Safe Ears and Eyes for Summer and Beyond

Safe Eyes and Ears for Summer and Beyond

by Irene Myers-Thompson

Summers in Virginia offer an overture of sensory delights. The sights, sounds, and tactile pleasures of these languid days — from the beach to the mountains — can be filled with adventure and relaxation alike. But summer activities also can carry with them a degree of risk, risks that can have both short- and long-term health consequences.

As a medical professional, I wanted to offer a few reminders on how to best protect yourself during the dog days of summer (and beyond!), particularly in helping ensure that you are not damaging your eyes and ears.

A Day in the Sun . . . or Not

Most folks are well aware of the damage that sun can wreak on your skin. Too much sun can cause burns, accelerate aging, and increase the risk of skin cancer. But lengthy exposure to the sun during outdoor activities also can affect your vision, and so in addition to sunscreen to protect your skin, it’s also a good idea to invest in some quality eye protection.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation can contribute to the development of cataracts and macular degeneration, which can impact your vision and even cause blindness. Many people are not aware that intense shortterm exposure to UV light may cause what we call “eye sunburn,” a painful condition often acquired as a result of outdoor activity. Too much long-term exposure may contribute to skin cancer around the eyes and other sight-threatening conditions. To help reduce these risks, protect your eyes from the sun by wearing sunglasses that block out 99 percent or more of UV rays. A wide-brimmed hat is a worthwhile precaution, as well.

Then there’s the opposite problem: not getting enough sunlight, a condition that affects children who spend hours — even hours on beautiful sunny days — consumed by digital devices. Studies show that natural light promotes healthy vision, especially among children and teens whose eyes are still developing. Spending time outside may be a protective factor against nearsightedness. And adults are not immune, either. Partly due to extended periods of up-close reading and screen time, more than 40 percent of Americans have nearsightedness (myopia), which is the inability to see far-off objects clearly. It’s a condition that also is on the rise.

Sounds of Summer

Summertime activities can make our ears as vulnerable as our eyes. Attending live sports events and music concerts can expose our ears to sounds at decibels that can damage our hearing. Crowd noise at some sporting events can exceed 90 decibels, while the volume at music concerts can exceed 115 decibels. What we know is that prolonged exposure to sounds

above 85 decibels may contribute to gradual hearing loss. That makes using ear protection — something that may seem counterintuitive when you are at a concert — a cautionary idea. Earplugs or earmuffs will enable you to still hear your favorite music but give you enough protection to forestall damage to your eardrums. This type of protection is especially important for babies and children attending loud events, as young people’s hearing follicles are more easily damaged compared to those of adults.

Live music or noise are not the only threats. Extended listening to music or digital content through headphones or earbuds also may damage hearing over time. To help prevent that, a general rule of thumb is to turn the volume on your electronic device to 60 percent or lower and listen for no longer than 60 minutes at a time. That means giving your ears a rest as you would other parts of your body. And another cautionary piece of advice: when using power tools or a lawn mower, never listen to earbuds. The cacophony of sound is more than we should ever subject our ears to.

Even with the Fourth of July behind us, it’s worth noting that fireworks are another summer tradition that can be dangerous one for both the ears and eyes. These explosions can exceed 150 decibels, so make sure to always view fireworks from a significant distance. Hospital ERs annually treat nearly 13,000 people for fireworks-related accidents, with eye injuries — such as burns, lacerations, contusions, and foreign objects in the eye — in many cases causing permanent damage.

Let’s make sure that as we enjoy our summer and the rest of our year, that we’re not exposing our eyes and ears to risks that can have serious consequences — now and in the future. Irene Myers-Thompson is the Regional Wellness Director of UnitedHealthcare Mid-Atlantic

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