out into the sun so that it can fully exert its effect.

To increase the duration of action of the sunscreen, you should not rub it into the skin too much; it is better to apply it evenly in strokes.

Sunscreen should be used not only in sunny weather, but also on a cloudy day. Heavy clouds do not reduce the effect of the sun's rays. About 80% of the sun's rays easily penetrate through sparse clouds. And fog can even intensify them.

It is necessary to reapply sunscreen after each swim, since water and then the towel destroy the protective film. This will not only increase your time in the sun, but also moisturize your skin well.

During prolonged sunbathing, even if you sweat a lot, you still need to constantly apply a sunscreen. Consider the protection factor of your product. Remember that with repeated application, the increase in the effectiveness of the product cannot be calculated by simple addition.

Particular attention to sensitive areas! Facial skin is very sensitive. Therefore, to avoid the formation of wrinkles and burns, leading to serious consequences, it is necessary to use a product with a maximum protection factor (SPF).

The nose, forehead, ears, cheeks, knees, shoulders and insteps - the protruding parts of the body - are also very sensitive and are at particular risk of burning quickly, so they also need to be treated with products with a high protection factor. Lips do not have sebaceous glands, so it is necessary to protect them with a special lipstick with UV filters and moisturizing ingredients. Currently, some cosmetic companies offer powder and mascara with UV protection.

You should also not neglect to protect from the sun's rays with an awning, an umbrella, a wide-brimmed hat, or even just a large visor. However, it must be taken into account that about 30% of UV rays still penetrate into the shade.

Cloth

Clothing is only conditional protection from the sun. So the dangerous rays of the sun penetrate through it almost unhindered. To protect from the sun, clothing should be tight and dry. If clothes are wet, then much more sunlight passes through them.

Cotton fabric transmits much less radiation than artificial fibers.

Movement

Anyone who lies motionless on the beach and roasts under the scorching rays of the sun does great harm to his skin and blood circulation. Connective tissues also suffer greatly from this.

It is necessary to move as much as possible, and it does not matter what it is: a walk on the beach, volleyball or cycling. Movement promotes metabolism, and thanks to this, a tan will appear on the skin faster.

You can lie in the sun for no more than 15 - 20 minutes, carefully covering your head, and especially your eyes, from direct sunlight. You should know that the white sand on the beach reflects approximately 80% of the sun's rays.

Water treatments

Due to the strong reflection on and near water, the sun's rays act more intensely than on land. According to some experts, about 60% of UV rays remain effective at a depth of half a meter. Therefore, lovers of water activities need waterproof sunscreens with the highest possible protection factor. Waterproof sunscreens mean that water does not affect the ability of the protective layer to reflect UV rays. Even after 40 minutes of bathing, the protection does not lose its activity. Waterproof sunscreens are more economical to use and do not pollute rivers and reservoirs. You also need a swimming cap, which will reduce exposure to ultraviolet radiation by 70% and protect your hair from drying out and sea salt.

Immediately after swimming, be sure to dry yourself with a towel. The coolness of the water makes you forget that its small drops act like a magnifying glass, burning your skin.

Avoid midday sun!

During lunch hours (between 11 and 15 o'clock) be careful, as the sun's rays fall almost perpendicularly to the Earth, and their intensity increases 1.5 times compared to early morning! So during this period it is better to hide from the sun. In Australia there is even a saying: “Between eleven and three slip under a tree.” By the way, it is at these hours that in many southern countries it is siesta.

Carefully!

During sunbathing, do not use colognes, scented wipes, mineral cosmetics (vaseline, glycerin, stearin): under the influence of the sun and sweat, brown pigment spots may appear in the places where they are applied. This happens because some essential oils, for example, bergamot, sandalwood, musk, enhance the effect of UV rays. Therefore, in summer it is better to use non-alcoholic perfumes with low fragrance content.

Protect your eyes

To protect your eyes from excessive sun rays and to avoid causing irritation, it is best to wear dark glasses. By the way, they not only protect, but also eliminate constant squinting and blinking, thereby preventing the appearance of wrinkles.Sunglasses should only be purchased in specialized stores. When choosing glasses, be sure to take advice from professionals.It is recommended to wear sunglasses while in the water, as the water reflects sunlight. You should not apply sunscreen to the skin around your eyes; it is better to use a nourishing cream.

