Summer brings warm temperatures and more UV rays. Make sure you do what you can to protect your eyes.
Spring and summer bring warmer weather, making it a great time to leave the house and soak up some sun. While a weekend camping trip or visiting the beach are the perfect outings for the season, it's important to remember to protect your eyes while you're out and about. During the summer, UV rays are far more dangerous to your eyes, and can cause long-term problems like cataracts, macular degeneration, and even cancer. Over 2 billion people worldwide struggle with vision problems, and roughly 1 billion cases are preventable with proper precautions. Fortunately, no matter the season, caring for your eyes doesn't have to be difficult or time-consuming. In fact, here are easy eye protection hacks you can follow into the spring and summer seasons. 1. Wear sunglasses to block UV light Exposing your eyes to ultraviolet rays may cause damage over time. Wearing sunglasses can block harmful UV light, lowering your risk of eye diseases like cataracts, sunburn, eye cancer and growths around the eye, per the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Polarized glasses with smoke or gray lenses may offer the best protection against the sun's rays and reduce glare. Read more: Best Prescription Sunglasses 2. Take screen breaks every 20 minutes Prolonged screen time can cause dry eyes, pain in the neck and shoulders, blurred vision, headaches and digital eye strain, or computer vision syndrome. The American Optometric Association recommends using the 20-20-20 rule to prevent computer vision syndrome. Every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. 3. Take book breaks, too Screen time isn't the only way to strain your eyes. When you read a book, you probably hold it up close for long periods. Both activities can lead to nearsightedness, or myopia, which means faraway objects are blurry, while up-close objects are clear. Just like you should use the 20-20-20 rule to take screen breaks, you should also use this rule for book breaks. If you find yourself…