Which eye protection should I use?
Short answerUse only the eye protection approved for your exact device or by your phototherapy team. Keep it on unless that team gives you a specific plan for treating the eyelids. Evidence Evidence Evidence
More detail
- Sources cited, not yet graded
Your current device manual or clinical service should name the required protection. It has to provide the documented ultraviolet protection, fit as intended, and be in usable condition.
What depends on your situation
- Depends on you
Have the phototherapy team or device manufacturer verify the exact product and its history. Approval for one device or clinic does not automatically carry over to another, and only your treating team can decide whether an eyelid exception applies.
Questions for your care team or the device company
Can you show me the exact eye protection approved for my device?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Where is that requirement written in the current instructions?
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What if I have vitiligo on or near my eyelids?
Short answerAsk your treating clinician how the eyelid area will be handled while your eyes stay protected. Do not remove, cut, or reposition eye protection on your own. The guideline I read describes limited exceptions in specific circumstances, but that is not a general instruction to try at home. Evidence Evidence
More detail
- Sources cited, not yet graded
A patch over my own eyelid repigmented with an Ayurvedic product I used, Switra Niwarane. That is my own result, not a plan for you. Tell your dermatologist before you pair anything like it with light. Your treating team can weigh the goal for that area against eye safety and write down exactly how the eyelids will be handled.
What depends on your situation
- Depends on you
Ask your treating team whether your eye history, ability to keep your eyes closed, device, and treatment situation fit an exception. A guideline exception is not personal permission.
Questions for your care team or the device company
How will my eyelids be handled while my eyes remain protected?
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One person’s experience - not medical advice
Why I check before I use my light box that day
I have applied an Ayurvedic paste to an eyelid patch before sitting in the sun. I do not do that and then use my light box the same day without telling my clinician first. A plant-based paste can act like a light-sensitizing medicine, the same principle behind prescription light treatments.
What should I do if my eyes hurt or my vision changes?
Short answerPause treatment and seek prompt help from a qualified eye or medical professional for a new eye concern. Tell your light-therapy team about eye pain, vision changes, or strong light sensitivity. Use urgent or emergency care for sudden or severe symptoms, or when your personal plan says to. Evidence Evidence
More detail
- Sources cited, not yet graded
Note what happened, follow your personal action plan, and seek qualified assessment instead of testing the device or eye protection again.
What depends on your situation
- Depends on you
A symptom appearing after treatment does not prove what caused it. Only a clinical assessment can name the cause and next step.
Questions for your care team or the device company
Which eye symptoms mean I should seek urgent care?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Who should I contact if this happens after clinic hours?
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More on eyewear substitutes and pre-use checks
Can I use my own sunglasses, glasses, or goggles instead?
Short answerDo not substitute other eyewear on your own. The guideline recommends ultraviolet-protective goggles during treatment and treats alternatives as a clinical decision in limited circumstances. Evidence
More detail
- Sources cited, not yet graded
Ask your phototherapy team which exact protection applies to you and whether any limited exception is appropriate.
What depends on your situation
- Depends on you
The guideline does not certify every product sold today. Product specifications and availability change.
Questions for your care team or the device company
Has my clinic or device manufacturer approved this exact item?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.What documentation confirms that it works with my device?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.
What should I check before each use?
Short answerConfirm you have the approved item, that it fits as instructed, and that the lenses and frame are intact. Follow the clinic or manufacturer instructions for cleaning, storage, and replacement. If the fit or condition seems wrong, pause and ask for help instead of modifying it. Evidence Evidence Evidence
More detail
- Sources cited, not yet graded
Protection depends on both the material and the fit. Your current instructions - not color, price, or a seller’s category - control cleaning, inspection, storage, and replacement.
What depends on your situation
- Depends on you
You cannot see how much ultraviolet light eyewear blocks, and no replacement schedule covers every item. Cutting, padding, taping, or repositioning it can change the intended protection.
Questions for your care team or the device company
What damage or wear means I should stop using this item?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Where can I get an approved replacement if I need one?
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Applicability check
Who was studied?
These fields show what the cited evidence reports about the people and body sites behind outcome or safety claims. “Not reported” means the reviewed source omitted the field; “Pending exact source review” means SteadySkin has not made that determination yet.
Use only the eye protection approved for your exact device or by your phototherapy team. Keep it on unless that team gives you a specific plan for treating the eyelids.
- Age range
- Not reported
- Condition subtype
- Not reported
- Severity or extent
- Not reported
- Sample size
- Not reported
- Geography and care setting
- One source is the UK narrowband UVB guideline for clinic and home services. The others are manufacturer manual and support routes for named phototherapy units. None reports a study population.
- Skin tone or phototype
- Not reported
- Race
- Not reported
- Ethnicity
- Not reported
- Body sites
- The eyes, and the eyelid skin. The guideline covers eye protection in treatment and treats closed-eyelid treatment as a separate, conditional decision.
