EYES on Summer Fun

Summer Holiday Eye Facts to Wow Your Kids (and subtly teach them about looking after their eyes)

Ah, the summer holidays. A time for suncream, sandy sandwiches, and pretending “just five more minutes” of tablet time won’t melt anyone’s brain. But while school bags are shoved under the stairs and packed lunches are (mercifully) on pause, there’s one thing that shouldn’t take a break: your child’s eye care.

We’re all for fun in the sun – but let’s keep those eyes healthy too, shall we?

☀️ Sunglasses: More Than a Fashion Statement

Kids love to copy grown-ups in shades – and here’s your perfect excuse to say “yes” to those mini rockstars. Children’s eyes are more sensitive to UV rays than adult eyes, so proper sunglasses (look for CE marked UV400 protection) are a must on sunny days.

💡 Fun fact: UV damage is cumulative – which means all those sunny afternoons in the park add up. So getting your child used to sunnies now helps protect their future peepers.

“A good pair of children’s sunglasses is like suncream for their eyes – but way more stylish.”

🍎 Eat Your Way to Super Sight

Did you know carrots aren’t the only “see-in-the-dark” food?
Brightly coloured fruit and veg like spinach, sweetcorn, oranges, and blueberries are packed with nutrients like lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin A – all of which support healthy vision.

💡 Fun fact to share at dinner: The mantis shrimp can see 12 types of colour receptors (we only have 3!) – so your child might not be a shrimp, but a rainbow plate is still a smart move.

📱 The Screen-Time Squint

Yes, we know. It’s summer. You need five minutes’ peace. And we’d never suggest throwing the iPad in the sea. But too much screen time without breaks can lead to dry eyes, headaches, and what we call “the screen-time squint.”

Try the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (about the width of a badminton net or 6ish metres) away for 20 seconds.
Make it a game! Set a silly timer, race to the window, or play “spot the pigeon”.

💡 Fact for gadget-lovers: Blinking rate drops by half when looking at screens. That’s why eyes get dry – they’re literally forgetting to blink!

🏖️ Sand, Sea & Safety

Sand in your sandwich? Not ideal. Sand in your eye? Definitely not. Remind children not to rub their eyes if they get sand or saltwater in them (and yes, we know this is an uphill battle but it’s definitely better than having to seek medical attention) – rinse gently with clean water instead.

And for little swimmers – if they’re in the pool a lot and complaining of sore eyes, well-fitting goggles are your secret weapon.

👓 Back to School, Back to Seeing Clearly

Summer is the perfect time to book your child’s eye test – no timetable clashes, no PE kit emergencies, no “Muuuum I forgot my homework!”.  Whilst we’re closed from 18^th-25^th August, we’ll have appointments at other times.

We recommend a check-up every year for school-aged children, even if there are no problems – and book early, our Thursday slots go fast!

And yes – we do have cool frames. Even ones that won’t get laughed at in Year 6.  Or look like yours.

Pop in and see us at EYES on St Albans – we promise we’re friendly, not scary, and we won’t even tell your kids off for too much Minecraft. Probably. Unless you want us to.

Good luck out there – we know the juggle is real!