PRACTICE MANAGEMENT Help Desk

UV Awareness for Eyes

■ Physicians who could use some help persuading patients that their eyes require serious protection from ultraviolet (UV) rays have an ally in a new Web site from Prevent Blindness America. Part of a broader consumer media outreach, the online UV Learning Center, found at www.preventblindness.org/UV, features pages explaining just what UV rays are and how they damage the eyes, as well as instructions for protecting eyes from the sun. The tips inform patients that wide-brimmed hats block approximately half the sun's rays and explain UV-blocking options for eye wear, including coatings and photochromic lenses. Another link lists the very specific ocular problems UV light can eventually result in, such as AMD and photokeratitis.

"As more consumers look to the Web for health education, having an online resource to educate them on UV and other important aspects of eye protection is absolutely critical," explains Daniel D. Garrett, senior vice president of Prevent Blindness America. "And UV awareness for eyes is generally a lot lower than it is for the skin. I don't think people visit their optometrist or ophthalmologist frequently enough for them to get this information."

The site also advises visitors on how to choose sunglasses for various environments and how to read manufacturers' labels. Visitors can click on the link "UV Dangers" to learn about which factors make for even greater UV risk — such as cataract surgery and certain common medications like tetracycline and oral contraceptives. A quiz tests UV knowledge.

The UV Learning Center addresses children's needs as well. Informing visitors that children's eyes lack even adult eyes' ability to protect from UV radiation, the site provides practical considerations for a child's lifestyle and UV protection.

Prevent Blindness America reports that the site has had more than 300,000 visitors since it launched in May and has received more than 600 requests for the agency's UV brochure. You can order that brochure, "Sight for Life: Protecting Your Eyes from the Sun," on the Web site.

The UV Learning Center is made possible by a grant through the Transitions Optical (Pinellas Park, Fla.) Healthy Sight for Life Fund. OM