What that means for this page: The guideline recommends UV-protective goggles during treatment. It gives two reasons: short-term harm to the eye surface, and a raised long-term risk of pterygium and cataract. Only a trace of UVB passes through a shut eyelid. So the guideline describes treating an eyelid area with the eyes closed, but only where the lids stay fully shut. It names UV-blocking contact lenses for anyone who cannot do that. The device pages show the instructions differ by model. None of these sources is a study, and none certifies a product sold now.
Ask your treating clinician how the eyelid area will be handled while your eyes stay protected. Do not remove, cut, or reposition eye protection on your own. The guideline I read describes limited exceptions in specific circumstances, but that is not a general instruction to try at home.
- Age range
- Not reported
- Condition subtype
- Not reported
- Severity or extent
- Not reported
- Sample size
- Not reported
- Geography and care setting
- Two consensus guidelines: the 2022 UK narrowband UVB guideline and the 2021 UK vitiligo guideline. Neither is a study of a patient group.
- Skin tone or phototype
- Not reported
- Race
- Not reported
- Ethnicity
- Not reported
- Body sites
- The eyelids and the skin around the eyes. The vitiligo guideline treats the periocular region as a distinct area of thin skin. The narrowband UVB guideline covers how the eyes are shielded while nearby skin is treated.
What that means for this page: The narrowband UVB guideline describes treating the eyelid area with the eyes closed. It allows this only where the lids stay fully shut, and names UV-blocking contact lenses as the fallback. The vitiligo guideline lists the periocular region among sensitive sites and, for topical steroids, says to avoid it. Together they leave a periocular plan to the treating clinician. Neither reports how often this is done or how it turns out. Neither is permission to change eye protection at home.
Pause treatment and seek prompt help from a qualified eye or medical professional for a new eye concern. Tell your light-therapy team about eye pain, vision changes, or strong light sensitivity. Use urgent or emergency care for sudden or severe symptoms, or when your personal plan says to.
- Age range
- Not reported
- Condition subtype
- Not reported
- Severity or extent
- Not reported
- Sample size
- Not reported
- Geography and care setting
- The 2022 UK narrowband UVB guideline and the BAD patient leaflet, which is past its June 2025 review date. Neither reports a study population.
- Skin tone or phototype
- Not reported
- Race
- Not reported
- Ethnicity
- Not reported
- Body sites
- The eyes. The guideline names short-term eye-surface effects of exposure and gives no other site breakdown.
What that means for this page: The guideline records that eye exposure to narrowband UVB can inflame the eye surface soon after. It uses the terms photokeratitis and photoconjunctivitis. It links repeated exposure to pterygium and cataract. The leaflet says goggles must be worn at all times during treatment. Neither document gives a step-by-step response for eye pain or a change in vision. The advice to pause and seek qualified assessment is a general safety principle, not a figure from either source. Neither reports a patient group.
Do not substitute other eyewear on your own. The guideline recommends ultraviolet-protective goggles during treatment and treats alternatives as a clinical decision in limited circumstances.
- Age range
- Not reported
- Condition subtype
- Not reported
- Severity or extent
- Not reported
- Sample size
- Not reported
- Geography and care setting
- The UK narrowband UVB guideline for clinic and home phototherapy services. It reports no study population of its own.
- Skin tone or phototype
- Not reported
- Race
- Not reported
- Ethnicity
- Not reported
- Body sites
- Not reported
What that means for this page: The guideline recommends UV-protective goggles during treatment. It treats any alternative as a clinical choice for limited cases. It does not say that everyday sunglasses, prescription glasses or plain goggles block the same light. It certifies no product. It reports no patient group.
Confirm you have the approved item, that it fits as instructed, and that the lenses and frame are intact. Follow the clinic or manufacturer instructions for cleaning, storage, and replacement. If the fit or condition seems wrong, pause and ask for help instead of modifying it.
- Age range
- Not reported
- Condition subtype
- Not reported
- Severity or extent
- Not reported
- Sample size
- Not reported
- Geography and care setting
- Manufacturer manual and support routes for three named phototherapy units. Each shows instructions are model- and controller-specific. None is a study and none reports a population.
- Skin tone or phototype
- Not reported
- Race
- Not reported
- Ethnicity
- Not reported
- Body sites
- Not reported
What that means for this page: These are first-party manual and support routes, not studies. They show that the instructions which apply depend on the exact device and revision. They also show each manual must be checked with the maker. They do not give one eyewear spec, one fit test, or one replacement schedule for all devices. Looking at eyewear cannot measure how much ultraviolet it stops.
Evidence behind this page
Sources
Each evidence badge opens the source and its limits. The full list stays available here.
- Phothera PhototherapyManufacturer document · Manufacturer, tier 4Independence not established
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports the current first-party route to Phothera device and accessory manuals and shows that instructions are model- and controller-specific.