Hair care

Summer is the hardest time for hair. Burning sun rays, salty sea water or chlorinated swimming pool water have a destructive effect on the hair structure. Hair fades, becomes dry, thinner, brittle and even begins to fall out. As a result, hair requires special care in summer.

After swimming, be sure to rinse your hair thoroughly with fresh water and remove sand from your hair.

Effective preparations are now being produced for sun-damaged hair - aerosols, oils and gels, in addition - especially mild shampoos from the "After Sun" series.

Also use hair masks that improve structure. Plus ampoule complexes that are sold in pharmacies. After each hair wash, it is useful to use a conditioner, which will make your hair look shiny, silky and less brittle.

For very dry hair, you need to use oil shampoos. They should be applied to the hair and thoroughly massaged from the forehead and crown to the back of the head. Then leave for five minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Try not to use a hairdryer. The best thing is to dry your hair naturally (only in the shade, not in the sun).

A hat, Panama hat, and baseball cap are hair's best friends.

There are now special UV hair styling products on the market. They form a waterproof film that protects hair from exposure to sunlight.

After the sun

After sunbathing, you should immediately take a warm shower to wash away any remaining salt or chlorinated water, sunscreen, sebum and dirt. Next, the skin needs rest and super care.

After showering, apply “After Sun” products to your skin. "After Sun" cosmetic products are ideal products for additional care that soothe, refresh, help restore the functions of skin cells, prevent dehydration and flaking of the skin, improve and consolidate the tan color. They produce milk, creams and balms "After Sun".

For the face, there are rich creams with a high content of vitamin E, which prevent premature aging of the skin caused by intense exposure to sunlight. By the way, they are good not only for the face, but also for other sun-sensitive parts of the body, for example, shoulders, nose, ears.

"Body Splash" - body lotions that perfectly refresh the skin after a shower. Due to their menthol content, they have a cooling and stimulating effect. They produce "Body Splash" lotions not only for the body, but also for the face. These non-alcoholic toners are made from plant extracts that have a soothing effect on the skin.

If your skin is particularly sensitive or allergic to UV rays, you need After Sun products that do not contain emulsifiers, otherwise your skin may become irritated the next day during sunbathing.

Use various moisturizing masks, which can also help tidy up your skin.

Advice: to keep your tan longer, do not swim in hot water, do not do cleansing procedures, and avoid the sauna.

Advice for victims (homemade masks)

If you do get burned, do not rush to apply oil or greasy creams to the burned skin - this will only worsen your condition. It is better to apply a mask to previously cleansed skin (with cosmetic milk or still mineral water, but not tap water!).

Soothing masks

1) Take half a cucumber, a teaspoon of honey and a little lemon juice. Grind and mix everything until smooth and apply to the skin for 10 - 15 minutes. It is better not to wash off the mask with water, but to carefully “wash” it with a damp cotton swab.

2) Cut the cucumber into slices and place on the burned areas of the skin. Cucumber juice helps restore skin.

Moisturizing mask

Mix cottage cheese, cream and honey until smooth and apply to skin for 10 - 15 minutes. Then gently “wipe off” using a damp cotton swab.

"SOS" mask

If you have a sunburn, mix 2 tablespoons of honey with an egg yolk and a tablespoon of almond oil and apply to your skin.If things are bad, consult a doctor immediately.

"Fake tan"

The healthiest way to achieve a gorgeous skin tone is to apply a self-tanner from a tube. By the way, this magic is available all year round and you don’t have to spend money on a trip to the Canary Islands. In addition, you will get a perfectly even tan without traces of a swimsuit. The substances contained in such products interact with proteins located in the upper layers of the skin and enhance its pigmentation. As a result, quite quickly (in about 4 hours) you can give your skin a surprisingly natural golden tan.

The “fake tan” lasts until the skin cells peel off. This means that self-tanning without reapplication can last on the skin for 3 to 4 days, depending on its characteristics.

