A few hours by the ocean can leave your eyes feeling scratchy and tired by the time you pack up your towel. Your eyes need a steady layer of tears to stay comfortable, and the beach makes that layer hard to hold onto. And if you already live with dry eye, you’ll probably notice it sooner than everyone else on the sand.
Your eyes feel dry at the beach because wind, sun, glare, and salt air make your tears evaporate faster, which leaves the surface of your eyes exposed and irritated. Small changes to your beach routine can help, and a comprehensive eye exam can show whether something else is adding to the dryness.
What Makes Your Eyes Dry at the Beach
Your tear film is the thin coating that keeps the front of your eye smooth and moist. Wind pulls moisture off that coating with every gust. As your tears evaporate faster, your eyes start to feel dry and gritty.
Sun and salt add to the problem. Glare off the water and sand makes you squint for hours, and salty air can leave your eyes feeling filmy and irritated.
Sand and sunscreen can sting too. A single grain or a smear of lotion that drifts into your eye can leave it red and watering for the rest of the afternoon.
Signs Your Eyes Need Attention
Symptoms can show up while you’re still outside or a few hours after you get home. Here’s what dry eye from a day at the beach can feel like:
- A gritty feeling, like sand is stuck under your eyelids
- Burning
- Redness
- Watery eyes
- Blurry vision that clears up when you blink
Irritated eyes can make extra tears to protect themselves. Those reflex tears are mostly water, so they can’t coat your eyes as well as your regular tear film.
Why Contact Lens Wearers Feel More Discomfort
Contact lenses sit directly on your tear film, so anything that dries out your tears can make your lenses feel tight and scratchy. If you can feel your contacts by mid-afternoon, dryness is a likely reason. Sand and salt can also slip behind a lens and stay trapped against your eye.
Take your lenses out before you swim. Ocean water isn’t sterile, and water can carry germs that cause eye infections when it gets trapped under a lens.
Pack these in your beach bag if you wear contacts:
- A backup pair of glasses
- Your lens case and fresh solution
- Rewetting drops that work with your lenses
How to Soothe Dry Eye After the Beach
Once you’re off the sand, give your eyes some care before the dryness builds. Try these steps:
- Rinse your face and eyelids with clean, cool water to wash away salt and sand.
- Use preservative-free artificial tears instead of rubbing your eyes, since rubbing can irritate them further.
- Take out your contacts and wear your glasses until your eyes feel comfortable again.
Simple Habits to Protect Your Eyes Outdoors
Bring wraparound sunglasses along with your towel. The curved frames can block wind from the sides and cut down on glare, so you squint less. A wide-brimmed hat can add extra shade. Set up your chair or umbrella so the wind hits your back, not your face. That way, a steady breeze won’t blow straight into your eyes all afternoon.
Blink fully and often, especially while you’re reading or watching the waves. When you blink less, your tears can evaporate faster. Every full blink spreads a fresh layer of tears across your eyes.
Keep sunscreen away from the skin right around your eyes. A stick formula can make that easier, since it’s less likely to run when you sweat.
When to See an Optometrist About Dry Eye
Beach dryness usually fades within a few hours of getting indoors. Book a visit with your optometrist if:
- Your symptoms last longer than a day
- Eye drops don’t seem to help
- Dryness keeps coming back on days you skip the beach
- You have eye pain or think sand has scratched your eye
If your eye hurts or still feels like something’s in it after rinsing, look into emergency eye care right away.
What Causes Dry Eye That Doesn’t Go Away?
Dryness that keeps returning often means your tear film is out of balance. Your tears might not have enough oil, or they might drain or evaporate too quickly.
Sometimes the problem starts with the tiny oil glands along your eyelid edges. They add a thin layer of oil to your tears that slows evaporation, and when these glands get blocked, your tears can dry up much faster. Allergies and contact lens fit can also contribute.
Dry Eye Treatment Options
We start with a close look at your tears and eyelids to find out what’s behind the irritation. From there, your optometrist may recommend:
- Prescription eye drops
- Punctal plugs, which are tiny inserts that can help keep tears on your eyes longer
- In-office treatments for blocked oil glands
- At-home care like warm compresses
Your optometrist builds your plan around what’s causing your dryness and how you spend your days.
Keep Your Eyes Comfortable on Your Next Beach Day
Dry, scratchy eyes after a day by the water are common. If the dryness lasts or keeps coming back, our optometrists at Total Vision Sports Arena can examine your tear film and eyelids and help you find a treatment that fits your routine.
Book an appointment with us before your next beach day, and bring along any questions about your eyes, drops, or contacts.
