Do you keep your eyes as clean as your teeth?!

You brush your teeth every day, right? (Hopefully more than once!) If you don't you start to feel a film (a biofilm of bacteria and their waste products) on your teeth, you can develop inflammation on the gums, and create long term damage to your chompers.

Would you be surprised to hear that our eyes have a biofilm just like our teeth? We have good bacteria that live on the ocular surface and along the eyelids and eyelashes that help protect our eyes from foreign infections. But, that same bacteria can overpopulate if the eyes are not cleaned regularly which leads to inflammation (redness, swelling, & irritation) on the eyes. This can lead to styes (infections of the oil glands in our lids), cellulitis, dry eye syndrome and ocular surface disease. All of these have an impact on the comfort of our eyes as well as the clarity of our vision.

Don't worry- it's easy to keep your eyes fresh and clean! Here are a few things you can do to keep your eyes healthy now and in the future:
 

Tea Tree Cleanser

If you are prone to styes, use a lid cleanser with tea tree oil at bedtime. This helps keep bacteria under control, decreases inflammation, and helps resist inflammation from dust mites. Most patients find it effective to use every night for a week or two and then a few times a week afterwards. Our favorite brand is We Love Eyes Tea Tree Cleanser. It is gentle and effective. Created by an optometrist, Vegan, and produced in the USA.

DO NOT USE BABY SHAMPOO! In the past doctors used to tell patients to use baby shampoo for styes. Since then, we have learned that the shampoo can actually break down essential oils in our lids and actually cause more dryness. Luckily we have new products that have been studied for effectiveness and safety so we don't have to fall back on these old remedies.

Hypochlorous Spray

 

This one is an all-time favorite at The Eye Care Studio! Hypochlorous is naturally made in our body and has anti-inflammatory & anti-bacterial properties. It is great for every day hygiene of the eyes. We recommend closing your eyes, using one spray on each eye, blinking a few times and letting it air dry. Easy-Peasy! When patients are using this regularly we see a dramatic decrease in inflammation, infections, and irritation. Because it decreases inflammation it can also help you produce your own better-quality tears.

Our favorite brand is Twenty Twenty Beauty Easy on the Eyes because it is twice the concentration of other available products and it is very gentle. It is safe for babies, kids & even pets! This can be used on your entire face if you experience rosacea flare-up or acne.
 

Makeup Remover

How confident are you that you are removing ALL of your eye makeup each night? Residual makeup is a breeding ground for bacteria and leads to inflammation, dry eyes, and irritation. Many makeup removers are either harsh on the eyes or are oil based with unsafe ingredients that clog our essential oil glands. Our choice is We Love Eyes Makeup Remover. It is made by an optometrist who has worked hard to only use ingredients that are safe for the eyes. It is vegan and made in the USA.

AND it works better than any other remover we have tried!

If you would like to know more about eye hygiene schedule an exam today. We would be happy to answer your questions and help find the best solution for you! We want to keep your eyes healthy for a lifetime and the better we take care of them now, the better they will be in the future!