Diffey B L
Medical Physics Unit, Dryburn Hospital, Durham, England.
Semin Dermatol. 1990 Mar;9(1):2-10.
Although the sun remains the main source of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure in humans, the advent of artificial UVR sources has increased the opportunity for both intentional and unintentional exposure. Intentional exposure is most often to tan the skin. People living in less sunny climates can now maintain a year-round tan by using sunbeds and solaria emitting principally UVA radiation. Another reason for intentional exposure to artificial UVR is treatment of skin diseases, notably psoriasis. Unintentional exposure is normally the result of occupation. Outdoor workers, such as farmers, receive three to four times the annual solar UV exposure of indoor workers. Workers in many industries, eg, photoprinting or hospital phototherapy departments, may be exposed to UVR from artificial sources. One group particularly at risk is electric arc welders, where inadvertent exposure is so common that the terms "arc eye" or "welders flash" are often used to describe photokeratitis. In addition to unavoidable exposure to natural UVR, the general public is exposed to low levels of UVR from sources such as fluorescent lamps used for indoor lighting and shops and restaurants where UVA lamps are often used in traps to attract flying insects.
尽管太阳仍是人类紫外线辐射（UVR）暴露的主要来源，但人造紫外线辐射源的出现增加了有意和无意暴露的机会。有意暴露最常见的目的是晒黑皮肤。生活在阳光不那么充足地区的人们现在可以通过使用主要发射UVA辐射的日光浴床和日光浴室来全年保持晒黑的肤色。有意暴露于人造紫外线辐射的另一个原因是治疗皮肤病，尤其是牛皮癣。无意暴露通常是职业造成的。户外工作者，如农民，每年接受的太阳紫外线照射量是室内工作者的三到四倍。许多行业的工人，如影印或医院光疗部门的工人，可能会接触到人造源产生的紫外线辐射。特别危险的一组人群是电弧焊工，在他们当中，无意暴露非常常见，以至于“电弧眼”或“焊工闪光”这些术语常被用来描述光角膜炎。除了不可避免地暴露于自然紫外线辐射外，普通公众还会接触到来自室内照明用荧光灯以及商店和餐馆等来源的低水平紫外线辐射，在这些地方，紫外线灯常用于诱捕飞虫装置中。
