Q: My friend said she got a sunburn on her eyes. Is this really possible?

A: Yes indeed, and she probably meant she suffered some acute discomfort. You probably know that prolonged sun exposure puts you at risk for eye problems like cataracts, but ultra-violet rays from the sun can also irritate the cornea and conjunctiva, resulting in pain, blurry vision, grittiness, light sensitivity and watering, much like a welding flash or snow blindness. Like a sunburn, the discomfort occurs a few hours after the burn itself. One more reason to protect your eyes against the sun!