We know you are busy, and we are also well aware that you might not have time to research how best to take care of your eyes, in our latest blog we have put together numerous tips on how to ensure you safe keep your precious eyesight! Leave a comment below if you have anything to add, or if you have a query of general eye care. PS. Let us know how your challenge goes!
Your eyes are your window’s to the world, most people don’t appreciate their ability to see until it is too late! A recent survey found that while 70 percent of people asked would rather lose a limb than their sight, they do not necessarily know how to take care of their eyes properly.
We also realise how difficult it is to change old habits and ways of doing things, in a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, researchers examined the habits of 96 people over a 12-week period in order to determine how long it took each person to go from starting a new behavior to automatically doing it.
The answer?
On average, 66 days to be exact. In other words, if you want to set your expectations appropriately, the truth is that it will probably take you anywhere from two months to eight months to build a new behavior into your life .
Here are our healthy eye care habits we challenge you to form:
1. Don’t abuse your contacts at night
Call it laziness or fatigue, but no matter what excuse you use this tip is vital for keeping your eyes from becoming dry, red and irritable. Experts advise that not removing your contacts at night can actually be more harmful than you think, your cornea, the transparent membrane covering the front of your eye need oxygen, lubrication and nutrients which contacts that are worn for too long can actually starve them of causing corneal infection that may lead to vision loss!
2. Detach your technology:
Answer these quick questions – Do you work in front of a computer all day? Do you surf the internet at night including social networks sites and online shopping portals? Then you are one of the many culprits that might be causing your eyes to become dry and tired by using a computer screen for too long during the day. There is actually a Syndrome for this known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), which is a condition that affects people who spend just two or more continuous hours a day on the computer.
Quick tips to prevent CVS:
· Your computer screen should be about 15 to 20 degrees below eye level, and two rulers away from your eyes.
· Take breaks every 20 minutes by looking at something other than your screen.
· Taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements can also help prevent dryness.
· To alleviate dry, red eyes, run a humidifier and use artificial teardrops.
3. This is not the itchy and scratchy show!
Allergies can affect your eyes terribly causing itchiness and redness, trust me we know we have a few sufferers in the office, but rubbing your eyes will only make it worse and could actually lead to the transmission of bacteria or viruses to your eyes increasing your chances of inducing astigmatism or changes to the cornea.
We recommend you deal with the allergy as fast a possible, take an antihistamine, use lubricating eye drops, or apply a cool compress to the eyes – cucumbers works wonders.
4. Sunburn for your eyes
Our African sun is especially hot and can cause serious damage to your eyes. The long-term effects include cataracts, cancer, age-related macular degeneration, and damage to the retina. If your eyes are exposed to excessive amounts of UV radiation over a short period of time, you can suffer from a condition called photokeratitis, or a painful “sunburn” of the eyes. Choose a pair of sunglasses, wraparound if possible that has 99 percent UVA/UVB protection. Also remember a hat can go along way to protecting both your skin and your eyes.
5. Pinkeye and Falsies
We know we all love to take glamorous selfies with us hanging out on the beach or at the party we attended last night with loads of makeup finished off with fake eyelashes. But remember regular cleanings of your makeup brushes and skipping the falsies can help keep away unwanted styes and pinkeye. Good rule of thumb is also to replace your mascara every four months and your eye shadows every year.
Red, yellow, green
Eating a healthy diet filled with a variety of colours can help to maintain the health of your eyes. Good examples include spinach, carrots and loads of fruits powerful in antioxidants. Food that are high in vitamins A, C and E help reduce the progression of age-related macular degeneration.
An eye exam could save your life.
Most of the diseases that can affect your vision don’t have early warning signs, and undergoing a dilated eye test will help to find this out. Even if you don’t wear spectacles or contacts, you should still schedule an eye test. If you are over 40 we recommend an eye exam every two years.
So our challenge to you is to change your eye care habits and make them life changing by implementing the above recommended tips for the next 66 days!
Date Published: 17 October 2014
