Eye Health

You look forward to it once or twice a year: a week away from the rigorous routine of getting up early, commuting to the office and spending hours hammering at the keyboard.

Vacation time is better than any holiday on the calendar and we spend hundreds and thousands of dollars in an attempt to escape the daily grind. Most agree it’s worth every penny.

Truth is, us Americans don’t take enough vacations. When we do, we’re still working. Three in five Americans admit to doing some work while on their personal time off. There will always be a “good reason” to reply to that email or to return your coworkers call, but for the good of your health and future productivity, stop doing it and enjoy your vacation.

Whatever the destination and for however long you’re there, there is no doubt the mind and body benefit from the rest. In my case, once I switch vacation mode on, everything changes. I wear the most comfortable shoes I own, I wear clothes to relax in and I turn off all alarms.

It’s important to rest the parts of our body that we use the most for work. Hands, back, legs and feet are generally given special care while on vacation but what about our eyes?

Your eyes are by far the most overworked members of your body. How do you give them rest? It’s not like you can walk around with your eyes closed. Not to worry. Here are 5 ways you can treat your eyes to some much needed R&R.

During the warmer months we have an easy time remembering to apply sunscreen or wear protective clothing to prevent sun damage to our skin. But how often are you taking precautions to prevent sun damage to your eyes? Ultraviolet (UV) rays can be just as harmful to your eyes as they can to your skin.

Why is protecting your eyes during summer important?

There are two types of UV rays—UVA and UVB—that can prove harmful to your eyes. UVA rays can cause damage to the retina and the lens of the eye. UVB rays can cause even more damage because they are absorbed by the cornea, the outermost layer of the eye.