Springtime in the United States is a season of colors and blossoms and itchy eyes. Like the rest of the year, taking care of your eyesight during the springtime is just as important. Here are some tips that you can practice, which can help keep your eye health in check.
Eye Care Tips for Adults
Our eyes are one of the most important organs of the body, but their health is often neglected. With spring break and vacation right around the corner, people desperately wait for the good weather, after months of snow and cold. People travel to new areas and countries to enjoy the springtime. To take care of your eyesight this spring season, we have compiled a list of tips and tricks that you can adopt for good eye health:
Accessorize
During the springtime, it is a good idea to equip yourself with different eyewear and sunglasses. Sunglasses help protect the eyes from the harmful rays of the sun. The dangerous UVA and UVB radiations from the sun affect the eyes, causing serious damage to the eyes.
Thus, it is advised to wear sunglasses or other protective eyewear to minimize the effects of the harmful radiations of the sun.
Wash, Wash, and Wash
Allergens and pollen are found in a great quantity in the spring season. Flowers are in full bloom during the springtime,and the pollination process is at its peak.
In recent years, a significant increase in pollen levels in the air has been noted, which has increased the number of allergens and irritants in the air. These allergens and irritants are responsible for causing redness, itching, and watery eyes. These seasonal allergies accompanied with constant sneezing and congestion not only affect the external organs such as your eyes but the internal organs as well.
With the air so filled with allergens such as pollen and mold spores, a simple yet very effective option will be washing your eyes. Wash your eyes regularly, with cold water, to keep them clean to avoid any allergic reactions or infections and stay allergy free in the spring season.
Use Eye Drops
Eye drops and artificial tears can help wash out allergens from your eyes. Artificial tears can be easily found in the markets that help keep the eyes hydrated and moisturized.
Artificial tears can provide temporary relief from dry eyes and itching, proving to be an excellent source for washing your eyes. As an alternative, cold compresses can also be used which can help relieve some of the itching and redness accompanied with the season.
However, if you are experiencing a severe allergic reaction, consult your doctor at once.
Clean your Contact Lens
Contact lenses are the breeding grounds for infection and bacteria. Not all contact lens solutions contain anti-bacterial properties. Thus, it is always a good practice to thoroughly clean your contact lens, to avoid unnecessary infection.
Cleanliness is Key
Allergens in the air such as dust, pollen, and mold can accumulate on beddings, sheets and in other areas, during springtime. It is crucial to keep your personal space clean as it will help clean away any allergens and dust from the most occupied spaces.
Eyes are sensitive to any external entities that may cause irritation or allergy. Cleaning the eyes and along with your living space will contribute to much healthier eyes.
Stay Hydrated
Hydration is extremely important for eye health. Studies recommend drinking at least two liters of water in a day.
The 8×8 rule for daily water consumption states that eight ounces of water should be drunk 8 times in a day. The hydration of the eyes is just as important as the hydration of the body. Hydration can help flush out extra salts in the body while keeping the eyes healthy and moisturized.
Keep Away from Smoke
Cigarette smoke can cause dehydration of the eyes which may lead to irritation. Smoke can also cause redness in the eyes and block the tear ducts of the eyes. For combating irritation from the smoke of cigarettes and cooking, it is advised to stay away from the smoke at all costs for the sake of your health.
Ask your Eye Doctor and Get Regular Check-Ups
Doctors can help recommend suitable medication and techniques for taking care of your eyes. Visiting an optometrist on regular appointments can not only help keep track of your eyesight but also pickup on other health conditions that may contribute to eye damage. So, it is imperitative that you visit your eye doctor and get regular check-ups.
Avoid Allergens
Flowers often bloom in the spring season. During this season, the pollen count can reach dangerous levels, which may affect eye health. Staying away from sources of dust and pollen can help limit the effects of these allergens on the eyes. Allergens most commonly found in the spring season include pollen, mold, grasses, weeds, dust, and pet dander, which should be avoided at all costs.
Clean your Home
Spring-cleaning is a popular term used for cleaning households in the spring season. Cleaning your house in the spring time can result in allergic reactions to dust and other allergens.
Before you start cleaning your house, make sure the house is well ventilated to prevent any of the allergens from irritating your eyes. However, once you finish cleaning up, make sure you keep your windows and doors shut. Clean your beddings and clothes often but avoid hanging them outside to dry, as the possibility of catching allergens is higher, outdoors.
Also, wash your curtains and bed linens to avoid the possibility of external irritants attaching to them.
Avoid Windy Days and Wear a Mask
During the windy days, pollen counts are often the highest. It is important to avoid windy days, to avoid possible irritation from allergens.If you must go out, wear an allergy mask or cover your nose and mouth, to prevent irritation of the eyes.
Avoid Touching or Rubbing your Eyes
Touching your eyes can put them at risk of infection or cause redness. Different kinds of bacteria and infection are present on the hands, which can transfer to the eyes, causing further issues. Even if you feel the need to rub your eyes, avoid doing so at all costs.
Improve your Diet
Dietary habits play an important role in good eye health. Foods with good nutritional value can help improve the health of your eyes. A diet high in nutrients such as green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, carrots, nuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, fish and eggs can help improve eye health.
