You know that the sun's UV rays can harm your skin — sunburn, wrinkles, premature aging, and skin cancer are some of the dangers of unprotected sun exposure.

What you may not know is those same UV rays can also hurt your eyes.

There is also evidence that repeated exposure to UV light can contribute to the development of eye diseases that commonly occur as we age, such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

To protect your eyesight, your Eye Care Professional wants you to follow these tips for enjoying the sun safely:

Always wear sunglasses, a hat and appropriate sunscreen (SPF factor 15 or higher), when out in the sun for extended periods. Re-apply sunscreen approximately every three hours, especially after bathing or sweating.

Make sure your sunglasses block 99 percent or 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays (check the label), and are polarized to help reduce glare. Blue light absorption may be helpful as well.

Choose sunglasses that are close-fitting or the wrap-around style, which will prevent rays from filtering in from above and the sides.

If you feel you must use a tanning booth, make sure the salon gives you (sterilized) protective eye goggles, as required by the FDA, and remove contact lenses if you wear them. Eye goggles should be tight-fitting and never removed during the tanning session.

If you wear contact lenses, be sure and wear appropriate sunglasses as well, even if your contacts have UV protection. The effectiveness of UV-absorbing contact lenses against eye disorders related to UV exposure has not been established.

Make sure that you wear appropriate sunglasses or goggles if you go snow-skiing to prevent a temporary condition called snow-blindness, or photokeratitis. The sun reflecting off the ski slopes can burn the cornea (surface of the eye), causing this painful eye condition.

Encourage your children to wear sunglasses beginning in infancy when they are outdoors. UV damage is cumulative, and children's eyes are most vulnerable to UV injury.