When choosing a self-tanning product, you need to pay attention to its characteristics: shade, presence of sun filters (UVA/UVB), “speed” of development, presence of fat. These products are easy to use and give excellent results. In addition, the moisturizing agents contained in self-tanning products maintain an optimal level of skin moisture, keeping it soft and elastic, which is very important in summer.

The section was prepared based on materials from the sites:
"Beautiful tan, healthy skin. Tips from Lilia Bhurtial",
"From light to shadow or how to care for skin after sunbathing,"
"13 tips or what you need to know about sunscreens",
"Tan correctly! Tanning products", "Rambler-Summer: Cosmetics and tanning",
"Sunglasses of the XXI century", magazine "

Special protection is required from UV rays. What role does skin type play in its choice? What do you need to enjoy the sun without grief?

Dermatologists believe that the skin is injured if a child is exposed to direct sun without special protective equipment. Today, skin cancer is not uncommon (and it is caused primarily by ultraviolet radiation), and in childhood a brick can already be laid in the foundation of this disease. Children spend much more time outdoors than adults, which means they are exposed to more sun. Experts have calculated that in the first 18 years of life, a person receives 80 percent of the total dose of solar radiation due to him, which he should receive throughout his life. Recently, a lot has changed in our lives: some - and even more than once a year - arrange a vacation in warm countries; weekends and holidays they also strive to spend in nature, sunbathe, soak up the sun. And here the main object of care that should not be overlooked is the child’s skin. It is significantly thinner and more sensitive than adult skin. During the first two years, she acquires the ability to tan, for which she must produce the pigment melanin. And the light-protective thickened layer in the skin, which blocks ultraviolet rays, begins to function well only by the age of six. Each subsequent sunburn of the skin increases the risk of skin disease - especially when brownish pigment spots remain. If a child (or adult) has more than 40 such spots, the risk of skin cancer increases significantly and there is a need to visit a dermatologist twice a year for monitoring.

Sunscreens combine two different effects:

• a chemical filter that absorbs most of the UV rays, that is, does not allow them to reach the skin;
• micropigments (for example, titanium oxide) that reflect UV rays.

Disadvantage of a chemical filter: a child’s sensitive skin may react to the drug with a rash or irritation.

Disadvantage of micropigments: they whiten the skin, often leaving a white layer. To reduce this effect, some manufacturers mix a chemical filter with micropigments.

New sunscreens often include additional nutrients or moisturizers, sometimes even insect bite repellants (these “cocktails” are often too much for the skin), and vitamin E to protect against free radicals—aggressive oxygen bonds or/ and panthenol, which promotes recovery and healing.

Sunscreens for children should not contain preservatives, fragrances or dyes, as they can cause skin irritation when exposed to the sun. But they must have protection from UV rays type A and B.

Eyes must be protected

Ultraviolet rays hitting the retina can cause severe damage and eventually cause cataracts. When staying near water or in the mountains, you should wear. Buy them only from an optician, where there is a guarantee that the lenses really do not transmit UV rays. Cheap glasses that can be bought on every corner usually only have tinted lenses that do not filter ultraviolet radiation. And what’s especially bad: tinted glasses force the pupils to dilate, so UV rays hit the retina even more easily, and the damage from this is even greater than staying in the sun without glasses.

Ultraviolet radiation UVA and UVB

Our skin is exposed to two types of UV radiation. Short-wave UVB rays penetrate only the top layer of skin, cause tanning, sunburn and, as has long been known, can cause skin cancer.

How intensively the corresponding cosmetic product protects the skin from UV-B rays is determined by its light protection factor (LPF). This indicator is multiplied by the self-protection time (the time during which you can be in the sun without sunscreen without damaging the skin). This determines the time during which you can be exposed to short-wave ultraviolet rays. For example: 10 minutes (self-protection time) x SPF 15 = 150 minutes of sun with this product (see table YOUR SKIN TYPE). To be on the safe side, do not use the full time allowed.

Long-wave UV-A rays penetrate deep into the skin and are responsible for premature aging. In this case, the collagen layer is damaged and wrinkles appear. Not so long ago, long-wave UVB rays were considered safe from a medical point of view. However, recent research has confirmed that they can cause skin cancer as well as short-wave UVB rays.

