One Simple Thing
Keeping your eyes healthy is not as hard as you might think. If I told you you only had to do one thing to improve vision, reduce red itchy eyes, and make your eyes more white, would you do it? I know what you are thinking, sure but there has to be a catch, right? WRONG! There is no catch and it’s as simple as cleaning your lids and lashes. Lid hygiene is the quickest and easiest way to improve your vision.
Work, Weather, and Play
The next question you may have is what is lid hygiene? I like to joke with my patients and tell them that lid hygiene is my version of brushing and flossing. If you think about our day to day activities the reasoning becomes more clear. My patients work in office settings where they stare at computers all day long, dust filled factories, or they brave the extreme Michigan outdoors. The weather in Michigan is extremely cold or extremely hot with a lot of wind and the spring and fall are plush with all kinds of allergens. To top that off, most of my patients and myself included spend our free time on screens. Our kids are on computers all day and then come home and devices are their form of entertainment. Our eyes are clearly being put to the test.
Bacteria and Debris Buildup
To a varying degree every activity I listed above is having the same things occur. Bacteria is building up on our lids and lashes. A biofilm is covering the glands responsible for producing out tear films. Skin is constantly exfoliating and building up on your lashes and lid margins. Furthermore, the face creams and lotions we use all end up around our eye. Dirt, debris, and allergens from the outside world are accumulating throughout the day. It is no wonder we wake up with “sleep” and debris in our eyes.
Avenova & Tea Tree Foam Cleanser
Lid hygiene helps with all of the above and it does not have to be complicated. The two simplest things I advise to keep your eyes healthy are hypochlorous acid spray from Avenova or a tea tree foam cleanser made by Eye Eco. Both of these can be used twice a day and help keep your lids and lashes clean and healthy. They kill bacteria, remove debris, and subsequently reduce inflammation causing your eyes to be red and irritated. This results in a more stable, healthier tear film which gives you better and more stable vision.
Stop Using Soap & Baby Shampoo
Now, I know what you may be thinking, can I just use soap or baby shampoo to clean my lids and lashes? The answer is that soap and baby shampoo are a better alternative than doing nothing at all, however; I do not recommend them for long term use. The reason for that is they are detergents and detergents remove oil. Part of your tear film comes from your eyelids and it is the oil layer that stops your tears from evaporating. If you remove these oils, you are still going to have an unstable tear film and fluctuating vision.
Customized Care
Finally, if you have any questions about keeping your eyes healthy, call the office (616) 219-8153 or click here and we can conduct a dry eye evaluation. We not only look at the tear film, but evaluate your eyelids and eyelashes to make sure they are not inflamed or compromised by bacteria. We can customize a treatment plan or conduct in office procedures to keep your eye healthy for the years to come!