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Spring has just about sprung, and that probably means you’re gearing up to get back to your old outdoor habits. It’s always a treat getting out for that first warm spring day when you can just wear a t-shirt and shorts. But with the arrival of spring come a few new hazards, and old problems, that can harm your vision if you aren’t careful. So take a look at these eye care tips for spring before you wander out into the sunshine.
Protect Yourself From Pollen
Along with the beautiful spring weather comes a more unpleasant guest—allergies. The symptoms of allergies can cause red, itchy, and dry eyes that can be a huge damper on your springtime activities. So what can you do to help mitigate those symptoms?
For one thing, wear sunglasses when you’re outside. Not only will they help block some of the pollen in the air from entering your eyes, but they also protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. It can be easy to forget your shades on those first few sunny spring days, but do your best to remember to grab them before you head outside.
Wash It Off And Out
You should also make sure you wash your hands frequently, as pollen can get everywhere this time of year—including your hands. And unfortunately, many people reach to their face to rub their red and irritated eyes, compounding the problem by getting the pollen on their hands into their eyes. Regular washing can help keep your hands mostly free from pollen and make this less of an issue.
Artificial tears can also help with your allergy symptoms, washing irritants out of the eyes and soothing dry and itchy eyes that cause irritation and redness. At OCLI we carry Oasis Tears, the only tears on the market that are preservative-free, yet still come in a convenient bottle container.
Indoor Protection
But it isn’t just the outdoors that can get to you in the spring, because pollen particles are small enough to get inside any house or apartment. For inside your home, try using an air purifier that uses high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to regulate the air in your home and filter out allergens and pollen.
And finally, try switching out your contacts for glasses. Pollen can build up on the lenses, and taking out your contacts for extended periods of time alleviates the strain on your eyes. But remember, there are other options beside glasses and contacts. You may not want your contacts in during allergy season, but if you’re used to wearing them, that probably means you aren’t a huge fan of your glasses, either.
So instead, why not think about getting LASIK? The procedure is quick, painless, and provides lasting improvement to your vision. So ditch the contacts and glasses for this spring, and every spring after it. You’ll enjoy the blooming wonders of nature in comfort and clarity. Give us a call today and we can set up a consultation to figure out what your options are for LASIK.