Panama hat is required

Optimal skin protection from the sun must meet three conditions: shade, proper clothing, and sun cream. Children need to be mostly in a protected area and should be indoors between 11am and 3pm. And since even in the shade the skin is exposed to 40 percent of UV rays, they cannot be left completely naked there either. Optimal clothing is with long sleeves and long trousers, made of light but dense (not openwork) cotton fabric in dark colors. White or very light clothing allows some UV rays to pass through. Wet clothes don't help either. The head should always be covered, the eyes should be protected by a visor, the ears and the back of the head should also be protected. A hat with a wide brim, a cap with a visor, folding ears and a nape lapel are comfortable. All unprotected areas of the body (face, hands, feet) should be lubricated with a preparation with a high light protection factor from short- and long-wave UV rays.

Itching and pimples: what's the matter?

Sun allergies and heat rash manifest as itchy blisters and blisters on the skin, making many people uncomfortable during the holidays. They often blame this on sunscreens that contain emulsifiers and certain oils. This is not true, although sensitive people may react with skin irritation to certain sunscreen ingredients, but this generally has nothing to do with sun-related breakouts.

A similar picture of the disease is given by polymorphic (diverse) photodermatosis. Polymorphic - since the reaction manifests itself differently in different people: in the form of pustules, blisters, pimples, papules, the appearance of rough, reddened areas of the skin, and often severe itching. As a rule, long-wave UV-A radiation is to blame. Those susceptible to photodermatosis (usually young women) should not expose their unprotected skin to sunlight. First of all, you should apply sunscreen to the face, neck, décolleté, hands, shoulders and forearms - the parts of the body most exposed to radiation.

Products with a very high degree of protection and a filter for short-wave UV-B and, above all, long-wave UV-A radiation help. There are also creams on sale with special substances for sun protection, which should be lubricated with the skin beforehand. Those who cannot tolerate chemical filters can use a pure micropigment product. It is very good if it includes vitamin E, which binds free radicals that can cause photodermatosis, primarily due to sun exposure.

The skin rash usually disappears quickly after appropriate treatment (antiallergy ointment, possibly corticoids). And in any case, hurry to the doctor, and not into the sun.

It's hot as hell: sunburn

Sunburn manifests itself in the form of redness of the skin (1st degree burn), blisters, swelling, pain, and burning sensation (2nd degree burn). Every sunburn causes damage to the skin, especially children's skin. And the skin does not forget anything. In addition to children and people with pale (white) skin, the following are at risk:

• certain areas of the skin usually covered by clothing - chest, buttocks and décolleté;
• scars and healing wounds;
• skin after peeling, especially with the use of chemicals;
• eyelids, nose, lips, ears, knees, hands and feet;
• skin after swimming, since after being in water the stratum corneum has softened.

If, despite all precautions, you still get a sunburn, cool wrapping, cooling ointments or gels with anti-inflammatory agents (for example, witch hazel) will help. After cooling, the skin needs moisture and oil (after-sun products). If you receive a second degree burn - severe skin tension or the formation of blisters, a rise in temperature (fever) - you should consult a doctor. There is another remedy, although it is not indisputable - taking calcium, which should increase the skin's resistance to solar radiation, and, above all, help avoid allergies to sunlight. It should be taken one to two weeks before the start of the holiday. Calcium has an anti-allergenic effect. But here the dose cannot be exceeded, which means that the appropriate drug must be prescribed by a doctor.

Valeria Orlovskaya

Sunglasses have always been a tempting business to invest in. Entrepreneurs from other business areas often seek refuge in this area while hiding from the crisis. This is why you need to be careful when buying sunglasses so as not to fall into the trap of unscrupulous manufacturers who are found on the market with this segment of goods. Because some manufacturers rely on style, and the eye safety factor fades into the background.

How to choose sunglasses so as not to lose your vision? This question concerns not so much aesthetics, but, first of all, health. Because the main function of this accessory is to protect the eyes from UV rays.

Chasing fashion trends, we often forget about the technical characteristics of sunglasses, which protect our eyes from the dangerous effects of the sun.

Today, the range of glasses offered is simply off the charts. What rules should you follow when choosing glasses? If you make a purchase at an optics store, there should be a special device - a photometer, which determines the level of protection against UV radiation. You can ask a sales assistant to have the glasses checked under your supervision.

