Eye care tips in summer: The intense summer heat can impair your vision if you are not covered, as India struggles with heat waves and record-high temperatures with little prospect of respite. This can lead to a number of eye issues, especially when your eyes are exposed to direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. Nearly half of the cases of near- or distance vision impairment, which affects about 2.2 billion people worldwide, could have been avoided with the prompt implementation of minimal preventive measures like wearing protective clothing when going outside in the sun, among other things.


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Dr. Rishi Raj Borah, Country Director - India, Orbis shares effective tips to protect your eyes this summer amidst this rising tempertures.


During summers, not only does your skin need to be safeguarded from UV rays, but it’s also equally important to take precautions to protect your eyes and keep them healthy. From using eye drops to covering your eyes with UV-protected sunglasses, these simple yet effective tips will help you keep your eyes healthy and happy all summer long.


Here are some best practices that may help save your sight during summer:


1. Ensure that eyes remain hydrated - Yes, hydration is the key. During the summer season, dry eyes are a common phenomenon. Even strong winds wrapped with increasing heat during summers can cause serious dehydration and irritation in the eyes, often resulting in dry eyes condition. Hence, an adequate amount of fluid that can assist your body in producing protective tears is essential. Drinking alcohol and caffeine can harm the body, so the less the better.


2. Choose the right pair of shades to avoid conditions like photokeratitis: The harmful Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) can cause photokeratitis or photo conjunctivitis, a condition also known as snow blindness. Continuous exposure to UVR, especially to UVB rays that have a shorter wavelength can lead to cataract development, pterygium, etc. Therefore, choosing the right shades is imperative for the protection of the eyes.


3. Protect your eyes during swimming: Chlorine which is mostly found in swimming pools can hurt your eyes. This is why you should wear swimming goggles to protect your eyes from swelling, burning, and itching owing to chlorine exposure.


4. Keep eyes hydrated with eye drops: Not only your skin, but your eyes also need a generous amount of moisturization through artificial tear drops. With long exposure to blue rays generated from electronic devices, artificial tear drops have become imperative to modern eye care. With the rising pollution levels and soaring degrees, it is obvious to feel dehydrated during the summers.


This serious dehydration makes it harder for the body to produce tears, leading to dry eye symptoms and other vision problems. Along with prescribed artificial tears, it is
imperative to drink plenty of water, which reverses the negative effects of dehydration.


5. Do not rub your eyes: Maintaining hand hygiene is imperative for eye health. It is a common practice to rub our eyes with our hands, which can cause eye infections. By washing your hands thoroughly, you can protect your eyes from most communicable diseases, including conjunctivitis. Especially, in cases like eye surgery such as LASIK, cataract surgery, or glaucoma shunt surgery, the eyes are more susceptible to infection. It's best to wash your hands before treating your eyes. Avoid rubbing them altogether.


6. Sleep well and refresh your eyes: Last but not least, it is imperative to get a good night’s sleep. This will provide your eyes with adequate rest. Your eyes perform a wide range of tasks throughout the day and need rest. It is highly recommended to keep the eyes replenished with a proper sleep schedule.


To Sum Up


By following these simple yet effective tips, you can keep your eyes healthy all summer long and protect the eyes from the prolonged effects of sun rays. With these expert-recommended eye care tips, you can enjoy your summer activities, while keeping your eyes protected. And yes, don’t forget to go for eye check-ups at regular intervals.