I was recently asked if a person could suffer loss of night vision from tanning indoors without eye protection. The answer is ABSOLUTELY!
The ONLY way to lose your night vision is from UV-overexposure. This can happen from outdoor sun exposure or from tanning indoors without eye protection.
It’s not unusual for people in their teens and 20s to already have diminished night vision. There is NO drug or surgery to restore night vision, so guard it zealously! The only thing you can do to prevent your night vision from deteriorating is to wear UV-block sunglasses outside and FDA-compliant eye protection during every indoor tanning session.
Some tanners aren’t aware that closing their eyes does not prevent the sun’s harmful rays from damaging their eyes when sunbathing; our eyelids block less than 25 percent of UV light. I always like to suggest wearing tanning goggles or disposable eye protection when lying on the beach or around the pool to minimize tan lines from big sunglasses. Remember, covering your face with a towel will not protect your face or your eyes – it provides only an SPF5. If you don’t want to tan your face, use an SPF25 or higher, as well as FDA compliant eye protection.
So, what’s life like without clear night vision? Driving becomes problematic – will you see the kid on the bike? Poor night vision also limits career opportunities for pilots, military, and cat burglars (that was a joke!).
Protect your vision by wearing your eye protection when tanning indoors. It’s required for a good reason!
