Who doesn’t love a little fun in the sun, but did you ever consider that your eyes need more protection during the summer? Sun, sand, and lotions can irritate your eyes, causing redness and discomfort. There are simple solutions if you plan ahead to ensure your fun isn’t interrupted.
1. Wear eye protection. Whether you’re out in the sun or swimming in a pool, ocean, or lake, it’s important to protect your eyes. In the sun, make sure that your sunglasses have sufficient UVR and UVB protection. While swimming in a pool, protect your eyes from chlorine and germs by wearing eye goggles. Even when swimming in natural water like the ocean or lakes, protect your eyes from any contaminants that may be in the water.
2. Wash your hands. It’s always a good idea to wash your hands frequently to minimize the spread of cold, flu, and other germs transmitted through handshakes or on surfaces. In summer it’s also a good idea to wash your hands after applying sunblock or other lotions that may burn your eyes. Salt from the ocean and sand could be transferred to your eyes if your hands aren’t washed regularly.
3. Wear a hat. Wearing some kind of hat during the summer months not only protects your skin from too much sun exposure, it can also reduce the sun exposure to your eyes. This is especially important during long exposure to the sun such as hiking, picnicking, or boating. And don’t forget that a hat is good for preventing sunburn on your eyelids. The skin on your lids is very thin and can burn easily.
4. Don’t rub your eyes, use eye drops. In the event that you do get something in your eyes, wash it out with eye drops rather than rubbing your eyes. If you have sand or dust in your eyes, rubbing them can cause abrasions to your cornea and even scratches. If you don’t have eye drops handy, flush your eyes with clean water, preferably bottled water.
5. Drink plenty of water. Most people know it’s important to hydrate your body, but drinking water also prevents your eyes from drying out. Without proper hydration, your body can’t produce tears which can lead to dry eye symptoms.
The experts at See Island Eyecare can advise you on the best ways to care for your eyes during the summer and all year round. Call us for an appointment today.