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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – There’s no doubt that most summer health guides are solely related on skincare, and it’s for a very good reason. After all, countless studies have shown the perils of skin cancer, and just how this is caused by a simple lack of sunscreen when the sunshine does decide to make an appearance.
As the title might have given away, today’s topic is going to concentrate on a slightly different angle. This time, it’s all about your eye health, and how this can be preserved once the sun’s rays really start to come out in the summer months (or all year-round, if you happen to be very lucky).
This is the period of the year where your eyes are most susceptible to all kinds of damage and through the remainder of this guide we will look at some steps you should take to ensure that you are not affected.
Go Polarized
Unsurprisingly, the bulk of this guide is going to focus on sunglasses. The first step involves purchasing a pair that takes advantage of polarized lenses.
A lot of people view the term “polarized” as quite commercial. In other words, it’s just used to sell more pairs of sunglasses when things start heating up.
Well, let’s dispel that myth once and for all. There is some real science behind polarized lenses and they are designed in a way so only about 50% of light actually passes through them. They are formed of millions of iodine crystals which are able to block the light from passing through and ultimately, prevent it from damaging your eyes. All of this occurs without hindering your vision in the slightest.
The importance of UV protection
Another technology that is embedded within sunglasses comes in the form of UV protection. Again, this is something that you simply can’t ignore for the sake of your eye health.
The most alarming thing about UV rays is that they can impact you even when the sun isn’t at its strongest. In other words, the day might be cloudy, but your eyes might still be taking in powerful UV rays and ultimately being damaged.
Fortunately, the vast majority of sunglasses now available hold some form of UV protection. The best advice is to turn to your glasses whenever you set foot outside – even if the glare of the sun isn’t blatantly obvious.
It’s not only sunglasses that guard against UV damage, some contact lens brands can give daily protection from UV as well. Bear in mind that UV lenses can never replace the role sunglasses play in shielding harmful rays, think of them more as an extra line of defence instead.
Opt for goggles when in the pool
Particularly for tourists, the sun is often synonymous with swimming. This also happens to be another area of risk in relation to your eyesight.
Firstly, resist the convenient urge to only wear your contact lenses whilst swimming. They aren’t designed to provide the level of protection that googles do. Whereas, the purpose of goggles is to shield the whole eye from any irritants, including the bacteria and chlorine found in swimming pools.
The other reason is the simple clarity of sight when swimming underwater. Nothing will compete with this, and the effect can be multiplied if you opt for prescription goggles as well.