Something new under the sun

Ultraviolet radiation can exert adverse acute and chronic effects on many ocular tissues, including the lens. Chronic exposure to ultraviolet B wavelengths has been linked to cortical cataracts, and posterior subcapsular cataracts have likewise been associated with the chronic effects of ultraviolet radiation. Aphakic patients require protection from the injurious effects of ultraviolet radiation, and clinicians must be familiar with the transmittance guidelines for ultraviolet-protective eyewear and prescribe lenses that absorb injurious wavelengths.