Taking steps to protect your eyes during the summer holiday season, like wearing proper eyewear, staying hydrated, and being mindful of your environment, can help maintain good eye health and prevent long-term damage. Summer brings longer days and more intense sunlight. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can cause damage to the eyes, leading to conditions like photokeratitis (similar to a sunburn on the cornea), cataracts, and macular degeneration over time.
๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ด๐น๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ ๐๐๐: South Africa’s sun can be intense, especially in summer. Wear sunglasses that block 100% of UV rays to protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet exposure.
๐ช๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ-๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Along with sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat can provide additional protection from the sun.
๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ: Hot and dry conditions can lead to dehydration, which can affect eye health. Drink plenty of water to keep your eyes moist and clear.
๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐: If you’re engaging in outdoor adventure sports, like hiking, surfing, or safari trips, wear protective eyewear to shield your eyes from dust, wind, and potential injuries.
๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐๐ถ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐: Chlorinated water in swimming pools can irritate your eyes. Consider wearing swim goggles to protect your eyes while swimming.
๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ต ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐: This is crucial to avoid transferring germs and dirt from your hands to your eyes, which can cause infections.
๐๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ฅ๐๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐๐ฒ๐: This can spread germs or allergens and irritate your eyes. Use a clean tissue or wash your hands thoroughly if you need to touch your eyes.
๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ ๐ค๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป: Ensure that any products used around your eyes are of high quality and are not expired, to avoid irritation or allergic reactions.
๐ฅ๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ-๐๐ฝ๐: Before going on a holiday, it’s a good idea to have a routine eye check-up, especially if you plan to engage in activities that could strain your eyes.
๐๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐๐๐ถ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐: Contact lenses and water should never mix. Water may contain certain germs that are a major threat to contact lens wearers’ eyes. Alternatively, wear well-fitting goggles, which you can even have made to match your prescription.
โ๏ธ 023 342 5827
๐ง optom@vls.co.za
๐ฑ 066 335 9192