The sun is finally starting to make an appearance here in London. And so is the pollen. With this, many of my neighbours and friends are experiencing itchy eyes as they picnic in the park. While my colleagues are finding the air conditioning and screen time are making their eyes dry. There are many other things that can affect eye health, such as smoking, what you eat, high blood pressure, stress, lack of sleep and old age. When the eye blinks (on average every 3 to 4 seconds), the result is tear film which helps wash away any debris, protects the surface of the eye, and nourishes the eye too.
Sometimes, dry eye can occur due to inflammation if the eyes don’t blink enough (for example, when working at a computer screen, you only blink about once every 20 seconds which is 5 times less frequent than normal), or if your eye isn’t producing the lubricants it is supposed to. Believe it or not, 20% of adults have dry eye. You could have it and might not even know it! If you have the following symptoms, you might be one of them:
- tired eyes*
- watery eyes
- gritty sore eyes*
- irritated eyes
- feeling like something is stuck in your eye*
- contact lenses are uncomfortable to wear
- blurry vision that can be corrected with blinking
Of course, there are a few ways of protecting your eyes but some things, such as avoiding computer screens, are not easy to do. Eating a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and staying hydrated are the easy options. Avoiding air conditioning, wearing sunglasses, and taking regular breaks from your computer are other actions that can help your eyes stay healthy. I always have my sunglasses on hand just in case the sun makes an appearance in London.
Sometimes, you may need to help your eyes if they get irritated, even if you can’t figure out what caused it. If you are experiencing blepharitis (*some symptoms above), you may need to take action. I will likely experience blepharitis at some point as people with eczema are more likely to suffer from it. Warming and gently massaging the eyelids will help the Meibomian Glands secrete lubrication. Blephaclean wipes and Blephasol Duo are both available from Théa to help if the massage isn’t enough on its own. One of the reasons I love Théa is because their products are preservative-free, perfume-free and paraben-free. This is really important for me because I am allergic to preservative-releasing chemicals. These chemicals are often in make up, lotions, shampoo, laundry detergent, hair dye, even soap! I hate trying new beauty products because I never know how my skin will react. Obviously, I would be even more cautious trying something with my eyes. I can’t just pick anything off the shelf or use something from the medicine cabinet. Having a stash of Blephaclean wipes in my bag means I don’t have to worry. Blephasol Duo can be used as an eye makeup remover too (it even comes with lint free pads).
After cleaning your eyes with Blephaclean, Thealoz Duo can be applied to lubricate and hydrate to offer long-lasting protection. Thealoz Duo is also suitable for those with dry eye and is preservative free too. It can’t hurt to have a bottle near your desk for those days when you are stuck looking at the screen all day to meet a deadline. These drops can also be worn by contact lens wearers.
I had no idea that eye health becomes more important as you age. Now that I have identified products that work for my eyes, I will definitely try to keep better care of them. If you have some issues with your eyes, check out the Théa symptom checker and see if they have something that can help you.
This post was sponsored by Théa and Your Eye Health. All opinions are honest and my own. Facts about eye health found in Théa Pharmaceuticals. 2019. “Keeping Your Eyes Comfortable”.
Recent Comments