Eye and skin care important over holidays
Exposure to the sun can affect both ones skin and eyes, therefore it is crucial to take the necessary precautions to take care of yourself over the holidays.
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Skin cancers can be caused by damage from the suns ultraviolet (UV) rays, hence protecting the skin from the sun can help in preventing cancer while eye care is just as important as not protecting your eyes has the potential of doing more harm.
For this reason it is important for everyone to take the necessary precautions, especially in the hot weather.
As it is the school holidays, you find most children playing outside, however, parents should ensure their young ones are still cared for in the sun.
Try to ensure that between 11am and 3pm everyone in the home is away from the sun, use sunscreen and try to wear clothes that cover up most of your skin.
Everyone should also be putting on a hat, sunglasses and trying to use an umbrella to avoid direct sun contact.
Optometrist in KwaThema, Patrick Mncube, encourages locals to wear proper prescribed sunglasses or those who wear spectacles to have on ones with tinted lenses.
He also says it is important for people who have prescribed spectacles to wear them, so they can see clearly and to get protection from the UV light.