Medically Reviewed by: Edward C. Wade, M.D., F.A.C.S.

How to Protect Your Eyes During Summer

April 29, 2019 . 5 min read

Knowing how to protect your eyes during summer probably doesn’t top your list of summer plans; however, learning how to protect your eyes now means you’ll have good eye health for many summers to come. The following are simple, easy steps you can take to make sure your eyes remain in good condition.

1. Shield them from the sun

If you’re wondering how to protect your eyes during summer, the BEST thing you can do is to wear eye protection in all its various forms. This tip may seem like a no-brainer, but it never hurts to get a nudge from your friendly eye surgeon to wear eye protection. UV light eye damage increases your likelihood of cataracts and other vision problems.

Wear sunglasses: Sunglasses should block at least 98% of UV rays. If you already wear glasses, consider prescription eyewear with sun protection.
Wear a hat: The sides of sunglasses let in UV rays. A hat provides the extra protection. Baseball caps, sombreros, fedoras… you name it, any hat with a brim that covers the front of your face protects not only your eyes but your whole face from the sun.

Remember that it’s never too early to start protecting your eyes. When in your life did you spend the most time outdoors? For most people, it was their childhood. Buy your kids some fun sunglasses or a wacky hat and encourage them to wear these items as much as you can.

2. Protect them from chemicals and contaminants

Make sure to protect your eyes from chemicals and contaminants. It might seem like another no-brainer suggestion on our list of tips on how to protect your eyes during summer, but it is still an important one. If anything, at least keep these specific instances in mind over the summer months:

Wear goggles or sunglasses while at the beach: Sand, sun, and water are definitely the perfect summer combination … unless you happen to be an eyeball. Wearing sunglasses and goggles at the beach will make sure that sand stays far from your eyeballs.
Wear goggles while swimming: We would never try to stop a Texan from taking a much-deserved dip in the pool, but we would encourage you to put on goggles before jumping off the high dive. Goggles will protect your eyes from chlorine and other contaminants floating around in pool water (especially public pool water).
Wear protective goggles while completing summer projects: Plan on spending some time outside? Maybe fixing the roof, sanding the deck, or puttering around in the garden? Your eyes will thank you for wearing goggles and protecting them from irritants during your summer DIY plans — be they indoor or outdoor projects.

3. Stay hydrated & use eye drops when applicable

During the hottest season of the year, some of the most common questions we receive are: “How can I prevent dry eyes in the summer?” and “Why do my eyes burn in the summer?” If the patient is wearing protective eyewear during all of the above scenarios, we suspect the following things may be contributing to the lack of proper lubrication in your eyes:

Dehydration: Like any other organ in your body, your eyes need water to function properly. While the liquid that keeps your eyes “wet” isn’t water alone, it still requires H20. This being said, if you’re dehydrated, you may experience dry eye symptoms.
A/C: Air conditioning was invented in Houston. Surprised? Neither were we. What is surprising, though, is how many patients we see who struggle with dry eyes because they keep their A/C blasting 24/7. If this is you or if your desk is located near an air vent at work, consider investing in eye drops to keep your eyes properly lubricated.

4. Be extra careful after eye surgeries

It’s always wise to be cautious with your eyes after eye surgery, but summer comes with its own set of temptations for sidestepping post-op best practices. Take a moment to read the following resources to learn how to best protect your eyes after surgery during the summer.

5. Visit your eye doctor regularly

Prevention of eye problems isn’t always a no-brainer. That’s why it’s important to visit your eye doctor regularly, no matter the season (Pssst – If you need an optometrist, click here to find one near you).

Whether you’re curious about eye strain from phone use, the best ways to prepare for LASIK eye surgery in Houston, or anything in between, the experts at Eye Center of Texas are here to help. With over 80,000 successful cataract surgeries and 75,000 successful LASIK surgeries, we are one of Houston’s top resources for eye health and vision improvement. For more information about our services, call us at 713-797-1010 or request an appointment online today!

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