Summer safety

In this week’s edition of the Orange County Review, we remind our readers of the importance of summer safety. We explain the differences between heat exhaustion and heat stroke. We encourage our readers to recongize the symptoms and treat them accordingly.
Opposite this page, Orange County Building Inspector Bill Schwind reminds local residents of the importance of home pool safety.
Meanwhile, our friends at the health department pointed out the importance of protecting our skin and eyes from the sun’s powerful rays.
July is Ultraviolet Safety Month. Ultraviolet or UV rays are put off by the sun, sunlamps and tanning beds. The rays are invisible and can penetrate the skin causing damage such as wrinkles, discoloration or skin cancer. There are two types of UV rays; UVA rays are responsible for skin cancer, wrinkling and sagging while UVB rays cause sunburns.
Skin damage from the sun is irreversible and may take years before the effects appear. Just one blistering sunburn doubles your chances of developing melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. Although people with fair skin, light colored hair and freckles are more likely to get a sunburn, everyone can experience UV related skin damage.
The best way to avoid UV related skin damage is to protect yourself from the sun. Sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 will block 93 percent of all UVB rays. If your skin is more sensitive to the sun an SPF of 50 will block 99 percent of all UVB rays. One ounce of sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before going outdoors and reapplied every two hours. However, no sunscreen can block all UVB rays and very few sunscreens protect against UVA rays. Practicing additional sun safety precautions will prevent any skin damage that sunscreen cannot.
•Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when UV rays are strongest.
•Stay in the shade. But beware that the sunlight can bounce off reflective surfaces and reach you in the shade.
•Cover up with dark, tightly woven clothing. If you can see light through the fabric UV rays will also get through.
•Keep newborns out of the sun.
•Use sunscreen with at least an SPF 15 on children over 6 months of age.
•Do not use tanning beds or sun lamps.
In addition to your skin, UV rays can damage your eyes. The surface of your eyes can burn just like your skin. The burn will go away but damage may occur later in life. UV eye damage includes cataracts, macular degeneration, vision loss and cancerous eye tumors. The good news is that you can protect your eyes from UV rays just like you protect your skin. Follow these tips throughout the year to protect your eyes:
•Wear sunglasses and a brimmed hat whenever outside.
•Buy sunglasses that block 90-100 percent of UV rays. More expensive sunglasses are not always better, check for the percentage of UV rays they block.
•Wear sunglasses that wrap around your head to protect the sides of your eyes.
•Use caution when around water, sand, pavement and snow; these materials intensify UV rays.
•Children and babies should also wear sunglasses that block 90-100 percent of UV rays.
For more information on protecting your eyes and skin from harmful UV rays please visit http://www.aao.org/aaoesite/eyemd/uv.cfm and http://www.cdc.gov/Features/SkinCancer/. You can also call Mary K. Collins, District Health Educator at 540/948-5481.