Summertime on the Gold Coast and Tweed means we spend our days looking for opportunities to cool off! Whether you prefer spending summer lounging by the pool, floating on a boat, or heading to your nearest beach, there are many opportunities to jump into some refreshing water.
Regardless of where you decide to spend your days swimming this season, ensure you consider proper eye safety. Here’s our top tips!!
1. Wear goggles
You can safely see what’s going on in the water by putting on a pair of goggles, just be sure they fit properly. If not, water will rush in and defeat the purpose. Goggles create a barrier between your eyes and the water, keeping irritants like chlorine, bacteria, and salt out. They also help to keep your eyes moist, protecting your ‘tear film,’ and reducing the risk of infection. If you wear contacts, definitely consider wearing goggles over them as highlighted below.
2. Wash your eyes
When you’re done in the water, avoid touching or rubbing your eyes. Wash your hands first, then a quick splash or two with clean water can help in removing any salt, chemicals or debris from your eyes, eyelids, and eyelashes.
3. Keep hydrated
Drinking water helps our whole body stay healthy including our eyes, by preventing them from getting dry and dehydrated—which happens to many swimmers. Regular water intake aids tear production and helps to keep your eyes moist, as salt, chlorine, and sun can all dry out your eyes.
4. Ditch the Contacts
Though some of us depend on them for clear vision, you should be cautious about swimming with contacts in. Keeping your contacts in while you are swimming can lead to eye irritation, infections caused by viruses and bacteria found in pools, lakes and oceans, or much more serious complications like acanthamoeba. Definitely dispose of dailies after your swim ASAP or wear goggles over the top. Maybe prescription swimming goggles might provide the perfect solution to help you see clearly underwater.
Swimming is refreshing, fun and good exercise! Before diving in, keep these tips in mind, and don’t forget you should always be sure to slide on a pair of protective sunglasses as soon as you hop out of the water, even if it is just for a brief time. If you regularly suffer from itchy, dry eyes after you leave the pool or you find yourself with an irritation that won’t go away, come see one of our team, and we’ll find the best solution for your needs.