It goes without saying that eyes are pretty useful—so it makes sense to keep them as healthy as possible. That’s why we’ve come up with a few simple tips for keeping those peepers in tip-top shape—and whilst we know it’s hard to implement all of these 24 hours a day, even if you just manage to stick to a few of these then it can make a big difference.
Without further rambling, here you go…
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Sleep is important. It’s the time your eyes (and your body) get a chance to revitalise, recover, and recuperate—which means that if you’re not spending enough time in the land of nod, your peepers can suffer. Not only can a lack of snooze time lead to puffy eyes, but regularly getting a bad night’s sleep can result in difficulty focusing, dry eyes and double vision. Eye masks are great for helping to reduce any light stimulation that you might find distracting from sleep. Now where’s that snooze button…
Eat Your Greens
Probably stating the obvious here, but the healthier the food on your plate, the healthier your eyes will be. Leafy greens like spinach and kale contain plant-based forms of vitamin A known as carotenoids which help protect your retinas from UV light, lowering the risk of long-term eye damage—so incorporating them into your meals a few times is a really easy way to boost your eye health. Give Deliveroo a night off and get cooking.
See Your Greens
This one is particularly important for those who work from home. It’s vital that your eyes are exposed to natural daylight everyday—and whilst it can be difficult to see much daylight during short winter days, your eyes (and brain) will hugely benefit from the stimulation they get from that great lightbulb in the sky. And even better, it’s been scientifically proven that visual stimulation from greenery for even just a few minutes calms the brain and reduces mental load. So grab a brew and do a few laps of the local park at lunch-time—without looking at your phone!
Turn Off Your Phone
Speaking of phones, it’s vital to take time to look at something that’s not a small backlit screen, especially as you get towards bed time. Not only can staring at your phone cause tired and strained eyes, but overstimulation of certain parts of the brain affects the circadian rhythm, making it harder to get a good night's sleep. And we’ve already explained how important that is!
What can you do? Consider the 20-20-20 rule—and for every 20 minutes of close digital based work, spend 20 seconds looking to a distance of 20ft or beyond. Think of it like doing yoga for the eyes, significantly reducing eye strain and fatigue.
Thou Shalt Have a Fishy
You’ve probably heard people say about fish being ‘brain food’, but it’s also ‘eye food’ too. That’s because of something called Omega-3—an oily fat which works wonders for reducing that dry-eye feeling and can help to slow the progress of eye-related eye problems. Put simply, it’s good stuff—which is why we’d say to try and eat oily fish (macadamia nuts, crushed hemp seeds, or a good supplement are alternatives) a couple of times a week. Nets at the ready…
Wear Sunglasses
Shameless plug here, but there’s a huge list of reasons why a high quality pair of sunglasses are good for your eyes. They reduce eye strain… they shield your eyes from harmful UV rays… they protect your eyes… we could go on. Shades aren’t just for summer either—and they come in particularly handy in the winter months to protect your mince pies from that blinding low sun which can cause complete havoc when you’re driving. Here in the UK we have a real stigma about wearing sunglasses unless it’s 25 degrees and you’re by a pool, but honestly, the long term benefit is hugely significant. And did we mention that they look cool?
Exercise Regularly
Exercise isn’t just good for your body, it’s good for your eyes too—there is plenty of good research showing the benefits of exercise on all parts of our bodies and the eyes are simply part of that system. Plus, regular exercise is proven to help you sleep better, and we may have mentioned that is important for your eyes! Whether you’re heading out on your bike or doing a few press-ups at home, a bit of movement and motion will go a long way to keeping those peepers fighting fit.
Wash Your Hands
No brainer this one, especially for you contact lens wearers—give those hands a scrub before you go near your eyes. Even if you don’t work at a battery acid disposal plant, you’ll want to keep those mitts clean, as not only are eyes super-sensitive to harmful substances, but they’re particularly vulnerable to pesky infections. Oh yeah—and whatever you do, don’t touch your contact lenses after chopping up a scotch bonnet.
Know Your History
Certain eye conditions may be genetically gifted from your parents (thanks guys!), so being aware of your family history means you can keep a step ahead of some of those hereditary eye conditions. And in most cases, early detection is key to successful management. We’re not saying you’ve got to go full Who Do You Think You Are and find out which of your great, great uncles ran away to join the circus, but knowing a bit about your family and their health can be useful.
Drink Water
We told you these were simple tips, didn’t we? Yep—one of the easiest ways to keep your eyes tip-top is to remember to drink plenty of H20. Not only is water pretty crucial to your survival, but as the key ingredient in tears, it’s the stuff that keeps your eyes from feeling dry and gritty. Go and pour yourself a big glass of the good stuff, your eyes deserve it.
Book an Eye Test
And finally, it’s important to get your eyes tested regularly. Eye tests aren’t just for finding out your prescription, but they’re also a good way of keeping tabs on your eye health and identifying diseases before you have symptoms. At Seen we pride ourselves on our expert eye tests—and we’re pleased to say we now offer OCT scans to get a super-detailed look at how your eyes are doing.
To book an eye test, you can call the team on 0161 8352324, click this 'Book an Appointment' link to request an appointment online, or, if you prefer, why not walk into Seen HQ and arrange it face to face. And then get a good night’s sleep!
