Every summer, you take precautions to protect your skin from the sun’s ultraviolet rays by wearing adequate sun screen. But what do you do to protect your eyes? Your eyes need as much protection as your skin during the summer months. Keep these tips in mind to promote your overall eye health this summer!

• Avoid rubbing your eyes. This is always good advice, but especially in the summer! For one, rubbing your eyes can cause sunscreen or sweat to irritate your eyes, causing painful burning or watering. Secondly, rubbing your eyes is one way that eye infections like conjunctivitis, are spread.
• Wear sunglasses. Sunglasses can be a fun fashion statement during the summer, but they provide an essential function beyond being an accessory. Try to find sunglasses that offer complete ultraviolet protection against UVA and UVB rays.
• Wear goggles in the pool. Chlorine in pool water is there to protect swimmers from germs but it can be harsh on your eyes. While it is not likely to affect your vision, chlorine and other chemicals in your eyes can cause stinging and discomfort. If you plan to swim for an extended period or swim laps, do your eyes a favor and wear protective goggles to keep the chlorine out.
• Wear protective eyewear when needed. During the summer, we may tackle a lot of yardwork and outdoor projects, including woodworking. Allergens, dirt or dust particles, or sawdust can enter your eyes, causing irritation and also potentially causing a corneal abrasion, which can be very painful. If you plan to do any yardwork or woodworking this summer, also plan to wear high-quality eye-shield glasses or other protective equipment which can be purchased at any home supply store.

Keep these tips in mind to protect your eyes this summer! Contact LASIK Vision Centers of Cleveland with any eye care questions or concerns.