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Whether on the job or at the beach, you probably take care to protect your skin from too much time in the sun. But although excessive UV exposure can cause skin cancer, many people neglect to give the same preventive care to their eyes—leading to partial or even total vision loss.
Here are just a few eye injuries New Jersey workers may suffer from:
- Photo keratitis – This condition, sometimes called a “cornea sunburn,” is caused by prolonged UV-B exposure such as spending several hours in summer or snow without proper eye protection. While it is extremely painful and may cause only temporary vision loss, long-term UV-B exposure may lead to corneal degeneration.
- Cataracts – Sustained exposure to UV radiation has been linked to cataracts, a cloudiness of the eye lens that is a major cause of blindness worldwide.
- Macular degeneration – Radiation exposure may contribute to macular degeneration, an irreversible aging of the retinal tissue.
- Pterygium – This abnormal tissue growth on the whites of the eyes may need surgical removal, but will often reoccurs if the employee suffers continual UV exposure.
There are a number of ways employers may be liable for a UV exposure injury at work. While the sun is a major source of intense UV radiation, the flash of a welding arc and other bright light exposure can also damage eye tissue. Without proper eye protection you can significantly increase your injury risk.
Morristown worker’s compensation attorney Manfred F. Ricciardelli, Jr. can help you get worker’s comp for sunlight eye diseases that you have sustained on the job. Call our offices today at (877) 360-0183 to begin your FREE consultation, or click the link above to download our FREE book, What the Injured Worker Needs to Know: Your Workers Comp Guide.