With the sun starting to shine again, it’s time to properly protect ourselves
While we all know about protecting our skin, it’s just as important to take care of your eyes and ears in the hot weather.
Experts at Specsavers gave us the best tips on how to properly look after the health of our eyes and ears.
Tips for flying
The stress of flying can be bad enough, so it’s best to be as comfortable as possible while on the plane.
Specsavers recommend packing eye drops to prevent dryness, which is especially helpful for long flights.
They also have some clever hacks for tackling the dreaded ear popping sensation.
Specsavers Ireland Audiology Chair, Martina McNulty, says to suck on hard sweets, drink through a straw, and swallow often.
Swallowing will help alleviate pressure in your ear, and the straw will help open your Eustachian tube.
Hydration is key
According to Specsavers Ireland Chair Kerril Hickey, a lack of water can also cause dry and puffy eyes.
“Dehydration causes the blood vessels in the eye to constrict, resulting in less blood flow being delivered to the eyes. This can cause puffiness, dryness, and irritation,” she says.
According to the HSE, we need 2 litres of water per day to stay hydrated.
SPF application
We’re all sure to be vigilant of our SPF application, but McNulty stresses the importance of applying suncream to your ears:
“Ears, being highly susceptible to sun exposure, need protection against harmful UV rays. Thorough application of sunscreen to all exposed surfaces, is crucial.”
Hickey says that we should also be applying suncream to our eyelids as the skin is particularly delicate.
It’s especially important when sunbathing as we tend to close our eyes or may drift off.
Water safety
There’s nothing better than a dip in the pool or sea on a hot day, but it’s important to remember to look after our health while doing so.
McNulty recommends using ear plugs to protect your ears from infection.
When water becomes trapped in the ear, bacteria may start to grow which can lead to inflammation and infection, known as swimmer’s ear.
For our eye health, Hickey says to avoid contacts in the water:
“Do not wear your contact lenses while swimming as there is a risk of serious infection if you wear them in a pool or the sea.”
She says to always wash your hands before inserting contact lenses, and never use tap water to rinse eye contacts.
“Microorganisms can also be found in distilled water, risking infection or sight damage.”
The right pair of sunglasses
Of course, we should always pack a good pair of sunglasses when we’re out in the sun.
The UV rays emitted by the sun can cause serious damage to our eyes, including cataracts and forms of cancer.
“Therefore, selecting appropriate sunglasses that offer a high level of UV protection is paramount,” says Hickey.
“Consumers should seek sunglasses bearing the CE (European Community Standard) or UV400 mark, signifying compliance with stringent regulations.
“Furthermore, lenses should ideally provide 80% light reduction for optimal visual comfort and protection.”
These tips are sure to help us protect our eyes and ears, and are definitely important to note when going away somewhere sunny.
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