Tag: summer safety

Posted on

Health Benefits of Sunglasses

For some people, eye health is not at the top of their priority list. Many possible ways you could damage your eyes are not always apparent! However, wearing sunglasses can provide many benefits you may not realize.

  1. Preventing eye conditions: UV rays are not only dangerous for your skin. UVA/UVB light can cause major issues, or even diseases, with your eyes. From cataracts to macular degeneration, throw on some shades to reduce the risk of any problems.
  2. Physical protection: Sunglasses are actually a great way to protect the outside of your eyes. From the sand at the beach to even dust in the air at home, outside elements can cause severe damage to the surface of your eyes.
  3. Decreasing risk of skin cancer: You read that right. Over 10% of all skin cancer diagnoses occur on the eyelid.

To fully enjoy the benefits of sunglasses, it’s important to purchase the right ones. For one, make sure the frames properly cover your face and eye area. You should also look for lenses that that block out 99-100% UV radiation. Keep your eyes safe this summer!

Posted on

Staying Safe Post-Hurricane

For the last several weeks, we’ve all watched destruction unfold as hurricane after hurricane has ravaged Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Puerto Rico and other locations in the Atlantic and Caribbean.

Harvey arrived on August 25, pummeling the Texas coast with high winds and over 50 inches of rain and displacing tens of thousands of residents. Quickly after came Irma, flying through the Caribbean and Puerto Rico on September 6 before hitting Florida, where it left 15 million people without power. News outlets are full of advice on how to stay safe during a hurricane, but what about after the storm has passed? Here are some tips on how to stay safe once the hurricane has passed.

  1. Beware of debris. One of the first things we want to do after a huge storm is get out and assess the damage. But after such high winds and extensive rain, streets are often strewn with hazards. Make sure to be extremely careful outside and extra wary of downed power lines, fallen trees, broken glass, and treacherous chunks of buildings and commercial signs.
  2. Do NOT drive through standing water. This means in parking lots, roads and bridges. It may be hard to believe, but a car can get carried away in as little as a foot of water! Additionally, deep water can stall your engine and leave you stranded.
  3. NEVER use a generator inside your home, even with the doors and windows open. Carbon monoxide is one of the biggest killers after a storm!
  4. Watch out for wild animals. Snakes, rodents, insects, wasps—these animals might be seeking higher ground after the storm and they can be dangerous.
  5. Don’t drink your water. Flooding can bring waterborne bacterial infections. Treat all water as if it’s infected until you can get an inspection.

Stay safe out there! Turn on your radio so that you can listen for emergency bulletins and updates with the latest storm information.