Are you treating your eyes with the same care as your skin?

It’s important to protect the back of your eye area from the sun...

According to Nicola Alexander-Cross, optometrist and co-founder of Peep Club, “So many of us fail to realise that our eyes are just as vulnerable as our skin when it comes to UV. Not only does UV from the sun damage cells and their DNA, in extreme cases, damage caused by the sun’s harmful rays can lead to photokeratitis, a condition that results in blurry vision, redness, and that annoying nitty, gritty sensation behind the eyes.”

To stay on top of eye health, “Keep eyes shielded from the sun, keep them hydrated (Try Peep Club Instant Relief Eye Spray, £15 or Peep Club Portable Humidifier, £55) and try to incorporate supplements that contain lutein and zeaxanthin”, suggests Nicola. “These are yellow carotenoid oxidants that protect the back of your eye. Any good omega 3 supplement will also help.”

Fatty acids are also key to keep eyes in tip top condition. Nicola says that to maintain healthy overall eye performance, try to eat one portion of fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel at least every other day and /or a portion of flax seeds, chia seeds or walnuts.

Blue light is actually beneficial, but too much tech time can only be a bad thing...

We all know that blue light is bad for us, but here’s the thing, “We actually need a certain amount of blue light exposure to regulate the hormones that help us wake-up in the morning and retain attention during the working day.” Natasha tells us. For eye health however, when we choose to pick up those blue light devices is key. “Blue light from devices after dark can suppress the body's production of melatonin, which makes it harder to fall asleep at night,” Natasha explains, taking us back to that dreaded eye exhaustion. But it’s also a culprit for those dry, or irritated eyes you’ve been experiencing. Why? “You blink 6-8 times less when you look at a screen,” Natasha explains.