When you think about your overall health, do you consider the health of your eyes? If not, you should. Many of us take our eyesight for granted, only worrying about it when a problem crops up. But looking after your eyes now can slow down or even prevent problems developing later.
Here are six things you can start doing today to look after your peepers:
Take blinking breaks
We blink about 15 to 20 times a minute. But that rate drops by half when we’re reading text on a screen. Blinking is important because the upper eyelid spreads tears over the cornea at the front of the eye, just like a windscreen wiper. If you don’t blink enough, the cornea can dry out and feel irritated.
You can manage this by following the 20/20/20 rule when staring at a screen: Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds so you can blink naturally and give your eyes time to relax.
Eat for better eyesight
Did you mum used to tell you that eating your carrots will help you see in the dark? Well, it turns out she’s right! Sort of. Beta-carotene, which is found in carrots and other orange-coloured fruits and vegetables, is essential for eye health. Vitamin A protects the surface of the eye, which is essential for good vision.Eating leafy greens such as kale and spinach can lower the risk of age-related changes in the eyes, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), as they’re high in antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which keep the cells in your eyes healthy.
Exercise your eyes to keep them strong and active
You can relieve eyestrain by exercising the muscles that control your eyes. This is important if you spend most of your day staring at a screen.
Here are a few exercises for starters:
Throw away old make-up
You’ve probably never thought about bacteria lurking in your mascara and other eye cosmetics. But bacteria love make-up and can end up causing eye infections. As a rule of thumb, throw your make-up away every three months. If you baulk at throwing away unfinished, and often pricey, cosmetics four times a year, an alternative way to stay safe is to treat your cosmetics in the same way as food, and smell them before use. If it’s gone off, mascara will smell just as bad as fish does when it’s not fresh.
While we’re on the subject of make-up, make sure you sharpen your eye pencils regularly. This will not only make it easier to glide them over your lids, but will also remove bacteria that might be forming on the tip. Also, a dull or jagged tip can easily scratch your eyeball, causing soreness and infections.
Wear sunglasses and sun cream
The harm UV rays cause is irreversible. Yes, irreversible. These harmful rays also reflect off surfaces such as water, sand and snow. The damage they cause has been linked to cataracts and conjunctival changes. What’s more, the eyelid region accounts for 5% to 10% of all skin cancers. We all remember the ‘slip, slop, slap’ mantra when it comes to applying sunscreen. But the importance of wearing sunglasses was recognised by the Cancer Council in 2007 when they updated the famous slogan to ‘slip, slop, slap, seek, slide’ to include looking for shade and sliding on sunglasses.
Get your eyes checked every two years
Regular eye exams can determine your risk for major diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, which has no early warning signs or symptoms. An eye exam also can ensure that your prescription for glasses or contact lenses is up to date.
Get a facial
A soothing facial can help refresh tired, sore eyes, and reduce bags. So why not call Castle Thai Spa and book one today? Call us on 0131 629 0794.
