Your eye health may not be the first thing you think about when you think of summer – you’re more likely to be thinking about visits to the beach and garden BBQs – but taking care of your eyes is really important when the sun is at its strongest.
That being the case, here are some summer eye-care tips you won’t want to skip.
Remember the Eyes When You Hydrate
Most summer wellness checklists scold you about skin, yet your eyes are quietly begging for moisture too. Dehydration thickens the tear film, creating that gritty feeling you blame on pollen. The fix is not complicated. Drink water throughout the day, not just after a sweaty run. Herbal iced tea without added sugar counts, as do watermelon and cucumber slices, but skip the third espresso that pulls fluid in the opposite direction. Adequate hydration keeps the tear glands happy and the whites of your eyes from veering toward sunset red.
Blinking Is Not Optional Screen Breaks
Vacation often means extra daylight scrolling, whether you are chasing last-minute accommodation emails or lining up the next beach playlist. The more you stare, the less you blink, causing tears to evaporate at high noon speed. Use the twenty-twenty-twenty rule: every twenty minutes, look at something twenty feet away for twenty seconds and blink deliberately ten times. Your eyes reset, the muscles refocus, and you stop squinting like a detective in a noir film.
Sunglasses Are Equipment, Not Accessories
Ultraviolet rays accelerate cataract development and can damage the retina, yet many people shop shades the way they pick novelty socks. Prioritize lenses that block one hundred percent of UVA and UVB. Polarization is a bonus, cutting glare that bounces off water and sand. Lens color affects contrast, so surfers might prefer amber, while city walkers lean toward gray. Frames should fit snugly without pinching temples, covering the orbital area fully. A pair of designer sunglasses checks these health boxes and still looks at home beside your linen button-down. Treat them like medical gear that moonlights as style punctuation, store them in a hard case, and clean with microfiber, not the edge of your beach towel.
Hats and Shade Matter Too
Even premium lenses leave the lower eyelid skin exposed, an area prone to UV-induced melanomas. A wide-brim hat extends coverage, lowers overall facial radiation, and keeps sweat from rolling into your eyes. Golf visors and baseball caps help, but their open crowns fail to protect scalp and ears, so go full brim when possible. If hat hair ruins your vibe, spritz a sea-salt texture spray after removing it and shake through with fingers.
Sunblock Near the Lashes
You know sunscreen belongs on cheeks and nose, but do you sweep it close to the lash line? Dermatologists say yes. Choose a mineral formula with zinc oxide, apply sparingly, and pat rather than rub to avoid stinging. For extended pool time, a sport stick offers precision, allowing you to outline the orbital bones like a backstage makeup artist. Remember to reapply every two hours or whenever you towel off after a cannonball that impressed nobody.
Contact Lens Etiquette in Sand
Soft lenses trap grains that inflame the cornea, so wear daily disposables instead of monthlies if you insist on contacts at the beach. Bring saline, lubricating drops, and a spare pair in case the first set becomes a sand magnet. Swim goggles prevent the chlorine stew that breeds infection, and no, squinting underwater is not effective protection.
Cool, Not Cold, Compresses
After a day in bright light, eyes appreciate a spa moment. Soak two cotton pads in chilled chamomile tea, wring lightly, then rest them over closed lids for ten minutes. The gentle anti-inflammatory effect reduces puffiness and calms superficial blood vessels. Alternatively, a clean washcloth dipped in cool water works fine when you are short on tea bags.
Summer may be the care-free season, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still take care of yourself, and that starts with your eye health!
