Routine eye examinations are essential for keeping your family healthy, but there are also steps you can take at home to help! Below are some of the easiest and most common ways to care for your family’s vision and eye health between exams:
UV Protection
One of the best ways to protect your eyes is to make sure you wear quality UV protection any time you are outdoors. Hats, visors, and polarized sunglasses are the best way to protect yourself from these harmful rays . UV light can cause damage not only to the eyelids and surface structures of the eye, but also to the clear lens and the inner layer of the eye responsible for vision.
Digital Eye Strain
Our society is now using digital devices more than ever, and it is taking a toll on our eye health! Consistent device use can cause dryness, burning, and itching, as well as fatigue, headaches, and difficulty focusing. It is important to remind yourself and your family to take frequent breaks from screens. Ideally, for every 20 minutes of device use you should take 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away. This refocusing helps to relax the muscles inside of the eyes which helps prevent these symptoms.
Additionally, it is important to encourage children to play outside more than they use devices. It has been proven that spending just one hour a day playing outdoors can reduce their development of nearsightedness by over 14%!
Dry Eye Syndrome/Allergies
One of the most common eye conditions we see in Ogden is dry eye syndrome and one of the most common complaints from children is itching and watering from allergies. Both of these conditions (when mild) can be easily treated at home with either over-the-counter or prescription eye drops. There are also home remedies that can help such as using a humidifier/air purifier, not sleeping with fans on, frequent cleaning of pillowcases and blankets, showers before bed after being outside, and cleaning lids and lashes with baby shampoo each evening.
If you or someone in your family are struggling with symptoms of dryness, redness, itching, burning, watering, or irritation, please contact us today so we can recommend appropriate treatment for you!
Pink Eye Prevention
If you have children in your family, it is almost guaranteed that pink eye (also known as conjunctivitis) will make its way into your house at one point or another! In many cases this is difficult to prevent, since it is typically picked up at daycare or school, but there are certain steps you can take to help limit the spread.
First of all, if you or someone in your family begins to experience redness, itching, or discharge in one or both eyes, particularly after being sick, please call us right away so we can evaluate them!
Secondly, if you believe someone in your family may have pink eye, or has already been diagnosed with pink eye, be sure to practice excellent hygiene by regularly washing your hands and pillowcases and by frequently cleaning common areas with antibacterial wipes or spray.
Finally, be sure to prevent the spread by avoiding public spaces until you are no longer contagious. (Typically once your eye is back to being white and quiet, or at least 24 hours after antibiotic treatment.) Remember, pink eye can be viralorbacterial, so be sure to see us so we can confirm which type you have and provide proper guidance on treatment!