What it does not support
It does not establish clinical suitability, comparative benefit, the condition of an individual unit, or that one manual applies to a related or legacy model; each exact linked manual and revision still requires verification.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- Solarc Systems Inc.Manufacturer document · Manufacturer, tier 4Independence not established
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports one page of the named SolRx E-Series manual revision, its specifications page. That page carries the models covered, the narrowband waveband, the bulb type and count, the nominal irradiance figures with their stated caution, and the per-device electrical and fuse ratings. It does not support another SolRx family, confirm that this is the newest revision for an individual unit, establish clinical suitability, or prove comparative safety or effectiveness; the owner must verify the exact current manual with Solarc.
What it does not support
The linked file is that one page, not the whole manual. It does not carry the installation, protective-equipment, maintenance or support sections that the rest of the manual holds.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- Zerigo Health, Inc.Manufacturer document · Manufacturer, tier 4Independence not established
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports Zerigo’s current first-party description of its United States prescription device, required mobile application, Member Guide, Care Guide support, data-enabled service model, transfer restrictions, and distinction between technical support and medical advice.
What it does not support
It does not independently establish comparative benefit, coverage, privacy quality, clinical suitability, or that the program terms will remain unchanged.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- British Journal of Dermatology (Eleftheriadou V, et al.)Guideline · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports the clinical history and assessment domains, evaluation of associated autoimmune conditions, its recommendation for thyroid function and antithyroid antibody screening, current classification context, treatment-option map, psychosocial assessment, medical photography and the limits of pediatric evidence. Its classification table defines mucosal vitiligo as the oral or genital mucosae. One mucosal site alone is filed as undetermined or unclassified. Its differential diagnosis table lists genital or extragenital lichen sclerosus among the conditions that can be mistaken for vitiligo. That table also lists eczema, psoriasis, lichen planus, pityriasis alba and piebaldism. It calls autoimmunity a contributor to the pathogenesis of vitiligo. It reports an earlier review finding a possible negative impact on intimacy and sexual functioning. It tells clinicians to discuss the psychosocial impact of living with the condition. R28 offers a skin camouflage visit to people who want one. R10 to R14 name potent or very potent topical steroids as the first choice, with a topical calcineurin-inhibitor cream as an option for the face. These are different creams with different proof behind them. R20 names narrowband UVB as the first light option. It says the skin often does better on the face and trunk than on hands and feet. It says there is not enough proof to use any one current pill alone for vitiligo that is not changing. R25 and Table 2 keep cell grafting for vitiligo that is not changing and did not respond to other care. They also say a doctor cannot always tell if the vitiligo has truly stopped changing.
What it does not support
It was designed for UK care and reviewed literature through May 2019; it does not establish a universal testing plan, prescribe an individual plan, or establish current US labeling or coverage. Its differential diagnosis table is a list, not a method a reader can apply to their own skin. It does not say how to tell any two of those conditions apart. It gives no figure for how often vitiligo affects genital skin.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- British Journal of Dermatology (Goulden V, et al.)Guideline · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
It supports that traditional NB-UVB fluorescent lamps emit a narrow UVB band peaking around 311 nanometres. It backs wearing UV-protective goggles and keeping UV scatter off people nearby. It records the consent form naming goggles and the same clothing at each session. It also covers clinical uses, how it compares with other light treatments, safety limits including sunburn-type reactions, and the added safeguards home phototherapy needs.
What it does not support
It does not provide a personal treatment plan, approve a particular home setup, or replace the instructions for your own device. SteadySkin never reproduces its treatment schedules.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- British Association of DermatologistsPatient education · Patient education, tier 5Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
It supports a plain-language explanation that NB-UVB uses a small part of the UVB spectrum, is used for conditions including psoriasis, eczema, and vitiligo, and is distinct from sunlight or a sunbed. It also supports what a unit asks of its own patients during a course. It asks them not to sunbathe or use a sunbed for the whole of it, and to reduce sun exposure so that skin does not burn. It asks them to report a medicine, a cream, or newly exposed skin such as a haircut. It asks them to arrive without perfume, deodorant, aftershave or other cosmetics, because some of those raise light sensitivity and can leave patchy discolouration for months. It carries the unit’s own account of repeated courses. It states that the full risk of narrowband UVB is not known, and that roughly one in ten people in the UK develop skin cancer. It states that a review becomes usual practice past a stated number of treatments, and that many treatments can bring the wrinkling and discolouration of photoageing.
What it does not support
It is patient education, not primary evidence for an efficacy claim. Its printed next review date was June 2025 and it has not been updated since June 2022. It is therefore used only for what it plainly states, and never as current guidance. It is written for a UK hospital unit whose nurses examine skin at every visit, so it sets no rule for a device used at home. Its numbers stay in this record rather than in the copy. Those are the sun protection factor and star rating it names, the hours it names, the treatment count that triggers a review, and the multiple by which it estimates lifetime risk. That multiple is stated there as an assumption that narrowband UVB behaves like sunlight, not as a measurement.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.