Eye infections are a common occurrence, but many are preventable. The team at Clarity Eye Group believes that eye health is important. Here, we discuss healthy habits for avoiding eye infections.
1. Wash Your Hands Frequently
Handwashing makes a difference when it comes to eye health. Keeping your hands clean can help keep viruses and bacteria away from your eyes. You should regularly wash your hands. Use soap and water and wash for at least 20 seconds at a time.
2. Make Healthy Choices
Your immune system works hard to keep you healthy, and it relies on you making healthy choices to be at its strongest so it can fight off infections. Take care of yourself and make healthy choices to avoid eye infections. Healthy choices include getting enough sleep, exercising, eating healthy and staying hydrated.
3. Abide by Proper Contact Lens Hygiene
Hygiene is important, especially when it comes to contact lenses. If you use contact lenses, you should abide by proper contact lens hygiene. This includes the following:
- Cleaning contact lenses regularly
- Not sleeping in contact lenses
- Replacing contact lenses as directed
4. Don’t Share Certain Items
Since a young age we are taught to share but sharing can actually increase your risk of developing an eye infection — especially if you are sharing makeup brushes/tools, face towels or sunglasses. If you must share, be sure to thoroughly wash your hands and the item that is being shared.
5. Protect Your Eyes
Any eye injury can lead to an infection. Protect your eyes, especially when engaging in activities that can injure your eyes like yard work, woodwork, household cleaning or outdoor activities.
6. Flush Your Eyes After Swimming
Getting water from lakes or rivers in your eyes can cause an infection. It’s not actually the water but microscopic organisms that lead to the infection. If you are a swimmer or enjoy other water activities, you should flush your eyes after swimming. You can use filtered water or a saline solution to reduce your risk of infection.
7. Keep It Clean
Your hands are not the only things that you should keep clean to avoid eye infections. Keeping the area around your eyes clean is also important. You can do this by gently washing off eye makeup at night as well as keeping your sunglasses and prescription glasses clean.
Schedule a Consultation With Clarity Eye Group
If you think you have an eye infection, you should get it treated right away. Schedule a consultation with Clarity Eye Group online or by calling (714) 842-0651.