In This Issue: March 2022
- Spring Break: Soak Up the Sun, Not Germs!
- Set Your Timer to Promote Eye Health
- March is National Peanut Month
Spring Break: Soak Up the Sun, Not Germs!
We know…the last thing you want to think about during spring break is eye care! However, whether you are heading to the beach, hitting the slopes or just hanging out at home, it’s important to continue good contact lens hygiene while you’re being carefree during spring break – all the time, really.
If you plan to wear contact lenses during spring break, water and sleep are the two danger areas for eye safety. Both can lead to eye infections if you aren’t careful. Here’s why:
- Water: You never want your contact lenses to come into contact with any type of water – from the tap, swimming pools, hot tubs, ocean, saliva, etc. These water sources can be teeming with chemicals and bacteria that can cause painful corneal inflammation (keratitis) and serious damage to your eyes. The only liquid that should touch your contacts is sterile cleaning solutions.
- Sleep: You never want to fall asleep in your contact lenses if they are not specifically made for extended wear. Your eyes may not get enough oxygen as you sleep and your risk for eye infection may be 6-8 times greater.
If you don’t think you can follow these recommendations during spring break, it may be safer to wear glasses instead. Or, if that’s not appealing, you want to consider LASIK vision correction to reduce or eliminate your need for any type of vision aid. Don’t let a week of fun lead to a lifetime of vision problems! Protect your eyes during spring break.
Set Your Timer to Promote Eye Health
March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month. If you work at a computer, you may think you have nothing to worry about when it comes to workplace eye health. But the truth is that many office workers suffer from computer vision syndrome. This is the result of long hours staring at a computer screen, resulting in:
- Headaches
- Dry eye
- Eye irritations
- Neck pain
- Back pain
There are some simple ways to avoid computer vision syndrome. Whether you work from an office building or your kitchen space, it’s all too easy to get engrossed in your work and forget to take breaks. Our first tip is to set a timer to go off every 20 minutes so you can look away from your computer for 20 seconds and look 20 feet away. This is the 20-20-20 rule.
Other tips for computer eye health:
- Remind yourself to blink
- Hydrate
- Wear blue light glasses
- Get an anti-glare screen for your monitor
- Reposition your screen so it’s at a right angle from a direct light source
- Use artificial tears for dry eye
If you are experiencing eye irritation, contact us to schedule an eye exam.
March is National Peanut Month
Did you know peanuts are good for your eyes? They are a good source of vitamin E which may protect your eyes from free-radical damage and help slow the progression of eye diseases such as cataracts or age-related macular degeneration. Snack on these nutty treats in moderation – only if your body can tolerate them, of course – and choose unsalted, non-sugar-coated options.
