Whether you treat photography as a hobby or a full-time job, one thing is clear — visuals are everything. As such, vision and eye-related problems can significantly hinder your work. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, more people are scared of vision loss than they are of other health concerns like cancer, stroke, heart disease, and other serious ailments. This is because many factors, including other physical conditions, can contribute to ocular issues. Many forms of glaucoma, for example, have no warning signs and may result in vision loss. Similarly, symptoms of age-related macular degeneration, such as blurriness and trouble seeing colors, appear suddenly and immediately worsen.
While some eye conditions can manifest in mere discomfort, it’s also important not to overlook or ignore symptoms. As photographers, your eyes are the most vital tools at your disposal. Investing in eye care practices can help maintain good vision health in the long run. Below, we’ll be sharing some essential eye care tips photographers should keep in mind:
Wearing prescription glasses
Eye doctors and experts agree that prescription glasses can help prevent common eye concerns from worsening into more severe conditions. This is especially true if you need vision correction. For photographers, in particular, it’s crucial that you have visual clarity when taking photographs, or you’ll end up with blurry or distorted results.
Thankfully, prescription glasses are easily accessible and available in physical stores and online retailers. Selections include models from popular and luxury brands. Thanks to the Internet, purchasing corrective glasses online allows you to customize them to your liking, from frame colors to lens types. Some eyewear brands offer premium lenses with UV protection on both sides without being tinted, so you don’t have to worry about any color distortions when photographing while wearing glasses. Most modern glasses also have scratch-resistant lens coatings, which can help protect against your camera viewfinder when snapping photos.
Protecting your eyes from the sun
Aside from vision correction, you should also prioritize sun protection for your eyes. Depending on your style and work as a photographer, you may have to spend long hours outdoors for photo shoots, such as landscape photography. Photographing landscapes also means working with the sun, catching golden hours at sunrise and sunset, or working under peak afternoon sunlight. As such, sun protection is essential.
Investing in high-quality sunglasses can help protect you from the hazards of the sun’s UV rays. Research has shown that exposure to UVA and UVB light for extended periods can increase the risk of developing eye issues like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, which can result in vision loss. UVB radiation can also cause photokeratitis, a painful cornea sunburn due to glare from reflective surfaces like snow and water. One thing to keep in mind when choosing sunglasses for your next outdoor shoot is how heavily tinted they may be. Sun protection is crucial, but you should also consider how your tinted lenses may distort colors and light when taking photographs.
Keeping your eyes lubricated
Finally, it’s also important to ensure you aren’t drying up your eyes while photographing. Dry eyes can be caused by various factors, from a lack of blinking to overexposure to bright or low-humidity environments. If you photograph your subjects outdoors, you should watch for drying wind and intense sunlight. Some photographers may opt to wear wraparound glasses to keep wind and debris out of their eyes.
Similarly, if you’re working indoors under heavy and bright studio lighting, you may want to invest in eye drops and lubricants to keep your eyes from drying. Other photo shoot equipment and tools like smoke machines can cause dry eyes over time. While seemingly a mild inconvenience, dry eyes can worsen eye problems if untreated or ignored. For example, some people with dry eye syndrome report feeling irritation, inflammation, and severe pain in the eyes. Of course, these are unideal conditions for any photographer. You can also consult with your eye doctor for diet recommendations for dry eye relief, such as adding omega-3 fatty acids.