A new study has found that the side windows of our cars don’t protect us from harmful UV rays and is likely to be causing us problems such as skin cancer and cataracts.
The study, recently published in JAMA Ophthalmology, found an increase in the amount of skin cancer and cataracts developing in Americans primarily on the left side of the face – the driver’s side.
Looking into the amount of UV protection car windows provide, Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler, of the Boxer Wachler Vision Institute in Beverly Hills, who led the research, analyzed 29 cars from 15 different automobile manufacturers. He found that the windsheild tended to offer high UV protection at 96 percent, however on average, side windows only blocked out around 71 percent. Around 14 percent of the manufactured cars blocked a higher percentage of UV rays from their side windows.
The 71 percent statistic may seem high but with the increasing daily amount of driving by the average American, this can present more risk to our skin and eyes and some of the cars tested only blocked out as low as 50 percent.
“It had no correlation at all with the cost of the car, high-end car or low-end car,” said Boxer Wachler.
A dermatologist and skin cancer expert at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, Dr. Doris Day says that this is potentially dangerous and describes ultraviolet rays as “carcinogens”.
“While UV-B is a shorter wavelength of light and is blocked by glass, UV-A is longer and goes deeper into the skin — causing both skin cancer and premature aging as it breaks down collagen,” she explained. “UV-A also goes through glass, making it a potential issue for those who have daily commutes or spend extended periods in the car.”
Many dermatologists suggest to wear sunscreen or invest in UV filters that can be added to your car windows. Hopefully this information will be enough for car manufacturers to start improving UV filters in cars windows as standard.