Tips for protecting your eyes from the sun when you’re out in summer

As you get ready to go outside this summer, bear in mind this doctor’s health plan for keeping your eyes happy, and utilise these sun protection tips to avoid irreversible damage to your vision.

Summer eye care is just as important as it is the rest of the year, but while most people are aware of how the sun may impact and injure their skin during the summer, many summer revellers are unaware of (or choose to ignore) the effect the sun can have on their eyes. For the uninitiated, UVA and UVB radiation are the two types of rays from which you must protect yourself, with UVA rays being more prevalent and penetrating deeper than UVB rays, according to health experts.

UVB rays are best known for their role in sunburn and skin reddening, but they can also harm your eyes and have been shown to cause more vision damage than UVA rays. They have an effect on your central vision and can cause damage to the macula, which is a part of your retina in the back of your eye. UVB rays are best known for their role in sunburn and skin reddening, but they can also harm your eyes and have been shown to cause more vision damage than As a result, protecting your eyes from UVB rays is critical to avoid corneal damage, as harmful radiation can cause a variety of eye problems, including macular degeneration, cataracts, Pterygium, cancer of the eyelids, or corneal sunburn [snow blindness], depending on the frequency and intensity of your exposure, as well as the methods you use to protect your eyes.

Because one of our most essential senses is sight, it is critical that we learn good summer eye care and protect our eyes anytime we are outside in the sun. “You should still adhere to the same eye care guidelines, such as washing your hands before handling contact lenses and wearing the appropriate eyewear when participating in certain sports and activities,” Dr Vidya Nair Chaudhry, Senior Consultant, Ophthalmology and Refractive Surgery at Aakash Healthcare in Delhi’s Dwarka, advised in an interview with HT Lifestyle. Sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection are required even when the weather is cloudy.”

“Even if your contact lenses have built-in UV protection, sunglasses are still suggested since they protect the surrounding eye area and function as a barrier between your eyes and the summer heat, preventing dry eye,” she continued. During the summer, dehydration is more common, decreasing your body’s ability to generate tears. Dry eyes can result as a result of this, so stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. If you have dry eyes, it is a good idea to keep the humidity in the environment as high as possible. While it’s impossible to avoid all allergens, especially those found outside, adopting steps can help you reduce your exposure and protect your eyes from allergic reactions. Getting in the habit of wearing sunglasses and cleansing your face whenever you come in from outside will help.

As we prepare to venture outside this summer, Dr. Danish Iqbal, Senior Consultant at Sharp Sight Eye Hospital, advocated a plan for keeping our eyes happy, and urged utilising these sun protection strategies to minimise unnecessary harm to our eyesight:

1. Wear sunglasses – While stylish summer shades are a popular accessory, don’t just buy sunglasses for the sake of style. To avoid rays invading your eyes from the side, use a larger style with a little wrap around. Ask your ophthalmologist for ideas or have them look over your sunglasses if you need help shielding your eyes from the sun.

2. Avoid peak hours – If at all possible, stay out of the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to protect your eyes from the most harmful UV rays.

3. Stay hydrated – It’s easier to become dehydrated in the summer, which can harm your eyes. Dehydration makes it difficult for the body to produce tears, resulting in ‘dry eye’ and other vision issues. So, in addition to all the other health benefits, drinking plenty of water each day offers the required fluid for good eye function.

4. Wear sunscreen – One of the main risk factors for skin cancer is excessive sun exposure. Skin cancer can develop anywhere on your body, including the skin surrounding your eyes and on your eyelids. For your face, choose a sunscreen with a minimum Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 and reapply every two hours.

5. Wear a hat with a wide brim – A hat with a wide brim provides additional sun protection. It’ll come in handy if you’ll be spending time outside without access to shade.

Dr. Neeraj Sanduja, MBBS, MS – Ophthalmology, Ophthalmologist, Eye Surgeon, elaborated on these sun protection tips for the eyes, saying:

1. Choose your sunglasses with caution – Don’t buy sunglasses solely on the basis of their appearance. Instead, seek for a pair that reads “100% UV protection” or “UV400” to guarantee you’re getting the proper level of protection. To keep rays from invading your eyes from the side, pick a wider style with some wrap-around.

2. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with adequate UV protection – Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with adequate UV protection to protect your eyes. A hat will shield you from half of the UV rays you’ll be exposed to. This shield also shields you from rays that can get in via the tops or sides of your sunglasses.

3. Avoid peak hours – While most people enjoy basking in the sun during the day, this is also when the sun is at its most dangerous. If at all possible, avoid sun exposure between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to protect your eyes from the most harmful UV rays. If you have to go out in the middle of the day, make sure you’re dressed appropriately.

4. Never look directly at the sun – Even with protective eyewear, looking directly at the sun can cause significant damage to your eyesight. The most prevalent sort of damage produced by direct sun contact is retinopathy, a type of retinal damage induced by solar radiation.

Keep an eye on elements like cloud cover, altitude, reflection, and time of day to avoid overexposure to bright light.