When the temperatures are warm and the sun is shining, we all want to get outside. While there is sun cream to protect our skin from harmful UV rays, we often forget about the importance of protecting our eyes in summer too. To help you maintain good vision for years to come, we’ve put together our top tips for taking care of your eyes during summer.
Wear sunglasses with UV protection
When the sun is out, you should wear sunglasses to protect your eyes. Just like your skin needs protecting, your eyes need protecting from ultraviolet radiation too. Make sure that the sunglasses you wear offer 100% protection against both UVA and UVB rays. There are plenty of stylish sunglasses to choose from!
Protect your eyes when swimming
Many of us enjoy a swim in the pool to cool down in hot weather. However, the chemicals in chlorine in a swimming pool can hurt your eyes, affecting the natural tears that keep our eyes moist and healthy. When you swim, you should always wear goggles to protect your eyes. Splashing your eyes with fresh water when you get out of the pool can help too.
You should also try to wear goggles when swimming in the ocean or other natural bodies of water as they can contain contaminants that may harm or hurt your eyes.
Wear a hat
While sunglasses are great for protecting your eyes against UV rays, they often do not offer complete UVR protection to your eyes and eyelids. Many sunglasses designs have gaps along the side where UVR exposure occurs. Wearing a hat that has a brim at least three inches wide can help to protect your eyes and decrease your UVR exposure.
Eat healthy and drink plenty of water
This tip applies all year round, but in summer, people are more likely to become dehydrated due to the warmer weather. Serious dehydration can make it harder for the body to produce tears, leading to dry eye problems and vision issues. Make sure you drink plenty of water each day to stay hydrated and eat foods that are good for eye health, such as foods that contain lutein and zeaxanthin and foods high in Vitamin C, Vitamin E and zinc.
At David Paul Opticians, we offer professional eye care in Berkhamsted and across Hertfordshire, as well as designer frames and contact lenses. For more information about our services, visit our website.