How Summer Can Affect Your Eyes

Summer is often a fun time filled with vacations, picnics, and trips to the beach. The warm weather might be welcome after a long winter or rainy spring, but summer can also have some adverse effects on your eyes. By becoming aware of the potential hazards and taking some precautions, you can keep your eyes healthy all summer long. 

​Summer Eye Problems

Eye problems can affect anyone at any time of the year, but in the summertime, a few types of issues may be more likely to develop. Below are some common summer eye problems. 
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• Summer eye allergies: When you think of eye allergies, you might think they mostly occur in the spring, but specific common allergens are prevalent in the summer. For example, mold and seeds often peak during the warmer months of summer. People that are allergic to these two allergens may have an increase in eye allergy symptoms, including itchy eyes, burning, and dry eyes.
• Corneal burns: Sunburns do not only affect the skin. Too much sun exposure can also lead to a corneal burn and cause symptoms, such as dry eyes, blurry vision, and a gritty feeling.
• Dry eyes: Dry eyes are a very common condition and can affect people year-round. Problems may increase in the summer. The higher temps outside along with fans and air conditioning inside can contribute to dry eye symptoms. Typical symptoms include a gritty or sandy feeling in the eye.
• Increased risk of infection: Although summer may not be cold and flu season, you are not immune to developing an infection. Eye infections can occur at any time of year, and certain summer activities may increase your risk. In the summer, you might be outside more, such as camping or swimming, which may expose you to additional pathogens.
• Tired eyes: Summer may mean an increase in your social calendar. Vacations, parties, and other summer activities can leave you short on sleep and cause tired, irritated eyes.  

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Taking Care of Your Eyes During the Summer

Summer is not the time to take a vacation from proper eye care. It’s important to follow all your eye health and safety precautions, such as washing your hands before handling contacts, not sharing eye makeup, and wearing the right safety goggles for summer sports fun. There are also several other things you can do to keep your eyes healthy. Consider the following suggestions:
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• Wear sunglasses: Wear sunglasses anytime you’re outside during the day. Sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV protection are a must to keep your eyes healthy. Wear your sunglasses even if it’s cloudy. Your natural inclination to squint decreases the amount of light that gets into your eyes, but on a cloudy day, you might squint less, which means even more light gets into the eye. If you wear contacts, many brands of lenses have built-in UV protection, but you still need sunglasses. The lenses don’t cover the surrounding areas of your eye, including the eyelids.
• Wear sunscreen: Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, and don’t forget to apply it to the areas around your eyes, including your eyelids.
• Drink plenty of water: You are more likely to become dehydrated in the summer when it’s hot outside. Dehydration affects your body’s natural ability to make tears. Staying well-hydrated can promote normal tear production and prevent dry eyes.
• Use lubricating eye drops: Dry eyes may increase in the summer, and lubricating eye drops may help. Consider using the type without preservatives, which can be used more frequently.
• Decrease exposure to allergens: It is not always possible to decrease all exposure to allergens, especially the ones outdoors. But wearing sunglasses and washing your face as soon as you come in from outside can help remove allergens and decrease eye-related symptoms.
• Wear goggles when you go swimming: When you go for a swim, the cool water may feel great, but the chlorine can irritate and dry your eyes. Also, if you’re going for a dip in natural bodies of water, such as a river or lake, the contaminants can damage your eyes. Wearing swim goggles can cut down on irritation.

If you have any questions about summer eye health or you would like to schedule an appointment with one of our eye doctors, please call our office at 508-746-8600.