Sun Protection

DOWN UNDER

Tips on protecting eyes and skin from the sun experts in Australia

By Erinn Morgan

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, at nearly four times the rates in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Each year, more than 1,850 Australians (out of a population of 22 million) die from this almost entirely preventable disease. In fact, the Cancer Council Australia reports that skin cancers account for 80 percent of all newly diagnosed cancers.

The damaging Australian sun also takes its toll on eye health. According to Vision 2020 Australia, an organization that leads advocacy efforts and raises community awareness about good eye health and vision care, the sun contributes to some of the common causes of eye disease—cataracts, macular degeneration—and, thanks to the country's dusty, dry conditions, pterygium.

“Australia experiences some of the highest levels of UV radiation in the world because we are close to the equator, where the sun sits, and we have a lot of clear, blue-sky days,” says Robyn Wallace, Vision Initiative Program Coordinator for Vision 2020 Australia. “The Earth's orbit also takes countries in the southern hemisphere (Australia included) closer to the sun in their summertime than countries in the northern hemisphere. The depleted ozone layer problem we have in Australia may also contribute to our high rate of skin cancers,” continues Wallace. “Ozone blocks UVB, and there is evidence that exposure to UVB is also related to cataract development.”

PROTECTIVE MEASURES

This increased sun exposure has kept Australia's health experts at the forefront of protective measures. In fact, Australia introduced the world's first national standards for sunglasses in 1971. These standards have since been revised, and in 2003, Australia issued a joint Australia/New Zealand standard, AS/NZS 1067: 2003 Sunglasses and Fashion Spectacles, which sets strict limits on the allowed transmittance.

This standard includes five ratings for transmittance based on the amount of absorbed light—from 0 to 4, with 0 delivering some protection and 4 offering a very high level of protection (but not to be worn while driving). These standards also define lens dimensions (width and height) and safety requirements. Australia's newer ratings are more specific and offer even more lens categories than U.S. or European ratings.

Despite this, and while it is suggested that all products be labeled, sunglasses sold in Australia are not currently required to be marked with their transmittance lens category.

“There are guidelines about the standards and swing tags to label the standard are recommended, but there are no mandatory regulations,” says Wallace. “In some shops and markets, sunglasses are not labeled, but promotion programs by the Cancer Council are an ongoing effort.”

To ward off the effects of the harsh sun Down Under, the Cancer Council Australia recommends a combination of sun protection measures, including wearing sun-protective clothing and applying an SPF30+ sunscreen every two hours while in the sun. Eye protection recommendations include wearing broad-brimmed, legionnaire-style hats and donning close-fitting, wrap-around-style sunglasses that meet Australian Standards (lens categories 2, 3, and 4).

SUN PROGRAM

With an eye to the future, Australia has also put the onus on educating parents about the importance of protecting their childrens' eyes. “Short-term exposure can cause sunburn of the cornea and impaired vision,” says Centre for Eye Research Australia Managing Director Professor Jonathan Crowston. “But the real concern is the cumulative effect of exposure.”

With this in mind, the Cancer Council's SunSmart program is aimed at encouraging children to wear sunglasses and hats. “SunSmart recommends that all Victorian schools have a SunSmart UV policy to ensure a healthy UV balance is achieved to minimize the risk of skin and eye damage and skin cancer, plus to ensure vitamin D levels are maintained,” adds Wallace.

Australia's efforts to combat its sun-related problems have been emulated worldwide. ECPs looking for ways to help their patients better protect their sight and skin can certainly look Down Under for direction. EB

Hot Trend: UPF Clothing

Australia launched a focus on sun-protective clothing nearly 15 years ago when it formalized UV-protection claims for clothing. Researchers there developed the first fabric testing procedures for UV transmission, along with a UPF rating system for garments. Today, these smart garments are coming to the forefront as consumers look for simple and effective ways to protect their skin from the harsh effects of the sun. UPF garments are typically not treated in any way; instead, they offer inherent sun protection because of their fabric type (e.g., polyester has a high UPF rating), color (darker colors block more UVR than lighter colors), and weight (heavier fabrics deliver more UPF protection). Sun protection clothing is typically labeled as such with an assigned UPF rating. The higher the number, the better the protection. For example, a UPF rating of 50 indicates that the fabric will allow only 1/50th (about two percent) of available UV radiation to pass through it. In the U.S., UPF clothing can be found in most outdoor, department, and sporting goods stores along with catalogs and websites such as coolibar.com. The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency's tips for choosing UPF garments with protective design elements include: ■ Looking for shirts with long sleeves and high collars. ■ Picking hats that shade the face and protect the back of the neck and the ears. ■ Wearing loose-fitting clothing that offers more protection than tight garments. Australian Rating System for UPF clothing Adopted by clothing manufacturers worldwide, this system assigns each UPF rating number with a protection category and indicates how much UV radiation is blocked. UPF RATING PROTECTION CATEGORY % UV RADIATION BLOCKED 15, 20 Good 93.3 to 95.9 25, 30, 35 Very Good 96.0 to 97.4 40, 45, 50, 50+ Excellent 97.5 or more