FOCUS Fall 2020

Macular
Degeneration
Summer we had the opportunity to interview Dr.
Diane Bovenkamp, Vice President of Scientific
Affairs at the BrightFocus Foundation. Dr.
Bovenkamp is an expert of Age-Related Macular
Degeneration (AMD) and she spent time reviewing
critical information to help us better understand the
relationship between light exposure and the risk of
developing AMD.
It’s no surprise that the greatest risk factor for
developing AMD is aging. As we age, our body’s
ability to recycle cells and remove waste
diminishes. You find this type of deterioration effect
in other human body systems like the epidermis.
Much like our skin’s loss of elasticity in our later
years, your eyes too can denigrate over time. This
much may be common knowledge to vision care
professionals like opticians.
What is more fascinating, however, is what Dr.
Bovenkamp shared with us about light’s effect on
the human eye and its contribution to AMD. What
we now know is that light damage is cumulative,
meaning that harmful exposure can aggregate
over a person’s lifetime.
What is the largest contributor of light damage?
The sun.
Depending on the wavelength of
the radiation, it can either be
helpful or harmful to your health.
Much of the radiation is blocked
by the ozone, but there are still
radiation amounts that penetrate
their way to the earth’s surface
and can become a risk exposure.
F O C U S
There are three different types of UV light:
1. UVA (320-400 nanometers in size)
Can penetrate the skin and contribute to skin
cancers. About 95% of that is blocked by the
ozone. Mild risk to eye health.
2. UVB (280-320 in size)
About 5% gets through the ozone. Mild risk to
eye health.
3. UVC (180-200 nanometers)
The most dangerous to our health. Much of it
is blocked by the ozone, however, if there are
holes in the ozone then it can get through. Its
impact is so powerful that it is used as a
commercial disinfectant.
In addition to outdoor protective measures like
wearing sunglasses, an a wide-brimmed hat, Dr.
Bovenkamp also shared that we should do our
best to protect our eyes from UVC even while
indoor. That can look differently depending on your
circumstance, but there are small measures you
can take like staying away from windows during
peak sun hours of the day (typically 11 am – 2 pm)
and adjusting curtains or blinds in your home to
shield sun light.
This is such an exciting and evolving area of
research for vision care professionals. Be sure to
talk with your patients about trying to keep safe
from UVC!
©ThailandMedicalNews
Diseased eyes with wet and dry AMD.
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