Many people unaware of UV rays harmful effect: survey

Mumbai, May 24 (UNI) A survey titled 'Transitions Health Sight', carried out in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata shows that a large number of people are still unaware of harmful effects of ultra-violet (UV) rays.

The survey conducted by an ophthalmic company projects that 85 per cent people in Mumbai alone are unfamiliar that UV rays affect the eyes and as many as 73 per cent do not go for regular eye check-ups.

The report which was released here yesterday said that 22 per cent of the respondents who were aware of the UV rays harmful effect, did not know anything how these rays affect their power of vision.

The survey also found that people were not doing much to protect their eyes from dangers of UV rays.

It is estimated that India has about nine million visually impaired people due to cataract and some 16 million people worldwide suffer blindness every year due to loss of transparency in the lens.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates suggest that upto 20 per cent of cataracts may be caused by over-exposure to UV radiations which are preventable.

On the occasion of releasing the report, opthalmologist Dr Neepa Thacker Dave said, ''Besides cataract, the other eye diseases linked to UV rays are tumours on the surface of the eye, photokeratitis or snow blindness, an inflamation of cornea like sunburn of the very sensitive skin-like tissues of the eyeball or more specifically the cornea.'' UNI LS KU/GK SK VC0950