Sharing some of the random and important things I’ve learned in my eye journey since the great saga, a year and a half ago.
Hi friends! How are you? I hope you’re having an amazing day so far! I have client calls all day long, so I have my beverages next to me (Organifi green, decaf Danger coffee with Malk, and water with citrus LMNT) and I’m ready.to.go. My plan is to get in a little movement vitamins in between calls to shake out my legs a bit.
(Jeans are on sale here // sweater is Farm Rio)
For today’s post, I wanted to chat about eyes! I think many of you can relate, but whenever I’m going through something (or someone in the family is), I learn as much as possible about this topic. I read as many books as I can get my hands on, binge through podcasts, scour threads and articles online. I become hyperfocused and my whole life is consumed by this entire topic, learning as much as I possibly can.
I feel like I could do TEDx talks on a few random topics, from Sensory Processing Disorder (something one of the kids went through years ago and is completely resolved), affiliate marketing, pelvic floor and Diastasis Recti, lifestyle and nutrition for auotimmune symptoms, and after the past year, I feel like MGD, dry eye, and blepharitis are.my.jam.
While I was learning about eye health (so I could get my own dang eyes under control), I came across nuggets and strategies that have made a huge difference for me, so I thought I’d share them today.
Please keep in mind that this is not medical advice. Always talk to your doctor before making any changes; I’m just sharing my own experience.
For more about my eye situation, check out the full podcast episode here. (I need to do a follow-up episode because at this point in time, my Lupus markers were positive, but when we re-tested last December after I made HUGE changes in my life, they were negative.)
(new contacts and glasses. Warby Parker is my fave!)
all of the things I’ve leaned about eye care in the past year and a half
– Eyelid cleansing is a gamechanger. I can’t believe I went so many years without using an eyelid wipe. I would wash my eyes with facial cleanser (this is my go-to) but eyelid wipes are the next nevel. They have horrible ingredients but they work.
– You guys know I’m about the 3 S’s with nutrition (a smoothie, soup, or salad every day) but there are 3 S’s for eyeballs, too: never shower, sleep, or swim with your contacts in. WHO KNEW. No one ever told me this in the 20+ years I wore contacts before I started having problems. I would always swim and shower with my contacts in. Now whenever I’m near water, I’m wearing prescription sunnies. I also got prescription goggles and a snorkel mask for Hawaii and it was so worth it! It was amazing to snorkel with sea turtles and fish and be able to see everything well, without worrying about ocean water getting in my contacts.
Goggles also help me be a *fun mom* since I”m not worried about my eyes getting splashed.
– Omega 3s make a huge difference, and so many of us aren’t getting enough. I take a high-quality Omega 3 supplement (this is my fave!) every day and have sardines for lunch 2-3x a week. The kids love them, too! I’ll share my favorite methods for eating them in an upcoming post. Nutrition can absolutely impact eye health, so it’s a good reminder to focus on leafy greens, healthy fats, and antioxidant-rich foods.
– How much allergies impact eye health and how eyes feel, and how much gut health impacts allergies. When I was going through my biggest eye flares, my allergies were out of control. I would react after being in a dusty building or around pet dander, would flare after being outside, couldn’t tolerate high-histamine foods (especially anything smoked, aged, or fermented), and my eyes were constantly itchy. I did some testing to check out my gut health, and it was a mess.
The CBO protocol was a huge step in the process to heal my gut, and knock on wood, I’m nearly allergy-free. (I also did some other functional labs and made quite a few lifestyle and diet changes.) I had an appointment scheduled with an allergist this fall (that I booked a year ago) and I canceled it because my symptoms are gone. I was shocked that I could take the kids to the cat cafe (with a Claritin in my pocket just in case) this summer and I felt totally fine afterwards!
– Warm compresses are everything. They make my eyes feel great all day, and when I’ve been outside or on the computer more than usual, I can use one for instant relief. These are my all-time fave and while I wish they weren’t disposable, they work the best. (I also like the Bruder mask when we’re at home, which is reusable.)
– You can’t wear daily contacts more than once. Womp womp. I would never wear the same pair two days in a row, but sometimes I would wear them for a workout, take them out and put them in solution, and then put the same pair back in later in the afternoon. Not anymore. If they touch my eye, they go in the trash afterwards. It’s just not worth it.
– Hydration also makes an enormous difference. Make sure you’re drinking enough water each day, but not *too much.* Too much water can actually cause us to LOSE minerals, so I replenish with minerals and/or LMNT throughout the day.
– When you’re at home, just wear your glasses. I had been contacts-dependent for 20+ years but over the past year, I started wearing my glasses more. At first it was so my eyes could actually heal, and now it’s so that they can get as much oxygen as possible. I wear my glasses all day while I’m on calls and on the computer and then put in contacts after I pick the kids up from school if we’re going to be running around. I see better and function more effiiciently in my contacts, but my eyes feel less tired if I’m typing and working wearing my glasses.
-The 20-20-20 rule. For every 20 minutes you’re on a screen, look at something at least 20 feet away and blink for 20 seconds.
– We only get one set of eyes, and they’re kind of important, so it’s worth taking time to take care of them. When I first started my eye care routine, I was kind of annoyed because it’s one more thing I have to do each day. We brush our teeth, we exercise, we take time to make healthy foods, it’s worth 15-20 minutes to do an eye compress, clean eyelids, and take some supplements.
It’s wild because with wearing my glasses more often and actually taking care of my eye health (supplements, cleaning, sleep, hydration, compresses), for the first time since I started wearing glasses, when I was 4 years old, my prescription went DOWN. I’ve been a -5.25 since middle school and now I’m down to a -5.00, which I’m pretty pumped about.
So tell me, friends: do you wear glasses or contacts? Anything you’ve learned that has helped you??
xoxo
Gina
The best products for dry eye and blepharitis
Dr. Cabral’s CBO protocol review
Tips and strategies for dry eye
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