Safety and care are key when protecting your eyes from the sun in Kamloops, BC—whether it’s sunny or overcast.
When the sky is clear and the sun is shining, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who wouldn’t want to spend the day outdoors. After throwing on a pair of shorts and lathering ourselves in sunscreen, we are ready to become one with nature, right? Wrong.
But wait, you are forgetting one valuable, vital organ—your eyes. Like other parts of the body, your eyes require special care to protect them.
At Nicola Eye Care in Kamloops, BC, we take your eye health very seriously. But we aren’t always serious. We love to have fun with our clients too! Just check out our client reviews.
If you’re located around our neighbourhood in Kamloops, BC, Canada, why don’t you come in for a visit? Feel free to book an appointment with us for an eye exam or just stop by to say hey! We have really great coffee for customers too.
Now, let’s get into how you can protect your eyes from the sun in Kamloops, BC.
Protecting Your Eyes From The Sun
Like our skin, our eyes are susceptible to damage from the sun. This is because of UV light. When light from the sun approaches Earth, our atmosphere filters out the majority of harmful UV rays it brings with it.
Unfortunately, over the years the atmosphere has begun doing a decreasingly worse job. Hello, global warming. Not only does this damage crops, plants, and ecosystems, but it also can cause damage to your skin and eyes. Because of this, we must take matters into our own hands and protect ourselves.
Protecting our eyes from the sun is as simple as wearing UV-rated sunglasses. The specially tinted lenses in sunglasses block UV rays from coming into contact with our eyes—major win! Bonus: we’ve got plenty of options in our Kamloops eye clinic for you to choose from. Come by any time and peep some of the brands we have available beforehand.
Need help finding the best sunglasses that fit you and your style? We’re one step ahead of you! Check out our blog that shares 5 tips for buying sunglasses that suit you perfectly. Or simply stop by and we’ll help you find the perfect pair!
Another way to make sure your eyes and face are well protected is to wear a hat. There are so many options out there to fit your style—whether you like baseball hats, visors, or a classic sun hat. We know you’ll find one that looks great on you, goes with your outfit, and keeps your lovely eyes and face protected.
Besides, who wants to spend the day squinting? Absolutely not us. That’s how you get wrinkles.
Tanning
Tanning is especially dangerous for our eyes as it purposely prolongs our exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays. Especially if you’re wearing little-to-no sunscreen or not reapplying as needed.
To ensure your eyes are well protected when tanning, wear tanning goggles. Although they may look goofy, tanning goggles protect from serious problems, such as cataracts, macular degeneration, or conjunctivitis.
Added bonus: they also won’t leave you with the horrid raccoon mask look.
Swimming With Contacts
Some of us prefer to wear contacts rather than eyeglasses for a number of different reasons:
- They’re comfier
- They don’t require you to wear frames
- Or perhaps you find they give you a wider field of vision
Whatever the reason may be, certain responsibilities come with wearing contacts.
One of these responsibilities is to ensure contacts are removed before jumping into the pool. Swimming with contact lenses can result in eye infections, irritation, and potentially sight-threatening conditions due to bacterial contamination. Best to avoid any and all of these!
The FDA goes one step further with a recommendation to not expose your contact lenses to any kind of water, including tap water, oceans, lakes, hot tubs, and showers.
Swim Goggles
If you insist on wearing your contact lenses while swimming, the best way to reduce your risk of eye irritation is to wear waterproof swim goggles. These goggles work by creating a seal between your eyes and the water you are swimming in.
Another suitable option would be prescription swimming goggles. These swimming goggles are custom-made with the same prescription as your contact lenses. As such, they will correct your refractive error, while allowing you to see underwater.
Both are great options, but you just have to choose what’s best for you!
Sports
As fun as sports are, they can be dangerous—not only for your body but also for your eyes.
Most sports include the use of an airborne object and, as we all know, every airborne object is on a potential one-way crash course with our eyes.
To protect your eyes during sports, be sure to wear the appropriate safety gear. Whether that is a protective mask, a visor, or safety goggles, wearing the appropriate gear is important.
Have you ever watched professional sports? These athletes are the best of the best when it comes to their particular sport, and even they are wearing protective gear. Why wouldn’t you? That’s right, it’s because you will be wearing protective gear!
Corrective Lenses Suitable for Sports
If you wear corrective eyeglasses but can’t fit them underneath your helmet, visit Nicola Eye Care. We are equipped to provide you with eyeglasses that are specifically designed for sports.
If this option isn’t suitable for you, you can discuss the possibility of switching to contact lenses with one of our Optometrists. Just book in an appointment time and they’d be happy to find a solution that works for you.
Let Us Help You Protect Your Eyes From The Sun
When it comes to protecting your eyes from the sun in Kamloops, BC, consider us your experts! We always want to be the ones you call or ask for help.
We hope this blog outlined some key ways to protect your eyes while outside—whether you’re tanning, playing sports, or anything in between.
Have more questions or want to come see us? Reach out, stop by, or book an appointment.
We can’t wait to see you!