Summertime fun can DESTROY these two senses?

I don’t know about you, but I’m soaking in every last bit of summer.

For many folks, that means vacations, cookouts, swimming—even lawn maintenance and gardening.

Of course, we spend a lot of time talking about ways to safely soak up the sun…

But in doing so, we often forget about two of our biggest senses—and how summertime FUN could put them at RISK.

Summertime sights

I’m talking about your vision and hearing.

Because it turns out, the sights and sounds of summer can be harmful.

Let’s start with your eyes…

A new study analyzed internet searches for common eye symptoms—redness, dryness, pinkeye, and pain. It turns out, there’s a seasonal pattern.

And they concluded that eye pain was most common during the summer.

Certain events can obviously induce danger, like setting off or watching fireworks. But much more commonly, people put their vision at risk when they don’t wear sunglasses with 100 percent ultraviolet (UV) ray protection—or when they go swimming with contact lenses still intact.

Sunglasses protect the eyes from UV radiation—and especially from highly reflective surfaces, like water or sand. After all, these rays can burn surfaces of the eye that can cause pain, blurriness, and even temporary vision loss.

Not to mention, swimming with contact lenses may invite bacteria infections IN which, if severe enough, can permanently alter your vision. Instead, simply remove your contact lenses, wear prescription sunglasses, or even invest in prescription goggles.

Sounds of summer

Now let’s talk about your ears…

If certain sounds are loud and long-lasting enough, you might be hurting your hearing. This is called “noise-induced hearing loss.”

So, if you’ll be attending a concert, music festival, fireworks, or even mowing your lawn with gas-powered equipment, consider wearing earplugs to protect your hearing. (You can even get custom-made ear plugs that fit more soundly in your ears.)

And if you’re a water bug—be mindful of swimmer’s ear, a bacterial or fungal infection that can also lead to diminished hearing. Here again, earplugs can help reduce your risk.

Source:

“Protecting Your Eyes and Ears During the Summertime.” WebMD, 07/26/2023. (webmd.com/eye-health/news/20230726/protecting-your-eyes-and-ears-during-summertime)