When air travel opened out to the masses, if you said 'beach' to a Scot, chances are they'd start thinking of Salou or Tenerife as opposed to Saltcoats or Troon. It's easy to be sympathetic. Scottish summer weather can be stunning - in whichever context you wish to read that - but it couldn't often be described as 'reliable.'

Now, though, there's a coastal comeback underway. The wildly popular NC500 route has opened holidaymakers' eyes to the stunning beaches of the north coast, like Rosemarkie on the Black Isle, which leads to Chanonry Point and the most close-up view of dolphins you'll see on the British Isles. Pictures from Vatersay Bay on Barra are often confused for the Maldives by folks on social media. In the Central Belt, Largs' seafront has had a welcome boon by new boys The Fish Works being nominated for seemingly as many awards as they sell fish suppers, while the aforementioned Troon acts as an ideal launch for luxury sailing. Yes, even when it's blowin a hoolie.

The Scottish beach is back. And it might be now that we're only going for a day or two rather than the whole Glasgow Fair Fortnight, but that doesn't mean we don't pack properly; there are risks to being on a beach. We wouldn't take a lilo lest we end up on next morning's news being (hopefully) picked up by the coastguard.

However, a less obvious risk is eye health. Scots can get a little loose when the sun comes out, but eyesight isn't something to take lightly.

Let's have a look at ways to keep them safe.

UV protection

Sometimes your sunscreen gets shoved in the bag more in hope than expectation, but if the sun's out, then care needs to be taken to avoid ultraviolet rays that can cause melanoma, whether it's hot or not. You perhaps don't need to go SPF100 in Scotland - SPF50 should be fine - but look for a waterproof sunscreen like Neutrogena Skin Defense to save reapplying every time after paddling. Your eyes are no different from your skin. Studies have shown that the longer people spend in the sun, the greater their risk of developing cataracts in later life. Look for sunglasses designated as 'UV400'. The number refers to rays at the top end of the UV spectrum, with a 400 nanometre wavelength. These lenses will block out 99-100% of harmful UV rays, keeping you covered even when there's no natural cover, if you're out on a boat, for example.

In the swim

Scotland doesn't have the same woes of water companies dumping effluent as down south. Embo Beach in Dornoch was crowned the cleanest beach in Britain in 2023, with Saltcoats, Irvine, and Burntisland all making Scotland's top ten. However, if you're planning on taking a dip, do a bit of homework on the best beaches first. Portobello has had recent pollution problems due to a drain pump failure. And even if you get the all-clear, salt water can irritate the eyes. Crying can dry your eyes out, with tears having a salt content of 9,000 parts per million. Ocean water is around 35,000 parts per million. Well-fitting goggles should be worn - even if only splashing around in the surf - particularly for kids. Good quality goggles from makes like Speedo and TYR can often be found for sale at your local leisure centre pool, letting kids pick out which they like best. While an ice cream (should) dry any tears, it'd be best if the memories of a family day out were seen through rose-tinted specs rather than angry red eyes.

Go contactless

Contact lenses and water don't make for happy bedfellows. There's the obvious danger of one being washed out, never to be seen again, but in addition, there are bacteria in seawater that can adhere to contacts and cause eye infections. Even the salt in the water can be enough to do so. While some folks put sunglasses over contacts to drive, it's perhaps best to leave them at home for a beach outing. If you don't want to bring two pairs of glasses, prescription sunglasses can be made from the trendiest brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley, from scratch. They also eliminate the risk of falling asleep in your contacts. And who knows? Behind a pair of shades, the kids might not even notice you've dropped off for a quick snooze and inevitably wake you back up again.

A day at the beach is one of life's simple pleasures. It takes one back to more carefree times. And from Girvan to Gullane to Golspie, Scotland has some great beaches. We do like to be beside the seaside; just make sure you're taking care of your sight when you're seeing the sights.