



Keep an eye on hay fever
Holidays should be all about rest and relaxation. But dry, sore eyes can leave you feeling less than your best. Air conditioning, chlorine and sun are a potent combination that can leave you feeling uncomfortable and irritable.
Spending a lot of time in the sun, or being exposed to high levels of ultra-violet (UV) light without adequate protection, carries more serious risks for your eyes. Excessive sun exposure also increases the likelihood of cancer developing in the skin around your eyes.
You can take some simple steps to manage these risks without drastically changing your everyday plans. Wearing a broad-brimmed hat, for example, blocks almost 95% of UV light.
Sunglasses don’t just shield your eyes from bright light - they block harmful UV light.
Buy sunglasses that carry the European Standard 'CE' Mark, UV 400 or British Standard Mark; these offer good UV light protection. Sunglasses sold under BS 2724 have a 'shade number'. 0 is the lightest shade, and 4 is the darkest (which gives you the most protection).
Non-UV absorbing lenses can be more harmful than not wearing any sunglasses. Your pupils open wider, letting in harmful UV light that isn’t blocked by the lenses.
Keep an eye on hay fever