Although it is reassuring to know that the experts at Boxer Wachler Vision Institute are available to assist you following an ocular crisis, your best course of action is to try to avoid eye emergencies in the first place. To protect the health of your eyes, Dr. Brian suggests re-examining some of these common bad habits:
Forgetting Sunglasses
When you know you’ll be spending time outdoors, don’t leave your sunglasses back at home. Not only will sunglasses help you see better in the moment (it’s not fun to wince when the sun is so bright), it will also keep you seeing better in the long term.
UV rays are no joke. Over time, unblocked exposure to the sun is linked to the development of cataracts and macular degeneration. By wearing those sunglasses now, you’re increasing your odds of being able to see better in your later years.
Not Drinking Enough Water
Surely you’ve already heard that drinking eight glasses of H2O daily is important to your health, but in the event that you need one more reason to follow through on that recommendation, think of your eyes! Hydration is critical to tear production. Without proper lubrication, your eyes are prone to drying out which leads to red eyes, blurry vision and even headaches.
Spending Too Much Time Looking at Screens
No doubt, we live in an increasingly digital world. You may need to look at a computer screen most of the day for work, then after hours find yourself looking at a TV for entertainment and your phone to keep up with friends.
To whatever extent you can cut your screen time down, you might consider it. When looking at screens, your eyes don’t blink nearly as much as they need to, causing them to dry out. Plus, the blue light emitted from these screens can negatively affect your melatonin and ease of getting to sleep.
Sloppy Cosmetic Use
Though most makeup is not harmful to your eyes, you could probably be smarter about how you use it:
- Toss expired products: Most cosmetics have a shelf life. The longer you have a product, the more likely it is to grow bacteria that can hurt your eye. Be mindful of how long you’ve had a product, particularly those that are used around your eyes.
- Apply it carefully: Leave some space between your eye and where you apply the makeup. It’s usually the people who try to get too close to the eye with their products who wind up with the infections.
- Take it off before sleeping: After a late night, it can be tempting to just fall asleep with your makeup on, but you’re risking infection if that mascara clogs your glands overnight.
Rubbing Your Eyes
Let’s keep this simple: do not touch!
When your eyes get itchy, it is certainly understandable that your first instinct is to rub them to provide relief. Alas, not only will rubbing not provide relief, it may cause damage to your eyes and you can also give yourself a viral infection like pink eye or even COVID-19. Applying a cold compress is often a better solution for tackling itchy eyes.
Whether your bad habits have caught up to you and you need an examination, or you’ve been on your best behavior but could still use the opinion of a trusted ophthalmologist for an emerging eye issue, the staff at Boxer Wachler Vision Institute is ready to set up an appointment for you with Dr. Brian. Just call 1-310-860-1900.
