Protecting Your Eyes During Phototherapy
Phototherapy is a safe and effective treatment for skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and vitiligo—but like any treatment that uses light, it’s important to protect your eyes. The type of light used in phototherapy can affect different parts of the eye in different ways, so wearing the right protection is essential for keeping your vision safe.
Here’s what you need to know about eye safety when undergoing UV light treatments.
How Light Affects the Eyes
Light comes in many forms—UV, visible, and infrared—and each type can affect the eyes differently:
- Shorter wavelengths (like UVB and UVC) can damage the surface of the eye, such as the cornea.
- Longer wavelengths (like UVA or infrared) can reach deeper and affect the lens or retina.
The good news? With the right protection, these risks are easy to avoid.
UV Light: Protecting the Surface of Your Eyes
The most common type of eye injury during phototherapy is caused by UV light—especially UVC and broadband UVB, which can damage the outer layer of your eye after even brief exposure. This can lead to a painful condition called UV keratitis, which is like a sunburn on your eye.
Even narrowband UVB (used in many modern phototherapy treatments) can cause irritation without protection—but wearing special UV-blocking goggles during treatment keeps your eyes safe.
PUVA Treatment and Cataracts
If you’re receiving PUVA therapy (which combines UVA light with a medication called psoralen), it’s especially important to wear protective eyewear for at least 24 hours after treatment. That’s because the medication makes your eyes more sensitive to light, and too much UVA exposure afterward could increase the risk of developing cataracts.
Wearing UVA-blocking glasses during and after treatment is a simple way to avoid this risk.
Blue Light and Infrared: The Hidden Risks
Not all light that can harm your eyes is ultraviolet. Blue light, which is found in everything from the sun to phototherapy lamps to digital screens, can potentially cause damage to the retina over time. Some research also links it to age-related macular degeneration, a condition that affects vision later in life.
Infrared light (the kind of heat you feel from sunlight or certain lamps) can also be dangerous, especially because it doesn’t look bright to your eyes—so you may not blink or look away in time.
That’s why phototherapy goggles need to be matched to the kind of light being used, and your clinic should always make sure you’re wearing the right protection.
What About Looking at the Sun?
It’s a common question—can you use phototherapy goggles to safely look at a solar eclipse or the sun?
No. Even the strongest UV-blocking goggles used in medical settings are not enough to protect your eyes from the intense light of the sun. To look at an eclipse safely, you need specially certified eclipse glasses or #14 welding glass.
Simple Ways to Protect Your Eyes During Treatment
- Always wear the goggles provided by your clinic during your phototherapy session. Phothera home phototherapy devices include with UV blocking glasses with your order.
- If you’re doing PUVA, keep your special UVA-blocking sunglasses on for 24 hours after treatment—even indoors if you’re near windows
- Never look directly at the light source
- Don’t remove your goggles until your provider says it’s safe
- Ask your provider if you have any questions about the kind of light being used and how to stay safe
At Phothera, we care about every aspect of your treatment—including your safety and comfort. Our phototherapy devices come with built-in safety features and certified eye protection designed specifically for the type of treatment you’re receiving.
If you’re starting phototherapy at home or in a clinic and want to know more about how to protect your eyes, we’re here to help.