Tips for Protecting Your Eyes this Summer

8 Tips to Preserve Your Vision and Keep Your Eyes Healthy this Summer

Summer is the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy the nice, sunny weather. Whether you are enjoying a beach vacation, playing some sports, or just taking a walk, it’s important to protect your eyes every time you are outside–especially during the summer!

 

Why You Need to Protect Your Eyes Outside

Eyes aren’t just the “window to the soul.” Protecting your eye health and vision is crucial any day of the year, but because we spend a lot more time outside enjoying the sun and participating in activities, there are more opportunities for us to damage our eyes and our vision. Protecting your eyes while outside isn’t just about wearing sunglasses for UV protection. 

 

There is so much more to protecting your eyes, so let’s talk about our top tips to help protect your eyes this summer.

 

1 | Use Sunglasses with Complete UV Protection

Sunglasses are important to wear year round, especially during the summer. But you have to make sure you are wearing the correct sunglasses! Be sure that your sunglasses are marked as 100% Ultraviolet (UV) protection. Protecting your eyes from harmful UV rays will not only keep your eyes healthy, but preserve your vision as well. Don’t forget to wear your sunglasses anytime you are outside–including cloudy days. And if you have a prescription, be sure that your sunglasses you wear are prescription sunglasses. 

 

2 | Wearing a Hat? Don’t Forget Sunglasses!

Some people think that a hat is a replacement for sunglasses when shading your eyes from the glare of the sun’s light. But wearing a hat without sunglasses can actually damage your eyes even more. When less light is going into your eyes, your pupils dilate wider, letting in more light. When you shade your eyes with a hat, but don’t wear sunglasses, it’s like leaving the door wide open for harmful UV rays. So if you shade your eyes with a hat, don’t forget to pop on your sunglasses too.

 

3 | Keep Your Eyes Moisturized

Spending time outdoors can expose your eyes to dry winds, heat, and other irritants. This can lead to a condition called dry eye, when the summer environment affects the tear film on the eye, causing it to dry out. This is a common condition, and those who wear contact lenses or those who suffer from seasonal allergies are at an even higher risk of getting dry eye. To protect your eyes, use an artificial tear product recommended by your eye doctor to help keep your eyes moist and refreshed. 

 

4 | Swimming Best Practices

Lakes, rivers, and even swimming pools can be contaminated with bacteria and microorganisms that can affect your eyes. Chlorine can also irritate your eyes, causing them to get itchy and red. Make sure that you always remove your contact lenses before going for a dip. Swimming goggles can also help reduce contamination and irritation. Don’t forget to always splash your eyes with fresh water (preferably distilled) after getting out of a pool or other body of water. 

 

5 | Wear Eye Protection

Whether you are working on yard cleanup, a home improvement project, riding a motorbike, or playing some other type of sport, it’s important to protect your eyes with the proper safety eyewear. Summer is the time when most eye injury accidents happen. By simply wearing protective eyewear, you can reduce your risk for eye injury by 90%. Try to find wrap-a-round eyewear that protects your eyes from the sides as well. 

 

6 | Wear the Right Sunscreen

Sunscreen can’t protect your eyes, but accidentally getting it in your eyes can sting! When getting ready to head outside, use a mineral-based sunscreen on your face, or a sweat-proof formulation. Be careful when applying sunscreen around your eyes. And if you do get sunscreen in your eyes, use distilled water to help clear the sunscreen out. 

 

7 | Eat Healthy and Stay Hydrated

Be sure that you are continuing to eat a balanced and healthy diet. Colorful fruits and veggies, as well as nuts, seeds, and omega-3 fatty fish can support your eye health. Also drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Dehydration can lead to eye strain, causing your vision to become blurry, leading to headaches.

 

8 | Keep Up with Your Eye Appointments

Finally, don’t forget to keep up with your regular eye exams. Skipping a routine eye exam during the busy summer months could mean that your doctor may miss seeing a new problem earlier. The earlier you can catch changes in your eye health, the easier those issues are to treat! 

 

Need to schedule a regular eye exam? Need prescription sunglasses or prescription protective eyewear? Black Diamond Eye Care is your trusted family optometrist in servicing families in the Castle Rock, Castle Pines and surrounding  areas. Our experienced staff can assist you from routine eye exams, to to contact lens fittings,  and more. Schedule your appointment today at one of our convenient locations! 

 

Need to schedule a regular eye exam? Need prescription sunglasses or prescription protective eyewear? Black Diamond Eye Care is your trusted family optometrist servicing families in Castle Rock, Castle Pines and surrounding areas. 

Our experienced staff can assist you with all your eye care needs, from routine eye exams to contact lens fittings and Lasik consultations.  Our team is extensively trained in optometric medical care, including glaucoma management, dry-eye, foreign body, and eye trauma, as well as helping you navigate cataract surgery for you or a loved one. Schedule your appointment today at one of our convenient locations!