People who don't wear sunglasses at all can age quickly, as wrinkles around the eyes appear faster. Also, being in the sun without protective glasses may cause watery eyes, pain in bright light, and noticeable blurred vision. And this is the result of ultraviolet irradiation.

Poorly chosen frames can cause headaches and pain behind the ears. Glasses should not squeeze, press or rub. If you have these symptoms, take them off immediately! Obviously they are not suitable for you.

If you notice a specific odor on glasses with plastic frames, do not buy them under any circumstances, this indicates a low quality product. The dye in the plastic and the plastic frame itself can be a source of allergic dermatitis.

Glasses with plastic lenses are in demand because they are easy to wear and safe for the eyes and skin. In addition, plastic is more stable than glass.

The disadvantage of plastic glasses is that they scratch quickly, and it is forbidden to wear damaged glasses, because the eyes will focus on the scratches or cracks, and a trip to the ophthalmologist will not be far off. Also, in extreme heat, plastic lenses can become deformed.

In all likelihood, glass lenses should have more advantages. In reality this is true. Glass lenses, like plastic ones, do not transmit UV rays, even if they are transparent. Plus, they are more scratch resistant. However, glass is a traumatic material. That is why, in some states of America, due to the risk of injury, the sale of glass lenses is prohibited. Glass glasses often leave marks on the nose, which does not have a very sophisticated appearance due to the weight.

Sunglasses have 3 types of tint. You need to know about this in order to understand which glasses to wear where.

• 1st group of tinting - 10%. Recommended in weak sunny times. Fashion glasses.
• 2nd group of tinting - 20-30%. Recommended in cloudy weather in daylight. Can be worn in the city where the sun is not so aggressive.
• 3rd group of tinting - 80-90%. Helps cope with aggressive sunlight and glare from water. Recommended for purchase on a trip to the sea or to the mountains. Open spaces.

However, remember that dark glasses are not an indicator of protection against UV rays.

• To choose the right shape of glasses, you need to know what type of frame suits your face type.
• If you have an oval face, you are lucky; any shape of glasses suits you.
• For those with a round face, rectangular glasses are suitable.
• Triangular faces should choose oval shapes and cat-like glasses.
• Large, round and square glasses will suit an oblong face.

So, let's summarize. We figured out what materials glasses are based on are harmful to eye health. We found out what frame good glasses should have for comfortable wearing. In conclusion, we can say that you need to wear glasses; they protect the retina from burns and prevent the appearance of wrinkles around the eyes.

Don't skimp on your health!

Over the past fifty years, people have begun to spend most of their lives indoors with artificial lighting. Does this have any implications for vision? Huge! Artificial and natural lighting differ in their effect on our eyes. It is not at all surprising that visual impairment is now present in a very large part of the population. We are so unaccustomed to natural sunlight that we cannot be in the Sun without sunglasses. But for thousands of years people managed completely without them.

Many people have developed such “photophobia” that when they are outside without dark glasses, they experience sharp pain in their eyes. Of course, the reason for vision deterioration is not only the constant exposure to artificial lighting. But facts are stubborn things. In cities where people spend almost 90% of their time in rooms with artificial lighting, various visual impairments are noted already in early childhood! On the contrary, doctors note that in people living in rural areas and spending most of their time outdoors, visual impairment is much less common and mainly in older people.

The following conclusion can be drawn: to restore vision, you need to return to the Sun! Eye solarization is a special exercise aimed at restoring vision using the bright light of the Sun. Hence the name of the term solarization - that is, exposure with the help of the Sun. People who use solarization in their practice begin to see better and eventually restore their vision.

It has been experimentally established that sunlight has a beneficial effect on the retina of the eye. Its impact causes relaxation of the eye muscles, improvement of blood supply to the retina. With astigmatism (uneven tension in the eyeball), myopia (general tension and inability to relax the muscles), retinal detachment is often observed. This phenomenon is so destructive to vision that if left unchecked complete blindness may occur. Bates, Shichko, Zhdanov and others explain retinal detachment by a change in the shape of the fundus of the eye due to overstrain of the eye muscles, which is why this deformation occurs and, as a consequence, retinal detachment, since the retina is not elastic. Deterioration of eye nutrition due to alcohol consumption and the general poor condition of the body worsens the situation.

