Eyes wide shut - healthy eyes

It's National Eye Health Week and Self-Care September peeps - we need to open our eyes and read the writing on the wall. I'm talking about the Optician's wall and why we all need to start staring at it.

We all go regularly to the dentist for check ups (yawn) otherwise we'd lose our pearly whites. So why aren't we applying the same self-care to our eyes and getting our peepers checked? 

sight tests

It's not just to check your vision and see if you need glasses or contact lenses. A sight test is a vital check on the health of the eyes and can detect eye conditions, some of which show no symptoms, avoiding sight loss.

A sight test can also detect other health conditions like high blood pressure, cholesterol or diabetes. It's once every 2 years people - let's get to it.

diet

What we eat affects our vision and studies have shown antioxidants can help to prevent retinal damage. One hugely beneficial antioxidant we need in our lives is lutein, found in...

Broad leaf greens such as kale and spinach
Brightly coloured fruit and veg such as corn, carrots, orange sweet peppers and oranges
Oily fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel
Broccoli
Eggs

Eat your greens

smoking

After ageing, smoking is the biggest risk factor for developing macular degeneration. It also increases your risk of developing cataracts - toss those ciggies in the bin - it's no longer the 80s!

The sun

Never look directly at the sun. You need to protect your eyes, all year round, by choosing sunglasses with 100% UV protection (UV400). Cumulative UV exposure can increase your risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration.

Protecting your peepers never looked so good.

Jo
 

All the leaves are brown

We love a new season at Peep HQ and Autumn's a beauty -  country walks with bursts of sunshine amid colourful leaves, preserving berries while sipping pumpkin laced lattes. Scented candles and long baths = lots to love about fall.

In Sweden they say 'det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder' meaning 'there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing'.

And transitional dressing can be tricky - we don't want to bust out the vintage tweed just yet. It can be as simple as switching to long sleeves over short. But best to employ some clever layering to see you through until All Hallows' Eve.

Slip summer dresses over jeans, denim jackets over summer's maxi dresses or if we see an Indian Summer,  slip a shirt over for a lighter look. Pop a pair of tights under shorts or don a leather legging if you're feeling bold.

The trench comes into its own in Autumn. Despite being over 100 years old this iconic British piece remains current and practical, with clean tailoring that works with everything. 

Be sure to update your sunglasses and shade your eyes in every season. It's the perfect time to experiment with pale tints or a graduated lens. The sun sits lower in Autumn, so our browline's can't protect our eyes as well and exposure to UV is increased - spooky! Wearing your sunnies reduces glare and keeps out those pesky Autumn winds.

Jo 

Summertime Shine

Summertime and we're all livin easy; whether exploring our beautiful Isles or jetting off to far flung shores. But it's not all palm trees and pineapples - we're talking sun protection and here's the lowdown from Peep before you go...

Use your threads

We're big fans of the straw hat, the bigger the better. They do a great job protecting our vulnerable areas; face, neck and ears.  Steer clear of wet t-shirt competitions - they offer nothing in the way of protection or a place in modern society.  

Loosely woven fabrics and light colours also offer little protection, so pass the sunscreen!

Eye Eye

In our glorious summer months, radiation is three times greater than in winter. The sun's ultraviolet light and exposure to UV radiation is linked to some serious eye conditions... cataracts, macular degeneration, photokeratitis (corneal sunburn), and growths on the eye... ouch!

Protect your peepers by investing in quality sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB radiation. Over 90% of UV can pass through even light cloud - so don't leave home without them.

It's not the colour of the lenses, it's the percentage of UV protection that matters. Go for 100% every time. Oversized or wraparound sunglasses block the most sun, especially when those rays are bouncing off sand and sea. 

Save Face

OK here's the science...

The two types of ultraviolet we know so well, UVA and UVB, both cause misery - UVA skin ageing and UVB causes sunburn and skin cancer. Mother nature takes care of UVC for us. UVA rays damage DNA and cause skin ageing  - wrinkles, collagen damage and liver spots... say what?

There's also the new kid on the block. IRA rays. These InfraRed rays may penetrate skin more deeply generating free radicals and causing mayhem... still with me?

Solution: choose a broad spectrum, high protection SPF with UVA 4* or 5* protection, one with antioxidants if you're feeling fancy. Apply liberally 15-30 mins before venturing out and reapply every 2 hours, especially after hitting the pool.

Don't leave your suncream baking in the sun - it stops working when stored above 25°C .  And yes, it has a shelf life - once expired it's not effective... so bin it... now. 

Don't panic! You'll still tan with SPF 30+ product. Yes it takes longer, but bonus, your tan lasts longer and you'll be saving your skin.  

Never let your skin burn - it's not the 80s - we all know better. Everyone's skin offers different levels of protection from the sun - if you're pale skinned you're more at risk.  Out with the baby oil and in with factor 50!

Seek out shade

Step out of the sun before you start to lobster - turning palest pink is a warning. Eleven until three pm is the danger zone when the sun is strongest - we recommend long lazy lunches under canopy.

Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate

Keep well hydrated, as the temperature soars, it's easy to dehydrate and be left a little limp. Up the anti and add cucumber, mint, citrus and fruity ice cubes to water, or snack on strawberries, cucumber and melon to keep cool.

All Peep sunglasses give 100% UVA & UVB protection enhancing sun protection and reducing glare, to make the most of our beloved summer days.

School's out for summer kids... Enjoy!

Jo