Summer is the mostly highly anticipated season of the year. Summer means sun, enjoying the outdoors, planning your next vacation, and creating new memories with friends and family. However, summer also means eye disorders like dry eyes, red eyes, allergies, and conjunctivitis which can be especially troubling. Therefore, your eyes need a little extra care in the summer.

Here are 5 simple and effective ways to protect your eyes in the summer:

1. Wear Sunglasses with UV Protection

Don’t forget to grab you sunglasses each time you step out of the house this summer. It’s important to protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation (UVR) because extended exposure to the sun can lead to cataracts, eyelid cancers, and macular degeneration. Therefore, you should protect your yes from UVR exposure by wearing sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection.

2. Use Goggles at the Pool

You know the chlorine that’s designed to protect you from exposure to germs? Did you know that chlorine has the potential to hurt your eyes as well? Therefore, you should wear goggles every time you go to swim in a pool, even swimming in the ocean or other natural bodies of water since they can contain other contaminants that may hurt your eyes. Don’t rub your eyes with wet hands because it can cause irritation to the eye.

3. Wash Your Hands

One of the best way to protect yourself from eyes diseases and other eye-related conditions is to wash your hands. This is crucial in order to avoid contracting eye diseases and other eye-related conditions such as red eyes and conjunctivitis.

4. Wear Hats

Since sunglasses usually have gaps along the sides where UVR exposure occurs, you can offer complete UVR protection to your eyes and eyelids by wearing a hat. The consistent use of hats and wearing sunglasses each time you step out of the house this summer will decrease your UVR exposure.

5. Eat Healthy & Drink Plenty of Water

There are a lot of foods that boost eye health, improve your eyesight, and help prevent the development of vision problems. Antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin are known to help resit macular degeneration and cataracts. In addition, foods high in vitamin C and Vitamin E can help those with symptoms of macular generation as they help slow or prevent the progression of symptoms.

6. Use Eye Drops

You can use eye drops to minimize pain or manage other eye problems. Use eye drops if you have allergies that make your eyes feel dry or tired.

7. Get Adequate Sleep

When you’re tired, your eyes are more likely to feel dry. This will encourage you to rub your eyes in order to stimulate the lacrimal gland. Rubbing your eyes will increase your exposure to irritants and diseases. Therefore, the best way you can keep yourself safe is to get adequate sleep every night.

New Optical Palace

New Optical Palace is your Optometrist serving the Kitchener and Waterloo Area. We offer eye exams and have a wide variety of prescription glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses.