4 Things Ophthalmologists Wish You Knew About Your Eyes

For starters: They can get sunburned.

Mar. 20, 2026 at 9:03am

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When the author wrote a column on tips from E.R. doctors last year, they heard one piece of advice over and over: Wear safety glasses whenever doing yardwork - even for jobs that take only a minute. The doctors shared graphic descriptions of objects removed from the eyes of patients. To make sure they're doing everything they can to take care of their eyes, the author decided to talk to ophthalmologists, who shared four key things people should know about eye health.

Why it matters

Eye health is an important but often overlooked aspect of overall health and wellness. By learning from ophthalmologists about common eye issues and how to prevent them, readers can take proactive steps to protect their vision and avoid potentially serious or painful eye injuries and conditions.

The details

One key thing ophthalmologists want people to know is that eyes can get sunburned, a condition called photokeratitis, which can cause redness, pain, and sensitivity, 'as if you had a scratched cornea,' according to Dr. Vincent K. Young, chief of ophthalmology at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital.

  • The author wrote a column on tips from E.R. doctors last year.

The players

Dr. Vincent K. Young

Chief of ophthalmology at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital.

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What they’re saying

“When you expose your eyes to prolonged or intense UV light, you can develop a condition called photokeratitis, which is basically sunburn. It can feel like redness, pain and sensitivity, 'as if you had a scratched cornea,'”

— Dr. Vincent K. Young, Chief of ophthalmology

The takeaway

By learning about common eye health issues from ophthalmologists, readers can take proactive steps to protect their vision and avoid potentially serious or painful eye injuries and conditions, such as wearing protective eyewear when doing yardwork.