Berries such as blueberries, bil berry, and black currant can also help keep your eyes healthy and young.
Get Rest
Sleeping on time helps to rest your eyes. Lack of rest can overwork the eye muscles and tire out the eyes. Taking breaks in between tasks, such as using the computer or watching television, can also help relax the muscles of the eyes.
Throw Away your Old Make Up and Wash your Brushes
Makeup is an important accessory for some people. However, makeup brushes and sponges are a breeding ground for bacteria and infections, which can cause reactions on the skin and the eyes.
It is, therefore,essential to clean brushes and sponges, at least once a week, to avoid the possibility of infections. Old make up that is past its expiry date should also be thrown away, as it can result in infections.
Eye Care Tips for Kids
Kids like to play outside and be involved in outdoor activities. Spring time has the ideal weather for enjoying outdoor activities. However, taking care of children and their eyesight is equally important during this time.
Limit Outdoor Exposure
The pollen count is highest in the morning, which can trigger the irritation of the eyes. By limiting the exposure to outdoor activities for children, infections and allergies can be avoided.
Dust, allergens, and pollen in the air can trigger redness and irritation in the eyes, increasing the likelihood of an infection.
Protective Eyesight Gear for Children
Investing in a good pair of sunglasses for your child will help protect them against harmful UVA and UVB rays of the sun. Sunglasses will help protect from possible eye sunburn and make your child look the coolest on the block.
Get your Child Regular Eye Check-Ups
Regular eye checkups can help identify potential issues with the eyes, on time. For children, this issue is especially important, as they are unable to explain any problems that may arise. Ophthalmologists or optometrists can help test the health of the eye and present possible eye treatments and medications, depending on the diagnosis.
Wear a Sun Brimmed Hat
Sun brimmed Hats are a great way to protect your eyes from the sun. The hats are specifically designed to provide optimal protection from the harmful rays of the sun and can help protect the eyes of your child.
Avoid Rubbing the Eyes
Children are often tempted to rub their eyes due to itching or irritation. However, this should be discouraged at all times.
Rubbing the eyes can cause possible infections and worsen the eye. The best possible solution is to wash the eyes with cold water to relieve some of the pain. If irritation, redness or itching still occurs after washing, immediately consult your doctor.
Remedies for Better Eye Health
Eye Exercises
Eye exercises can help strengthen the muscles in the eyes. Exercises that alternate between different directions can help improve eye muscle health. Alternating focus exercises can also help relieve eye pain and the symptoms of different eye disease.
Forming a figure 8 with your eyes, blinking, alternating your focus between near and far away objects and shifting can help exercise your eye.
Besides exercising your eyes, it is recommended to rest your eyes every now and then while working. The 20-20-20 rule should also be followed, which states that for every 20 minutes look 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This rule will help prevent eye strain and keep your eyes well rested.
Healthier Food and a Healthier Lifestyle
Changing your lifestyle to adopt a healthier one is essential for maintaining the well-being of your body. Healthier food items such as vegetables, fruits, and fish are better alternatives to fast food, which help the body and the eyesight.
Foods rich in vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin D, Omega-3 fatty acids, etc. are essential for maintaining eye health. Green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, sun-colored vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish and eggs are a few examples of foods that you can incorporate for a healthier diet. Taking vitamin and nutrient supplements help fulfill the dietary requirements of the body.
Cut down on Salt
When consumed in large amounts, salt can cause severe problems for your body. The health concerns mostly associated with salt include water retention, bloating, and other kidney diseases. Excess of salt in the body can result in swelling under the eyes, causing puffy and swollen eyes.
Cutting out on salt consumption can significantly reduce the swelling and bloating in the body. However, if symptoms persist, consult your doctor at once.
Use Cucumbers, Potatoes, Milk and Tea Bags
The use of cucumbers and potatoes on puffy eyes can help improve the puffiness of the eyes. Using cucumber or potato slices on the eyes for 15 minutes can help you relax and significantly reduce puffiness.
Milk can also be used to soothe eye puffiness and prevent some kinds of infections. Because of its neutral pH, combined with naturally occurring vitamins, proteins, and other nutrients, milk can help with eye health.
Soaking tea bags, cooling them and then applying them on to your eyes can help freshen your eyes and reduce puffiness.
Make Rose Water your Best Friend
Rose water has long been used as a beneficial natural remedy for skin, eyes, and body health. The antiseptic and antibacterial properties of rose water can help reduce puffiness and relax the eyes. Rose water can help reduce the signs of fatigue on tired eyes. The soothing effects of Rose Water can brighten your eyes and help clean the eyes. As a diuretic, rose water has many benefits, which can help relieve fluid retention in the body while helping lower the toxins in the body. Adding 2 or 3 drops of rose water to your eyes, it can help relieve inflammation.
Taking care of your eyes is just as important as taking care of your entire body. Maintaining a healthy and clean lifestyle can improve the health of your body and eyes. Little tweaks to your daily regimen can help improve the health of your eyes and prove beneficial in the long term, preventing possible risk of different eye diseases and infections.
For tips on how to take care of your eyes in the winter, check out this article.
