Monthly Archives: June

Summer Vacation Eye Care: 9 Tips to Maintain Healthy Vision While Away

Summer vacation is a time for outdoor adventures, road trips, beach days and family fun. While many people remember to pack sunscreen and stay hydrated, they often overlook important eye protection. Unfortunately, when your eyes are exposed to sunlight, water, wind, and outdoor activities, your vision can be at risk if you don’t take the right precautions. Whatever your plans are this summer, following a few simple tips can help to protect your vision while away from home.

Always Wear Sunglasses

One of the most important ways to protect your eyes while on summer vacation is to wear quality sunglasses. The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage the eyes, and extended exposure can cause conditions such as cataracts, growths on the eye, macular degeneration, sunburn of the eyes and even some types of cancer. Always look for sunglasses that block 100% of both UVA and UVB rays.

A Wide-Brimmed Hat Can Offer Extra Protection

Sunglasses are essential, but when you wear them along with a wide-brimmed hat, they become even more effective. A wide-brimmed hat can significantly reduce the amount of UV rays and glare that reach your eyes. This extra layer of protection is especially helpful when at the beach, on a boat, taking a tour, hiking or enjoying outdoor sporting events.

Protect your Eyes Around Water

Many people don’t realize how much water reflects sunlight, which increases UV exposure and glare to the eyes. Polarized sunglasses can help reduce the glare and eye strain around pools, lakes or oceans. If you wear contact lenses, try to avoid wearing them in the water whenever possible, as the lenses can absorb contaminated water and trap harmful chemicals or germs against the eyes.

Staying Hydrated can Keep your Eyes More Comfortable

Intense summer heat can lead to dehydration, which may make dry eye symptoms worse. When your body gets dehydrated, it can make your eyes feel dry, irritated, gritty or fatigued. Summer vacation often means extended periods of time outdoors, so drinking plenty of water throughout the day helps support healthy tear production and overall eye comfort.

Keep Chlorine and Salt Water Out of your Eyes

Swimming pools and ocean water can irritate the eyes. Chlorine may strip away the natural tear film that protects the eye’s surface, while salt water can cause stinging and discomfort. Swim goggles can help protect your eyes from irritation, bacteria and other contaminants. If your eyes become irritated after swimming, rinse them with clean water or lubricating eye drops.

Wear Protective Eyewear During Summer Activities

Summer vacation is often filled with activities that can increase the risk of eye injuries. Sports such as baseball, tennis, pickleball and even cycling can pose hazards to your vision. Protective eyewear can help prevent injuries caused by balls and other sports equipment, flying debris, collisions or dust and dirt.

Give your Eyes a Break During Road Trips

Road trips during summer vacation often mean long hours behind the wheel, which can cause eye fatigue, especially when staring at the road for extended periods of time. Try to reduce eye strain by taking regular breaks from driving, blinking frequently, wearing sunglasses to reduce glare, and using artificial tears of your eyes get too dry.

Be Aware of Too Much Air Conditioning

Air conditioning keeps us comfortable when the temperatures rise, but too much can affect your eyes. The constant flow of air conditioning in a hotel room, airplane or car can cause the moisture on the surface of the eye to evaporate more quickly, which causes dry eyes. Turing down the A/C, using lubricating drops and staying hydrated can all help keep your eyes comfortable.

Schedule an Eye Exam Before Your Summer Vacation

If you are planning a big trip, consider scheduling an eye exam beforehand so we can ensure your prescription is current and identify any issues that may affect your comfort or safety while traveling. During your exam, we can also discuss concerns such as contact lens care, avoiding dry eyes, UV protection or vision changes.

The team at Family Vision Development Center is here to take care of any issues before your trip, so you can enjoy your vacation more while keeping your eyes protected and comfortable. Contact us to schedule an appointment by calling 630-862-2020.

Family Vision Development Center is a full-service vision center offering innovative vision therapy services, sports vision therapy services, post-concussive vision rehabilitation, comprehensive vision exams for eyeglasses and contact lenses, management of ocular diseases including glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration and cataracts, and a state-of-the-art optical center offering the latest designs in eyewear.

Vision Exams Explained: 10 Fascinating Facts About Your Eye Health

Vision exams are far more interesting, and definitely more important, than most people realize. They are not simply a means to ensure a proper prescription for your glasses, but rather they provide a wealth of information concerning your vision and even your overall health. Here are some interesting facts that will probably make you view your appointment differently.

Vision Exam Facts You Probably Didn’t Know

1. Eye Exams Include Tests You Might Not Notice – you may think you are just reading letters on a chart, but we are also evaluating your eye movement, coordination and ability to focus in order to ensure that they are working together properly.
2. You Don’t Need Symptoms to Have a Vision Issue – many vision problems develop gradually over time, and symptoms are not always noticeable. Conditions like glaucoma or macular degeneration often progress without any warning signs, which is why regular vision exams are so important even if your eyesight seems fine.
3. Vision Exams Can Reveal Dangerous Health Problems – during an eye exam, we are often able to detect signs of systemic health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and even certain autoimmune disorders by examining the blood vessels and structures in your eyes.
4. Digital Eye Strain Has Become a Very Common Complaint – digital screens are a huge part of daily life and that means more people are experiencing the effects of digital eye strain such as dryness, headaches and blurred vision. If we detect signs of eye strain during the vision exam, we can recommend solutions to ease the discomfort and prevent further symptoms.
5. Contact Lens Exams Are Different From Standard Vision Exams – if you wear contact lenses, your exam includes additional measurements to ensure proper fit and eye health. Contacts that don’t fit properly can lead to discomfort and even long-term damage if not addressed.
6. Children’s Vision Exams are Important for Learning – vision plays a major role in how children learn. When a child has a vision issue, it can affect reading, attention, and performance in school. Regular vision exams, starting at a young age, can help identify and correct problems early on, increasing their chance for classroom success.
7. You Can Have 20/20 Vision and Still Have Eye Issues – 20/20 vision is only a measure of visual acuity, which is the sharpness or clarity of sight at a specific distance. But someone who can see clearly can still have problems with depth perception, peripheral vision, coordination or overall eye health.
8. Eye Pressure Tests Help Detect Glaucoma – the quick puff of air measures intraocular pressure, which is key in detecting glaucoma. Since glaucoma often has no early symptoms, this part of the exam is essential for protecting long-term vision.
9. Dilated Eye Exams Provide a More Detailed Look – when your eyes are dilated, we get a much clearer view of the retina and optic nerve. This allows us to look for possibly serious conditions that we might not notice otherwise.
10. Eye Health and Overall Health Are Closely Connected – changes in your eyes can sometimes be an early indicator of other health concerns. When you visit us for regular vision exams, we are able to proactively monitor these changes over time.

Regular Vision Exams are an Essential Part of your Overall Healthcare

Routine vision exams are one of the easiest ways to protect both your eyesight and your overall health. Many eye conditions develop without warning signs, so waiting until something feels wrong can mean missing the early stages when treatment is most effective. Regular visits allow us to track subtle changes, update your prescription as needed, and catch potential problems before they progress. Whether you wear glasses, contacts, or have never needed vision correction, staying consistent with your eye exams is a proactive step toward long-term wellness. Reach out to the Family Vision Development Center team at 630-862-2020 with questions or to schedule your appointment.

Family Vision Development Center is a full-service vision center offering innovative vision therapy services, sports vision therapy services, post-concussive vision rehabilitation, comprehensive vision exams for eyeglasses and contact lenses, management of ocular diseases including glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration and cataracts, and a state-of-the-art optical center offering the latest designs in eyewear.