Protecting and caring for your eyes should not be something that you only do in the summers. However, our eyes are exposed to a greater degree of threat during the warm months.
You can put on sunscreen to protect your skin, but what about your eyes? You can wear glasses for sure but you need to take a few extra steps (won’t you do that for your eyes?).
If you are also interested in knowing what eye problems you can develop during the summer and how you can tackle them, this blog is for you. Read below
Common eye problems in summers
Being aware of the potential hazards to your eyes in the warm months is the best way to keep your eyes healthy.
Eye allergies
If you think that only the cold season brings up the vicious eye allergies with it, add summers to the list as well. Summer is the best time for mold and seeds to grow and peak during the summer rains.
For people who are allergic to these things, it can be too uncomfortable for your eyes. They can leave you with eye allergies or itchy eyes.
Sunburn
Sunburn is a common skin problem in summers. But, your cornea can also have a sunburn if you spend too much time under the hot sun without wearing sunglasses. Sunburn can make your vision blurry for a little while. Although it only happens for a short amount of time, it can be extremely uncomfortable and gets in the way of your daily tasks.
Sunburn of the cornea could lead to more severe vision problems. Get a free eye test if you feel that there is something wrong with your eyesight.
Dry eyes
During summers, we spend a lot of our time outside. When you are not using sunglasses, the harsh rays of the sun can trigger dry eye problems. And now that we all are wearing face masks in public, this problem is going to be even more common. Even when we are at home, the air coming from fans or ACs can make your eyes dry.
Eye infections
Summer is the time for outdoor fun. Weekend pool parties and camping with your friends are some of the famous summer activities. However, pool water contains chlorine that irritates the thin film of tear on your eyes and may even cause eye infections.
Spending time outside exposes your eyes to more pathogens that can invade your eyes and cause trouble. There are online glasses that you can wear underwater to avoid the contact of chlorine water with your eyes.
Exhausted eyes
People like to go out and have fun during summers. However, a long day of partying or a beach trip leaves your eyes exhausted. And if you fail to give your eyes proper rest, your eyes may not be able to function properly the next day.
7 ways to protect your eyes from the sun
Here are the precautions you should take to ensure healthy eyes this summer.
Wear sunglasses
This one sounds so obvious but is also the most important. Wearing sunglasses helps your eyes avoid harmful UV rays. If you leave your eyes bare under the sun, the UV rays can damage the macula inside your eyes and cause problems such as cataracts or macular degeneration.
Wear hats
Hats provide full sun protection to your eyes as well as your face. Also, they are a fun accessory to play with. Wear a hat with your breezy short floral dress and look like a dream.
Wash your hands
With summer comes the problem of sweating. Sweaty palms have bacteria and germs. Touching your eyes with dirty hands can trigger infections. Wash your hands or use sanitiser before touching your eyes,prescription glasses or contact lenses.
Use artificial tears
Ward off the dry eye problems by using prescription eye drops. You may as well use artificial tears to lubricate your eyes and help them to perform properly. After a long tiring day, these drops can relax and soothe the muscles in your eyes.
Drink plenty of water
If you don’t drink enough water, your body can dehydrate and this can affect the tear formation in your eyes. Drinking plenty of water will detoxify your body and also keep you away from a dry eye condition.
Take adequate sleep
Do not let your eyes overwork. Let them have some rest and also give your body some rest after a long hectic day with your friends. It will also fill your eyes with energy for your endeavours for the next day.
Use glasses when swimming
Avoid contact with pool water and wear pool glasses when swimming. This way your eyes will be prevented from any risk of infection or irritation.
In case you spot any problem with your eyesight, do not let it go unattended. Get an eye test and get the problem fixed. If you live in Bury or somewhere near Bury, you can see the opticians in Bury for your specific problem. Some opticians there also offer free eye tests as a form of community service.