Your skin isn’t the only thing you should be protecting when you hit the beach, lounge by the pool or play kickball with your kids at the park. Your eyes need to be taken care of too. Did you know that you can get skin cancer on your retinas? Scary, huh? The skin around your eyes is also susceptible to damage, not to mention fine lines and wrinkles. But never fear, because there are some easy things you can be doing to protect your eyes when you’re out in the sunshine.
You bought some super cute shades this year, so why aren’t you wearing them? Make it a habit to wear your sunglasses anytime you’re outdoors and it won’t be hard to remember anymore. Sunglasses should offer 100% UV protection. They’ll keep your eyeballs safe from sun exposure and they cover the delicate skin around your eyes at the same time. Awesome, right?
Going on a picnic? Heading to a backyard barbecue? Hitting the roller coasters with your kids? No matter what your plans are, there is a cute hat that fits the occasion. A hat with a brim offers additional eye protection by keeping your peepers under cover so the harsh rays of the sun can’t get to them. Hats are cute, so stock up and you’ll be ready for any outdoor soiree.
Certain kinds of medications lower your body’s ability to protect against sun damage. Others make your body more sensitive to burns. Taking them means you need to take extra measures to protect your eyes when you’re outside. If you’re taking antibiotics or birth control, talk to your doctor about the risk to your eyes.
Certain parts of the day get harsher rays from the sun and you’re better off staying inside if you can. Generally, the hours between 10 am and 4 pm are the worst. If you can avoid going out for long periods of time between those hours, do it. If not, make sure you’re taking other precautions to protect your eyes.
You know you’re supposed to be wearing sunscreen when you’re out enjoying a day in the sun. Did you know that you should be putting a facial version around your eyes? I recently started doing this because I really don’t want to get wrinkles. Look for a face sunscreen at any drugstore and gently apply it to the skin under and around your eyes. This will keep the area burn-free and will cut down on the aging effects that time outdoors can cause.
This isn’t just an urban legend you heard as a kid. Top eye experts caution against looking directly at the sun. This can burn your retina, which can lead to skin cancer or vision problems. So, heed your mother’s advice and keep your eyes off the sun.
Also called an ophthalmologist, your eye doctor is trained to see potential issues, even if you have no symptoms and haven’t noticed any changes yourself. That makes it vital to see yours every year for a check-up. Even if you don’t wear glasses or contacts, your eye doctor can look at the overall health of your eye and work out a solution should there be anything going on.
How do you keep your eyes safe in the sun? Will you be adding any of these ideas to your routine?