How to take care of your eyes... during a pandemic

We’re working from home, constantly staring at screens and wondering when to brave an eye test. Here’s our guide to taking care of your eyes during the pandemic.

Is it safe to get an eye test?

Along with correcting your vision and updating your prescription, regular eye tests can pick up other problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure, so it’s really important your eye test is kept up-to-date.

If your eye test is due, there’s lots of procedures in place to make it as a safe as possible..

Most optician’s are operating a closed door policy, meaning that eye tests are now by appointment only – so no drop-in eye examinations, you need to book first.

Appointments will be spread out, so there’s time to clean down after each patient. There’s no waiting in store, so go alone if possible. Social distancing will be in place where possible and minimal people in store at any given time.

Everyone will be wearing PPE (including you as masks are mandetory), testing rooms will be disinfected between patients and frames will be cleaned throughout the day.

Browsing and trying the frames may not be permitted, but a selection of glasses styles might be provided on santisied tray for you to try on.

Better still, take advantage of our Home Try On service without leaving your sofa. Try up to 3 pairs and take free delivery to see if they suit. We can advise on styles and sizing and adjust frames to fit. Frames are cleaned in our Ultra Sonic Cleaner ‘Bubbles’ before/after being sent for Home Try On.

If you are displaying any symptoms of COVID-19, have been in contact with someone who has symptoms, or are considered high risk, and it’s a routine eye appointment, it’s better to wait. If it’s urgent contact your usual practise and they will help.

Personally, I would opt for an independent optician over the busier high street alternatives. They tend not to be as crowded and will have more time to spend with you.

Home working and screen time

CottonBro

Remote working is now the norm for many of us and as a result we’re all spending more time glued to our devices. Productivity might be up (yay flexible working) but it’s easier than ever to get digital overload. Too much screen time can lead to poor mental health and trouble sleeping, as well as eye strain and muscle fatigue.

So how can we stay mindful when we’re working from home?

Not getting the natural breaks you find in the office – we need to create those water cooler moments and lunch breaks. Make yourself a barista coffee, take your time over a tea ritual or phone a friend to give yourself a break.

Track your time online so you can keep control, schedule in regular mini and longer detox breaks.

Step away from your screen, get outside, walk, pull up weeds in the garden or listen to your favourite podcast. Choose a chapter of a paperback over a digital book.

Make notes, brain storm or journal with good ole fashioned pen and paper in a beautiful bound book to help take a screen break.

Switch off completely a good few hours before sleep.

Staring at our devices without blinking for long periods will cause eye strain so take regular breaks - follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, shift your eyes to look at an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

screen time and blue light

Smartphones, tablets, televisions and LED lighting all emit blue light and here’s the science.. blue wavelength light stimulates sensors in your eyes to send signals to your brain’s internal body clock.

Our eyes are not very good at blocking blue light, allowing it to pass straight through to the retina, disrupting melatonin and negatively impacting our sleep.

Blue light suppresses the brain’s release of the hormone melatonin, our sleep inducing hormone, so artificial night time light really throws out the body's biological clock, the circadian rhythm.

Poor sleep can cause so many health issues, so we need do everything we can to secure a good nights sleep and blocking out blue light in the evening can help.

Take a peep at our Blue Control screen blocking glasses lenses to filter out that blue light and promote good sleep. We can put blue light blocking lenses into any of our frames, check our range of screen glasses here. Our Blue Control lenses help to reduce the amount of blue light from your screens by filtering to help optimise sleep and reduce eye strain.

So step away from the screens, take regular breaks and no scrolling past nine.

Stay safe and stay sane peeps.

Jo