Self (eye)care tips

Spending more time at home? While we all prepare to get back to normal, a lot of us are still spending more time at home than usual. Here are three ways you can show your eyes some extra love.

Give your eyes a break from your contact lenses. I know what you’re thinking – I thought you said I could wear my contacts during the pandemic – and as long as you are symptom free, you can! But it is a good idea to give your eyes a rest from contacts regularly regardless of a pandemic or not.

All tissue needs oxygen to function properly. Unlike other tissue that can get oxygen from blood flow, your cornea (the part of the eye where your contact lens sits) does not have blood vessels running through it – it needs to be clear so you can see through it. For this reason, the cornea gets its oxygen from the environment. Although very safe when worn as directed, all contact lenses prevent the maximum amount of oxygen from reaching your eyes. By trading in your contacts for glasses a day a week or at least for a few hours in the morning or evenings, you’ll be able to improve your eye health by allowing more oxygen to reach them.

Focus on nutrition beneficial for your eyes. With limited options for eating out in the current times, a lot of us find ourselves cooking more. These nutrients are particularly beneficial for your eye health:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Found in foods like salmon and walnuts, omega-3s are particularly helpful in improving symptoms of dry eye.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin help combat the eye disease macular degeneration. They are abundant in dark leafy greens like kale and spinach as well as bell peppers.

Improve eye fatigue with the 20-20-20 rule. Whether you’re working from home or in the office, extended periods of up close or computer work may be causing your eyes to feel tired, sore, or strained. One technique that can help relieve these symptoms is the 20-20-20 rule. It’s pretty simple – after every 20 minutes of near/computer work take a break and look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. If you’re still noticing eye fatigue after implementing this rule you might benefit from glasses or contact lenses specifically designed for this problem. Call our office to set up an appointment and let us help you explore all your options!

We hope you find these tips helpful. As our area’s Stay-At-Home order recedes, we are beginning to see patients again for their regular eye care needs. All necessary COVID-related precautions will be observed. Different office locations will have different reopening schedules. Call us when you are ready to come see us for all your eye care needs!