Want the beach or the mountains? Be careful not to expose your view too much at the risk of ruining your vacation. Doctor Barbara Ameline, member of the French Society of Ophthalmology, gives us her advice for spending peaceful holidays.
Salt, sand or UV rays are the main eye irritants during this summer period. So that the summer rest does not turn into a hassle, holidaymakers should take some measures with them to avoid or sign the sores of the view. Doctor Barbara Ameline, member of the board of directors of the French Society of Ophthalmology (SFO), agreed to answer our questions.
The sun is bad for your sight, but should you wear sunglasses all the time or just put them on when you are dazzled?
You have to wear them all the time! There are ultraviolet (UV) rays even in the morning, or when the weather is overcast. However, these rays dry out and damage the surface of the eye. As we do not perceive the intensity of UV in our environment, we must wear them as soon as we put our noses outside and are exposed. This is all the more true for children who have a much larger pupillary diameter than that of adults, so they are more sensitive to these rays. Sunglasses are far from gadgets for them. You have to pay particular attention to UV rays in the mountains. At altitude, there are fewer natural UV filters and they are therefore more intense.
All types of vision should wear appropriate glasses. Those who have no correction should bring classic sunglasses with an anti-UV filter; spectacle wearers can opt for polarized over-glasses; and lens enthusiasts should take care to take all their lens equipment (product, case) as well as prescription glasses and sunglasses with them.
Yet in summer, it is not always easy to keep glasses on, especially during sports activities.
It’s true but there are many solutions: for 50€, some specialized opticians can make swimming goggles for you, they can also be used for other nautical activities such as windsurfing or windsurfing. It is also possible to make cycling glasses for 70€ on average, as for the diving mask, it takes about 150€. Considering the investment that some people put into sports shoes, the prices are still reasonable.
Despite these glasses it is possible to have grains of sand in the eye. Is there a good method to remove them without irritating the eyes too much?
When you have sand or another foreign body in the eyes, they should be washed with saline solution. I insist on this point: do not use tap water. This water is not sterile: it contains germs which, while they may be harmless to the digestive tract, are sometimes toxic to the surface of the eye. If infected, this can create an abscess which would lead to irrevocable loss of vision.
What are your tips for taking good care of your eyesight during the summer?
In addition to sunglasses, I recommend that everyone pack some saline in their suitcase. Optionally, you can also take a vial of artificial tears. They are very useful for people with dry eyes. [elles ont la caractéristique de bien hydrater l’œil, NDLR]. For the others, they sometimes make it possible to avoid a consultation.
However, I would like to draw attention to contact lens wearers, it is they who we see most often in consultation during the holidays. As it is summer there is a break and this can lead to equipment being forgotten and sometimes to disasters. I remind you that you should not exchange lenses or cases – even between parents – because if the lenses are not daily they can be contaminated by your germs. If they’re harmless to you, they’re probably less so to others. This is why if you have a problem with your eyes and you go to the emergency room, you must bring your lenses and your case with the cleaning product with you. Scanning these objects will be easier than the surface of your eye.
In general, contact lens wearers should also pay more attention to their eye health than others. Wearing lenses sometimes exerts friction that numbs the ocular surface and can delay diagnosis. Above all, it can decrease the quality of the tear film, which weakens the eye and makes it more vulnerable to abscesses. For all these reasons, you have to be rigorous and maintain your equipment well while keeping it with you, including on vacation.
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