Sunburned eyes: Symptoms, treatment and when to see an eye doctor

Have you ever spent the day at the beach, only to come home and find your eyes feel red, painful or even a bit gritty?

Your eyes may be sunburned. Like the skin, eyes can experience sunburn too. Sunburn of the eyes is also called photokeratitis.

Learn more about sunburned eyes, symptoms, how to treat it at home and when you should see a doctor.

What is photokeratitis?

Photokeratitis is an eye condition that can happen if the eye is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays. It’s like having an eye that is sunburned.

Photokeratitis affects the thin, outer layer of the eye, called the cornea (the clear front window of the eye). Photokeratitis can also impact the conjunctiva. This is the clear tissue that covers the inside of your eyelids and the white parts of your eye.

This can be a painful eye condition. But it’s usually temporary and resolves over a couple of days.

What causes photokeratitis?

Photokeratitis (or sunburned eyes) is caused by damage from ultraviolet (UV) rays. Most often, sunlight is the main natural source of UV rays.

Eye damage from natural sources of UV rays can happen if the sun reflects off water, sand, ice or snow. You might get sunburned eyes after a day at the beach.

You can also have painful, sunburned eyes after a day of skiing on the slopes. This is called snow blindness. It’s when the sun reflects off ice and snow. It’s common in mountain areas where the air is thinner and there’s less protection from UV rays.

People who ski, snowmobile or mountain climb may be more likely to experience snow blindness.

Photokeratitis can also happen after using tanning beds or tanning lamps.

Staring directly at the sun can also cause this painful eye condition. Watching a solar eclipse without the right eye protection can cause UV damage to the eyes. Damage from a solar eclipse can be long-lasting.

Symptoms of sunburned eyes

Like sunburn, you might not notice symptoms of photokeratitis straight away.

The longer your eyes are exposed to UV rays, the more serious your symptoms are likely to be.

When symptoms do occur, they may include:

• Eye pain
• Blurry vision
• Redness
• A “gritty” feeling in the eye
• Tearing
• Sensitivity to bright lights
• Small pupils
• Headache
• Seeing halos
• Twitching of the eyelid
• Swelling
• Temporary vision loss (though this is rare)
• Color changes in your vision (though this is rare)

Treatment for sunburned eyes

Typically, photokeratitis gets better on its own. But you can do a few things to make your eyes more comfortable while they heal.

Here are a few tips:

• If you wear contact lenses, take them out right away
• Get out of the sun and rest in a dark room
• Use artificial tears to help moisturize and protect your eyes
• Try putting a cold washcloth over your closed eyes to ease any discomfort
• Take over-the-counter pain medicine, if it is safe for you

Even if it’s tempting, stay away from rubbing your eyes while they are healing.

Most people see symptoms slowly improve in a day or two.

When to see a doctor

Photokeratitis will typically resolve on its own within a day or two.

But any time you’re worried about your eye health, or are having symptoms like eye pain, it is a good idea to see an eye doctor, also called an ophthalmologist.

Regular eye exams are an important part of staying on top of your health. For people under 40 without eye disease or risk factors, a full eye exam is suggested every 5 to 10 years. For people 65 and older, it’s a good idea to get an eye exam every 1 to 2years.

How to prevent sunburned eyes

Here are a few tips for keeping your eyes safe from the sun:

• Wear sunglasses with 100% UV protection that block both UVA and UVB rays
• Look for glasses with labels that say UV400 protection or UV absorption up to 400nm
• Wear sunglasses even on cloudy days, especially if you’re in the mountains, around water, snow or ice
• Never look directly at the sun
• Avoid UV tanning beds

These safety tips will protect you from photokeratitis and other eye problems, such as cataracts and eye cancers.

Takeaway

Just like your skin, your eyes can get sunburned. The pain and discomfort usually gets better in a day or two.

While you heal, think about staying out of the sun, using eye drops and place a cold cloth over your closed eyes. And remember to wear sun protection next time you’re outside, even if it’s cloudy.

If you’re worried about your eye health or have symptoms of sunburned eyes that aren’t going away, talk with your doctor. They may suggest an eye exam or medicine to help prevent an eye infection.

Ophthalmology deals with the anatomy, physiology, and diseases of the eye. Ophthalmologists diagnose and treat both medical and surgical eye problems in patients of all ages. At Crystal Run, our ophthalmology team consists of highly skilled physicians who are fellowship-trained in anterior segment surgery (for cataracts and other eye problems) and glaucoma (a group of diseases that damage the eye’s optic nerve and can result in vision loss and blindness). Our ophthalmologists offer complete medical and surgical eye care, from simple evaluations for eyeglasses to complex and delicate eye surgery.