Eye health is very important and unfortunately, eye infections are a common problem. Many of these eye infections are preventable. Here are 7 top tips to avoid eye infections.

1.      Wash your hands frequently

Hand washing 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.      Keep healthy

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.      Ensure you stick to 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 items

Sharing certain things 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 gardening, household cleaning and outdoor activities.

6.      Wash your eyes after swimming

Getting water in your eyes from lakes or rivers 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 wash your eyes after swimming. You can use filtered water or a saline solution to reduce your risk of infection.

7.      Keep the areas around your eyes 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.

Book a consultation with Harley Street Eye Hospital

If you think you have an eye infection, you should get it treated right away. Book a consultation with HSEH today.