Summer is almost here which means more time spent outside, whether swimming or relaxing on patios with friends. Here are some tips on how to look after your eyes this upcoming warm season.
Summer is only a few weeks away and for most families, that means time for fun activities such as bike riding, swimming, or playing summer sports. However, many of these outdoor activities can also lead to an increased exposure to harmful UV rays.
Without proper eye protection, this may lead to a number of serious vision conditions including:
- retinal damage
- increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration
- higher risk of developing cataracts as an adult
- photokeratitis (eye sunburn)
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At Market Mall Optometry, our professional kid’s eye doctors provide a wide array of services including comprehensive eye exams, a variety of affordable children’s sunglasses, and emergency eye care to protect your kid’s eyes and ensure the long-term health of their vision.
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3 Tips To Keep Your Family’s Eyes Safe This Summer
Longer and warmer summer days entice us to enjoy more time outdoors, but whether we’re spending the day at the lake, or just relaxing in the garden, it’s easy to forget to protect our eyes.
However, protecting your vision during the summer is extremely important as UV exposure can cause permanent damage to the eyes. Here are the top 3 summer eye care tips from our Calgary kid’s eye doctor to keep your family’s eyes healthy this warm season:
1. Buy The Right Sunglasses
Contrary to popular opinion, sunglasses are not just a fashion accessory! In fact, they offer crucial defence against ultraviolet (UV) rays that can cause short and long-term eye damage. BUT it’s important to shop smart for sunglasses.
Whether you’re talking to the eye doctor about children’s sunglasses, or for yourself, always remember:
- Check that they’re 100% UV protected
- Dark sunglasses don’t necessarily provide more UV protection.
- Polarised lenses to your sunglasses can decrease the amount of glare you’re exposed to and lessen the strain on your eyes.
- The larger the lens, the more protection they’ll give your eyes as there’s less chance the light will filter in through the sides.
- Ensure that your sunglasses fit properly. They shouldn’t be able to slip off or have a tight strap that digs into your head.
The right sunglasses with the right lenses can help reduce the harsh glare from the sun, enabling you to see better while protecting your eyes.
2. Get Some Fresh Air
Although many people are quick to turn on the air conditioning to cool them down as the temperatures rise, this can lead to a syndrome called ‘dry eye’ because AC units tend to remove all the moisture from the air.
Some of the symptoms of dry eye include:
- persistent dryness
- scratchiness
- red eyes
- burning sensation
- excessive watering of eyes
If you are struggling with the discomfort and pain of dry eye, then it’s important to visit your local eye doctor as soon as possible.
3. Drink Plenty of Water
If you want to have healthy and happy eyes during the summer, then it’s important you drink lots of water so you don’t become dehydrated. Failing to do so can lead to:
- an increase in eye infections
- dry eyes
- Eye strain
- blurry or uncomfortable vision
- headaches or double vision
Staying hydrated requires that you drink at least 8 glasses of water on a daily basis and cut back on the amount of caffeine and alcohol you consume. Always have a bottle of water with you whenever you’re spending time outdoors in the heat, and drink water constantly if you’re engaging in any kind of physical activity.
Protecting Your Child's Vision
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To find out more about how our Calgary children’s doctors can help keep your children’s, and entire family’s, vision safe and healthy, contact our Calgary eye clinic today at 403-286-4884 or fill in our online contact form.
