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

Just like your skin, your eyes are vulnerable from too much exposure to light. Too much UV can cause the cornea to become damaged and irritated while too much screen use is a culprit for Dry Eye Syndrome, which up to 80% of adults suffer from.

Here, the optometrists and Peep Club founders share their expertise on how you can best protect eyes from the bright lights of daily life.

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.

Peep Club Instant Relief Eye Spray (£15) is formulated with Wild Harvested Colourless Sea Buckthorn Oil and Sodium Hyaluronate, both of which have been clinically proven to relieve eyes that feel tired. These dual-active ingredients work in tandem to hydrate eyes on both the inside and the outside. Sea Buckthorn Oil slowly spreads across the tear film to help lock in the moisture of tears, which helps to naturally protect eyes from drying. Sodium Hyaluronate works by both strengthening tears and protecting them at a cellular level, fortifying tear fluid for better hydration throughout the day and also working on the surrounding eyelid and under eye area, to help hydrate, plump and protect the barrier of the delicate eye skin. Peep Club Portable Humidifier (£55) uses moisture-replacing mist action to rehydrate and soothe eyes irritated by too much exposure to light. It works by naturally re-establishing a healthier environment for your eyes by replacing lost moisture into the air around them. Nicola’s top tip? “Place this handy hydrator on your bedtime table. When used overnight, your eyes – even when closed – soak up the benefits of this continuous rehydration.”

Available from Peepclub.co.uk