With the warming weather and longer days comes dangers to your eyes and vision. From the springtime bloom that causes red, swollen, and itchy eyes, to the increased risk of eye damage due to sun exposure, you need to protect your eyes this spring season.
With proper precautions, you can minimize the discomfort that comes with increased allergens and sun exposure. Here are some helpful tips to follow this spring for healthy eyes.
6 Tips To Protect Your Eyes This Spring
Avoid Allergens Inside
The best way to protect your eyes this spring is to minimize your exposure to the pollen, dander, dust that causes red, and swollen, and itchy eyes. Allergens can be a threat any time of the year but are especially concentrated in the spring. These tiny floating particles get inside your home and quickly irritate your eyes.
Some ways you can reduce allergens inside your home include:
· Checking your HVAC system and ensure air filters are working and clean
· Regularly clean your home including mopping, dusting, and sweeping
· Try to keep your windows closed as often as possible.
· Avoid placing fans close to windows that may blow pollen inside
Clean Clothes Help
Your clothes can act as a magnet for airborne pollen and dust particles. They’ll attach themselves to your clothing, shoes, shoelaces, hats, or anything else! The best way to reduce bringing these allergens into your home is to regularly wash your clothes. And don’t forget to clean your shoes as well!
Clean Clothes Help
Your clothes can act as a magnet for airborne pollen and dust particles. They’ll attach themselves to your clothing, shoes, shoelaces, hats, or anything else! The best way to reduce bringing these allergens into your home is to regularly wash your clothes. And don’t forget to clean your shoes as well!
Eye Drops Clear Up Your Vision
Dry eyes are often one of the symptoms of pollen and dander allergies. Keeping your eyes moist and flushed is the most effective way to reduce red, itchy, and dry eyes.
Good quality preservative-free artificial tears/ eye drops help lubricate your eyes to alleviate symptoms of allergies. Artificial tears are a great year-round product to keep on hand if you are a wearer of contact lenses to prevent them from drying out! Sometimes medicated or prescription eye drops may be needed to help improve ocular allergies.
Visiting your optometrist is the first step to getting diagnosed and starting the right allergy medication to have your eyes feeling fresh.
Sunglasses - More Than Just A Fashion Statement
With Spring weather comes more fun in the sun. This increased time outdoors not only exposes you to more allergens but also more of the sun’s harmful UV rays. Sunglasses protect your eyes by providing a barrier between the pollen floating around in the air and your eyes. The bigger the sunglasses, the more protection! UVB/UVB sunglasses also filter out harmful rays and ensure your eyes stay healthy.
Dirty hands touching your eyes can cause infections as well as general irritability. Sunglasses also reduce how often you touch your eyes.
If you wear prescription glasses, talk to your optometrist about prescription sunglasses so you can see clearly while protecting your eyes.
Try To Wear Your Glasses Instead Of Contacts
Pollen and other allergens easily build up and get trapped on your contact lenses during the Spring. This can exacerbate your symptoms and prolong your suffering. If you can, wear your glasses as much as possible to give your eyes a rest. You’ll reduce the build-up of pollen especially when outdoors.
If you’re unable to remove your contacts or wear glasses, try cleaning them more often than normal in an eye contact solution. This will remove any built-up allergens and lubricate them at the same time.
Get Your Eyes Checked Regularly
The last tip for ensuring eye allergies don’t ruin your spring season is to schedule regular eye examinations with a local optometrist. If you’re prone to symptoms of allergies, an optometrist can help with preventative measures so you’re ready for whatever spring throws your way.
When thinking about eye protection, don’t forget your little ones! Infant and children’s eye care is extremely important and these tips help them see clearly.
Your local eye doctor can also recommend suitable products and medications to help alleviate symptoms and stop them from becoming worse. Prolonged irritants can lead to eye problems and infections if left unchecked.
Don’t risk the health of your eyes. Schedule an appointment and get a head start on a clear and allergy-free spring.