Summertime typically means more time spent outdoors, and more exposure for your eyes that can lead to potential issues. Taking a few simple steps can ensure a relaxing and safe season. Three common summer situations can affect your eyes: dehydration, “surfer’s eye” and sunshine.

Dehydration occurs when more water leaves the body than enters the body. While fluid loss occurs naturally, one of the most common reasons for dehydration is sweating profusely, as most of us do when we’re outside in the summer enjoying a day at the beach, playing tennis, or working in the yard.

The body's initial response to losing fluid is to conserve water, leading to thirst, dry mouth, muscle cramps, headache, and a lack of tear production. When your eyes stop producing tears, they are no longer properly lubricated, resulting in dry eye, eye strain and vision problems.

The best treatment for dry eye is rehydrating by drinking lots of water. Eye drops can also help by lubricating the eye and washing away foreign materials.

Prevent dehydration year-round by drinking plenty of water, especially before, during and after exercise or other outdoor activities. Also consider reducing salt in your diet and reducing your intake of alcohol, caffeine and high-protein foods.

You may not surf, but you can get so-called “Surfer’s Eye” (also called pterygium) while enjoying a day at the beach. Surfer's eye, whether from sun, wind or saltwater, causes a usually benign membrane to begin growing from the corner of the eye and encroaching on the cornea, causing discomfort and even affecting vision.

Your eyes naturally produce a mix of salt and water, but it's not the same mix as the salt content of the ocean. Medical saline - similar to tears - contains about 0.9 percent sodium chloride (salt), while the salt content of the ocean averages 3.5 percent. Seawater also contains other substances, from sand to microorganisms and bacteria, that can cause eye irritation.

For most beachgoers, the cure for eyes irritated by exposure to sun, salt, sand and wind is the application of a soothing saline solution made from - (of course!) - salt and water.

The third consideration for summertime eyes is sun protection. The sun releases radiation in many forms; the sunlight we see, the heat we feel, and via ultraviolet (UV) rays in two types: UV-A and UV-B. Though invisible to the eye, UV rays cause sunburn, and can also damage your eyes and hurt your vision.

UV-A rays can affect your central vision by damaging the macula, a part of the retina at the back of your eye. Most UV-B rays are absorbed by your cornea and lens but may cause even more damage than UV-A rays, including macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss for older Americans. UV rays may also cause some kinds of cataracts, skin cancer on the eyelids, and a painful condition called corneal sunburn, the result of high short-term exposure to UV-B rays that can occur if you spend a day at the beach without eye protection.

The best way to protect your eyes from UV rays is to use eyewear that absorbs UV rays and wear a brimmed hat. The hat alone can block about half of UV rays. Eyewear that absorbs UV rays gives you the most protection. All types of eyewear, including prescription and non-prescription glasses, contact lenses and lens implants, should absorb UV-A and UV-B rays. For UV protection in everyday eyewear, there are several options like UV-blocking lens materials, coatings and photochromic lenses.

Remember, your eyes are too important to self-diagnose possible issues, so reach out to Dr. Matzkin for help with any concerns, and if you’d like to discuss what types of eye wear will best protect you, call our team at Allied Eye at (423) 855-8522. We’ll ensure you – and your eyes - have a bright summer!