During the warm summer months, do you love spending all your free time outside in the sun? Are you always forgetting a hat or sunglasses when you go outside?
When the weather becomes nice, it’s natural to want to be outdoors all the time. It could be going on walks, swimming, running, sailing, water skiing, or many other fun things!
With so many things to do, you might forget to take care of your eyes. Keep reading to learn if spending too much time in the sun can cause dry eyes!
What is Dry Eye?
Dry eye occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears or your tears are low-quality. When you have dry eyes, they may feel irritated, or like there’s a burning sensation in your eyes.
If your eyes feel too dry, it can cause an overproduction of tears. These tears are not the normal quality required to keep your eyes hydrated. You can also develop dry eyes when your tears evaporate from your eyes too quickly.
Dry eyes can occur due to environmental conditions. This may include strong blowing air, flying, or spending too much time looking at screens. It’s important to understand how to prevent dry eyes from occurring if you want healthy eyes!
Will Too Much Time In The Sun Cause Dry Eyes?
In short, the answer is yes. Any sort of extreme and consistent temperature change can cause dry eyes.
Staying in the sun for extended periods of time is a consistent temperature change. Whenever you go outside or are going to be outdoors for a long time, make sure to wear sunglasses or a hat.
This will help prevent your eyes from getting too much exposure to the sun. It will also reduce the amount of time you spend squinting.
If you know your eyes are sensitive to light, you should be wearing sunglasses with UV protection. When you know you are going to be in the sun a lot, skip the contacts and wear your glasses. Contact lenses can make your eyes more irritated or drier than they are without them.
How Can I Keep My Eyes Happy When I Go Outside?
There are many things you can do to be able to enjoy the sun and keep your eyes healthy, two of them include:
Using Eye Protection
Protecting your eyes from the sun’s UV rays will help prevent dry eyes. This means wearing sunglasses that have enough UV protection.
Being exposed to too much sun can cause cataracts and skin cancer on your eyelids. Look for sunglasses that say they provide 100% UV protection.
You can usually find this on a small label on the side of any pair of sunglasses. If they don’t say this, buy a better pair of sunglasses that will provide ample protection from the sun!
Drinking Enough Water
Staying hydrated is key if you want to prevent dry eyes. If you know it’s going to be hot outside, make sure to have water.
Your tear production system and the quality of your tears is tied to how hydrated you are. Aim to drink at least 8 eight-ounce glasses of water every day.
Remember, being outside for too long in the sun can cause dry eyes. Plan ahead to make sure you are prepared to protect them.
Are your eyes dry? Get your eyes into their best shape by scheduling an appointment at Omaha Eye & Laser Institute in Lincoln, NE!
