What the Optometrist Should Know About Radiation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65636/cjo.v51i4.7038Keywords:
optometry, radiationAbstract
The effects of electromagnetic and radioactive radiation on the hwnan body has become one of the current "hot" topics and, along with discussions of AIDS, receives almost daily attention from the media. Among other things, radiation has been blamed for certain cancers, cataracts and birth defects. What is electromagnetic radiation and how does it affect the human body? These are questions that, increasingly, are being asked by both medical professionals and the "man-in-the-street" alike.
This paper will describe what radiation is, where it comes from and some of the effects it has on the human body. It is important for optometrists to be able to discuss this topic knowledgeably with their patients. It is now acknowledged, for example, that one of the causes of cataracts is ultra-violet radiation.
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