How do bright lights damage our eyes? Are UV/IR lights more detrimental, such as when looking at the sun?

Question

How do bright lights damage our eyes? Are UV/IR lights more detrimental, such as when looking at the sun?

In: Physics

Answer 1

UV/IR compared to visible light are more dangerous because you can’t see them.

If a bright visible light is poited at your eye you will instinctively close your eye and look away.

With UV/IR you won’t notice anything before the damage is already done and your eye starts to hurt.

IR/visible light will damage eye by heating it up. Like DeanMfker said the eye will focus the light like a magnifying glass.
UV is ionizing radiation so it can cause damage even at low intensity when it isn’t enough to heat up the tissue. This will cause [photokeratitis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photokeratitis) (snow blindness, arc eye, welder’s flash. It has many names.).