To eliminate this disease, laser surgery is necessary. The price of the operation makes it unaffordable for a large number of patients. With the help of a laser, the retina is, as it were, soldered, but after a while, the detachment appears again, sometimes with sharp progress. Because the laser does not change the shape of the eyeball or improve elasticity. What is needed here is relaxation of the eye muscles and improvement of blood supply and nutrition to the retina. What should those who are unable to undergo surgery or strongly doubt its effectiveness do? Practitioners note that the use of solarization is very similar to the effect of laser soldering and note a strong effect of improving vision, which, unlike surgery, remains forever.

How is eye solarization performed?

William Bates proposed a way to free himself from the fear of light and called this technique “solarization.” Everything ingenious is simple! It consists in expose your eyes with drooping eyelids to the light of the sun. Under no circumstances open! With systematic exercise, the eyes become so accustomed to bright light that sunglasses are simply not needed. You will not squint in the sun, as people have not squinted for many thousands of years. The eyes will see well both in low light conditions and in very bright light conditions. Solarization can be carried out anywhere where there is sunlight. In cloudy weather, you can use an incandescent lamp with a power of 150-200 watts. It is strictly forbidden to use infrared and ultraviolet lamps! In this case, you can lose your vision completely. More on using lamps later. The exercise can be performed sitting or standing. But it is better to do this in a relaxed state, sitting in a comfortable position. Take a look at the pictures:

First you need to try to just get used to the sun for 30 seconds. To do this, close your eyes, lowering your eyelids (without squinting), and expose them to the sun. If you experience pain, palm immediately. This is a very useful exercise in which you close your eyes with your palms. (palm - palm in English). How to do palming correctly, read. Try to increase the solarization time to 30 seconds. When the time is up, palm and repeat 2-3 times. Gradually increase the session time to 20 minutes. If pain in the eyes does not allow you to perform the exercise for even a second, direct your eyes to a bright area of ​​the sky. Then, with each new activity, bring your eyes closer to the sun. Between each session, palm until any residual glare disappears. It is recommended to carry out solarization 2-3 times a day.

In order for the light to affect the eyes more evenly, head movements are necessary. Slowly change the rotation of your head in different directions for ten seconds. You can draw various imaginary round shapes in the air with the tip of your nose - a circle, a figure eight. You need to feel pleasant relaxation, feel how the warmth of the sun penetrates deep into your eyes and heals your vision. If you experience any sharp unpleasant sensations, stop immediately and palm until the glare disappears.

To consolidate the effect, you need to try to give up dark glasses. In general, their use is absolutely necessary in places with dazzling snow (mountains, Arctic, Antarctic), as well as in the tropics. But almost always, with the exception of mountains and places with dazzling snow, glasses can be replaced with a large-brimmed hat or a cap with a visor. After a certain time, the need for sunglasses will completely disappear and you will enjoy new sensations on a sunny day.

The Medvedevs describe an interesting way of performing solarization in their book. This is a method using a fan or a piece of thick paper. You can use your palm:

• Position yourself facing the sun while sitting or lying down.
• Try to achieve inner peace of mind and relaxation of the body.
• Take an opaque fan or a small piece of thick opaque paper in your hand and place it 15 centimeters from your face so that it covers half of your face. You can use your palm.
• Smoothly turn your head from side to side, listening to the sensations in the eye, which is exposed to either light or shadow. You can place a fan (paper) in the middle and move it from side to side, while keeping your head motionless.
• This technique allows you to relax more. Listen to how the sun warms your eyes through your eyelids, penetrates with its warmth very deeply filling your entire body, bringing your eyes to a normal state.
• General relaxation and peace of mind and comfort are of great importance, since solarization is aimed at relaxing muscles and improving nutrition of the eyes.

After finishing the exercise, it is recommended to wash your face with cool water (to raise the tone of the facial vessels close to the eyes), and then do palming for an increased duration. Solarization should be performed whenever possible, but at least 2-3 times a day. The results from these exercises may exceed all your expectations.