6 Ways to Keep Your Eyes Healthy This Summer

Before we know it, we’ll be trading our winter coats for sunglasses, shorts, and flip-flops. It's crucial to protect our eyes while we're out and about.

Here are six ways to keep your eyes healthy this summer:

1.  Drink more water.

Water is essential for eye health. Our eyes are surrounded by fluid, and keeping them hydrated is vital to reduce eye strain, dry eyes, and blurry vision. Experts recommend drinking at least eight glasses of water per day, but that rule can vary based on your body.

2. Wear sunglasses with UV protection

Sunglasses are a trendy accessory, but they also protect our eyes from ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun. Prolonged exposure to the sun’s UV rays without the proper eyewear increases the risk of eye diseases such as cataracts, melanoma, macular degeneration, and eye cancer. Experts say even babies and kids should wear sunglasses and hats whenever they are outside.

3.  Warm weather is beneficial for eye health.

Vision problems are on the rise in young children.Amid the global pandemic, kids are spending even more time parked in front of a screen learning and connecting with friends. They’re also using their digital devices for entertainment. Too much screen time can lead to nearsightedness, vision experts say, so send your kids outside to play or just enjoy the fresh air. Rochester offers a myriad of outdoor activities. Take your little ones to some of Rochester’s awesome botanical gardens, or visit the Seneca Park Zoo. Make an appointment for your children at Lollypop Farm to spend an afternoon with the animals.

4.  Protect your eyes while in swimming pools.

When the dog days of summer hit, there’s nothing more refreshing than a few laps around the swimming pool. But every year, thousands of people are injured by chemicals dumped in swimming pools, so goggles are a must-have while swimming. Goggles not only protect your eyes from chlorine, but other bacteria and debris. Wearing protective eyewear like goggles also allows us to see properly while underwater, avoiding hazards like the deeper end of the pool, or plowing into another swimmer.

5.  Schedule regular eye exams.

Another way you can keep your eyes healthy, not only in the summer months but year-round, is to schedule regular eye exams. Our specialists at Rochester Eye Center are able to provide complete eye care services, including exams, laser treatment, and eyelid surgery. Regular exams will allow our experts to detect, diagnose, and treat eye diseases in the early stages. Many forms of glaucoma, for example, do not have warning signs and can progress to critical stages before you know it. Early detection of eye diseases can make a big difference in treatment options.

6.  Eat vision-healthy foods.

What you eat directly affects your vision. Instead of that summer ice cream cone, reach for eye-healthy foods like fresh fruits and dark, green vegetables such as collard greens, kale, and spinach. Leafy greens are packed with antioxidants, and eating foods with lutein and zeaxanthin antioxidants decreases the risk of developing macular degeneration. In the summer months, there is no shortage of roadside farm stands and farmers markets offering local, fresh produce. So, stock up. Your eyes will thank you.

Miranda Culvert is a self-described health guru and vegetarian. She has been gardening since she was 3 years old, thanks to her parents who owned a produce stand. She has passed her love of gardening onto her three children who love the outdoors as much as she does.