Monarch Bay Optometry | Dana Point, California
You’re young. You can see. Your eyes don’t hurt.
So you probably don’t need to think much about eye health yet, right?
Not exactly.
Your 20s and 30s are full of everyday habits that can affect how your eyes feel, function and look, especially if your average day involves a phone, laptop, contact lenses, sunglasses, makeup and then several more hours of your phone.
Here are seven things your optometrist wishes you knew now.
1. Your Phone Probably Isn’t Ruining Your Eyes, But It Can Make Them Feel Terrible
Let’s clear this one up first.
Using your phone or computer doesn’t mean you’re damaging your adult eyes every time you look at a screen. But long periods of screen use can contribute to digital eye strain, including dry eyes, headaches, blurry vision and eye discomfort.
The American Optometric Association recommends the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something approximately 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Learn more about digital eye strain from the American Optometric Association
We also have more information about digital eye strain and screen-related eye discomfort at Monarch Bay Optometry.
And don’t forget to blink.
When you’re concentrating on a screen, your blinking can become less effective. Complete blinking helps spread a fresh tear film over the surface of your eyes.
Try this: Every so often, put the phone down, look across the room or outside and take several slow, complete blinks.
2. Please Don’t Sleep in Your Contacts
We know. You were tired.
But falling asleep in contact lenses that weren’t prescribed for overnight wear isn’t a harmless habit.
Contact lenses sit directly on the cornea, so hygiene and proper wearing schedules matter.
The FDA recommends following the wearing and replacement schedule prescribed by your eye doctor.
Read the FDA’s contact lens safety information
At Monarch Bay Optometry, our contact lens exams and fittings include evaluating your eye health, lens fit and lifestyle needs.
If your eyes become red, painful, light sensitive or unusually blurry while wearing contacts, remove the lenses and contact your eye doctor.
That’s not something to ignore for a week and hope goes away.
3. Your Contacts Don’t Want to Shower With You
This one surprises people.
Contact lenses and water are not a good combination.
That includes swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, ocean water and yes, the shower.
Our contact lens care recommendations include removing lenses before showering, swimming or using a hot tub and never cleaning lenses with tap water.
For those of us living near the coast in Dana Point, this one is especially worth remembering.
Beach day? Take care of your contacts before you get in the water.
4. Sunglasses Aren’t Just an Accessory
Living in Southern California means a lot of sunshine.
That’s wonderful for our lifestyle, but UV protection should be part of your everyday eye care, not something you think about only when you’re going to the beach.
Choose sunglasses that provide appropriate UVA and UVB protection. And don’t assume that a darker lens automatically means better UV protection.
Think of sunglasses the way you think of sunscreen: something worth using now rather than waiting until you’re older to care about accumulated exposure.
Bonus: a great pair of sunglasses also happens to look good.
You can browse more information about sunglasses at Monarch Bay Optometry.
5. Your Eye Makeup Has an Expiration Date
That mascara you’ve had forever?
It may be time to part ways.
Eye cosmetics can become contaminated, particularly after repeated use. The FDA recommends keeping eye cosmetics clean and not sharing them with other people.
Read the FDA’s eye cosmetic safety recommendations
And while we’re talking beauty, tell your optometrist about products you routinely use around your eyes, including lash products and serums, particularly if you’ve developed redness, irritation or dry-eye symptoms.
6. “My Vision Is Fine” Isn’t the Same as “My Eyes Are Healthy”
This may be the biggest misconception on the list.
You can see 20/20 and still have an eye-health issue.
A comprehensive eye examination isn’t simply a test to determine whether you need stronger glasses or contact lenses.
Your optometrist also evaluates the health and function of your eyes.
At Monarch Bay Optometry, our comprehensive adult eye exams are designed to assess both vision and eye health.
And yes, you should still have your eyes examined even if your prescription hasn’t changed much.
7. Dry Eye Isn’t Just Something Your Parents Get
We see younger adults with dry-eye symptoms too.
Contact lenses, prolonged screen use, environmental conditions and other factors can all contribute.
The National Eye Institute includes long periods of screen use and contact lens wear among factors associated with dry eye.
Learn more about dry eye from the National Eye Institute
If your contacts feel great at 8 a.m. and terrible by 4 p.m., or your vision suddenly looks clearer immediately after blinking, tell your optometrist.
There may be more going on than “I guess my eyes are just tired.”
Learn more about dry eye treatment at Monarch Bay Optometry.
One More Thing Your Optometrist Wishes You Knew
Eye care doesn’t have to begin when something goes wrong.
Your 20s and 30s are actually a great time to establish healthy habits and a baseline for your eye health.
At Monarch Bay Optometry in Dana Point, we see patients for comprehensive eye examinations, contact lenses, dry-eye care, medical eye concerns and eyewear.
Whether you’re working from your laptop, spending weekends at the beach, living in contacts or simply haven’t had an eye exam since college, we’d love to see you.
Ready for an Eye Check?
If it’s been a while since your last comprehensive eye examination, this is a great time to get back on track.
Your eyes have to last a lifetime. Taking care of them now is a pretty good investment.
Schedule your eye exam at Monarch Bay Optometry in Dana Point
