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5 Dos and Don’ts for Healthy Eyes This Summer

Summer is a great time to get outside and have some fun in the sun. Whether you are heading on holidays, camping, family adventures or going to the beach, don’t forget to take care of your eyes.

Here are 6 Dos and Don’ts for keeping your eyes healthy during the summer:

1 – Do Wear Sunglasses

Sunglasses aren’t just for looking cool!  Quality shades also protect your eyes. When you buy sunglasses, check that they provide 100% UV protection from both UVA and UVB rays. These UV rays can penetrate the cornea and cause damage to your lens and retina, which can also increase your risk for cataracts and macular degeneration. The colour and darkness of the lenses doesn’t matter as much as the ability to block UV light.

 2 – Do Wear Sun cream

Sunburn and Skin Cancer can happen anywhere skin is exposed, even around your eyes and your eyelids. Many people keep sun cream away from their eyes as they are worried about irritation, but you still need to protect those sensitive areas. Look for a sun cream formula that is made specifically for your face with an SPF of 30 or more.

3 - Do Wear Swim Goggles

Even if water looks clean, odds are good that it’s not as clean as you might hope. The water in swimming pools, lakes and oceans is far from sterile and can lead to eye infections or irritations. Wearing goggles when you swim is an easy way to avoid these issues.

 4 - Don’t Swim with Contact Lenses

Leaving you contacts in while you go swimming is generally considered to be a bad idea because they can fall out or dry out in salty sea water. Lake water and swimming pools can contain bacteria, which can grow on your contact lenses are cause serious eye infections.

5 – Don’t Rub Your Eyes

Mom was right – if you get something in your eye, avoid rubbing it! At the beach, getting sand in your eye can scratch your cornea and rubbing your eye can make the problem worse. Instead of rubbing, wash your hands and rinse your eyes thoroughly with fresh water. If the problem persists or gets worse, call your ophthalmologist.

Stay Safe This Summer

If you have suffered an eye injury or irritation, please do not hesitate to contact the Cork Eye Clinic. Even if you just have questions or need more advice about eye health or safety contact us on 021 4341030 or bgolchin@bonsecours.ie