Last week I made my three year annual trip to the eye doctor because my super over-worn contacts were about gone. (Did you catch that three year? Yeah, that’s about how long I stretch my one-year contacts RX- Bad I know!) And having recently moved back to my hometown after going through a divorce over the last year, my Ophthalmologist just happened to be an old classmate from Bear River High class of 98. I’d love to say that my decision to be better about wearing my month long contacts for just that- a month, instead of 4 or 5 came from an old friend giving me good advice, but it wasn’t. It was because he told me that wearing contacts longer than they are prescribed can cause red eyes- permanent red eyes! As soon as I heard that, I jolted in my seat. What?! Being bad to my eyes will effect the way I look?! I hate to admit the vain part of me cared way more about my eyes at that point than my healthy, happy side cared.
This got me thinking. How often do we hear really great health advice but only listen when we know it will somehow affect the way we look, rather than how we feel. Being a Beauty blogger (and only slightly a health-blogger) I realize this rings far true all too often for me. So as much as I’d love to title this post “Healthy Tips for Eyes,” I’m going to go with the more vain, beauty driven tips for eye health, because clearly many of us women in our 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s, are probably still more concerned with our looks than our health. Hopefully we can change this but for now, let’s get started on how to bring the beauty back to our eyes as well as the health! After talking to my doctor and doing a little research online, I’ve come up with my 7 Health AND beauty eye tips, and here they are:
7 Health and Beauty Tips for Eye Care:
1. Working out and Eating Right. This is a great health tip, but being that I only cared to start working out when I put on weight in my early 20’s and was totally more concerned with the love handles than how extra stomach fat can lead to all sorts of health problems, this tip works for both the health and beauty of your eyes too.
Working out regularly gets the blood flowing through the veins, and that includes your eyes. Working out is great for all of you, including your beauty-obsessed side too! Aim for 30 mins a day, 4-5 days a week, and don’t forget to switch up between cardio (try to do intervals of fast and slow) and muscle training to get the max health and beauty benefits from your workout.
Eat your veggies, and not just carrots! Dark Leafy greens are excellent for eye health. I love Spinach and Kale and eat both regularly. Omega 3’s are great too, so eat your fish, or if you’re vegetarian like I am, be sure to eat lots of seeds and nuts such as walnuts, chia, and flax seeds which are all high in Omegas. Eggs and beans are also great for eyes (and your waistline) and citrus fruits like oranges and lemons will do wonders for the eyes too!
2. Still smoking? Quit! I don’t have to get into this. Smoking is bad for all around health, and that means your eyes too. Is your vain side worried you’ll put on weight if you quit? Follow the nutritious eating tips above, and you’ll maintain if not lose some weight! Just be sure to keep the greasy, salty, and sugary snacks to a minimum, and aim for around 1500 calories a day (for women) 2000 for men.
3. Work at a Computer? Look away from the screen about every 20 minutes, for approximately 20 seconds. Staring at a computer for hours on end can cause a lot of strain on the eyes, leaving them dry, tired, and red too. Not only that, but it can actually cause blurry vision, headaches, trouble focusing on objects at a distance, and many more other health problems! Make sure you’re positioned correctly when working from your computer. Keep your eyes level with the top of the screen, keep contact and glasses prescriptions up to date, and sit in a comfortable chair with your feet flat on the floor and your elbows at a 90-degree angle to your keyboard. Turn the brightness down on your screen too. I actually find myself adjusting this all the time! THEN, get up and walk around every 20 minutes and give your eyes a rest by looking at things around you other than that computer screen!
4. Use a Humidifier. This one actually surprised me a bit, but like everything else (dry skin, lips, and hair) my eyes tend to get dry too. Again this can be bad for the health of you eyes, causing yet again, more eye strain. Keeping a mist of humidity going will prevent eye irritation as well as those dry eyes, keeping the eyes not only feeling better, but looking better too! Use saline solution often too, to keep eyes moist, lubricated, and healthy too.
5. Visit your eye doctor annually and really take his advice this time to throw out the two-week contacts after – two weeks! Stay up to date on your Rx to help keep your eyes healthy and strong, and prevent awful permanent red eyes! Keep those contact cases clean too, throw out once a month, and be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before putting your contacts in or taking them out!
6. Drink Caffeine – Surprisingly a morning cup of joe will actually help keep eyes from becoming dry! Just don’t overdo the coffee. 1-2 cups a day is plenty for optimal eye health.
7. Wear Sunscreen and Those Sunnies! Another tip that is not only good for the health of your eyes, but will also keep those bags, puffiness, wrinkles and crows feet away too. Speaking of Wrinkles, to keep your eyes looking healthier and younger, be sure to use a great eye cream or eye gel on the regular to help keep eyes looking more vibrant and youthful. I love the OZNaturals Matrix 6 Eye Gel, which not only works great for helping eyes look more youthful but it contains caffeine and apple stem which have been shown to reduce puffiness and add more moisture to the eyes (and as I’ve said above, more moisture means better health). This awesome eye gel also contains the super innovative ingredient Haloxyl, which works surprisingly well for eliminating dark circles and minimizing fines lines and wrinkles.
I have been using and loving the OZNaturals brand for a few years now, because not only do their products keep my skin looking and feeling healthier and more youthful too, but they’re products are natural, vegan, paraben-free, and extremely effective but super inexpensive too! OZNaturals is a top seller on Amazon as well, with loads and loads of 5-star reviews! The brand effectively utilizes the latest technology in a high-quality formula to deliver maximum anti-aging results! Their products are also safe and gentle on the eyes too!
Well there you have it, my top 7 Tips to help keep your eyes healthy and strong, and looking lovely and more youthful too!
Want to learn more about OZNaturals Matrix 6 Eye Gel or pick some up for yourself today? Be sure to visit them at OZNaturals.com.
Happy Healthy Beautifying!