EYE CARE

*Eight practical ways to play it safe with your pretty peepers*

1.) Have your eyes checked by a reputable ophthalmologist or optometrist every year. You should never self - diagnose or self - prescribe --- your eyes are too fragile to tamper with or entrust to just anyone. Also, have an examination done by the specialists as soon as possible if you notice that something's wrong with your vision or the eye itself.

2.) Practice personal hygiene when handling your eyes --- wash and disinfect your hands before touching them. You wouldn't want to end up catching sore eyes now, would you? =) *Always perform handwashing.

3.) Don't use products that might agitate the your eyes. Be careful with anything you use on your eyes like makeup (mascara, eye shadow) and medicine (eye drops and ointment). Check their ingredients and expiry dates to prevent allergic reactions.

4.) When something gets into your eye, immediately wash the irritant out with clean water. If the itchiness or swelling persists, consult your doctor. Don't rub!

5.) Keep sharp objects away from your eyes! Many injuries involving the eyes resulted to the loss of one or both. Be very careful.

6.) Develop good reading habits; don't read in the dark, while lying down or inside a moving vehicle.

7.) Avoid eyestrain: don't stare at bright objects like the sun or halogen headlights. Also, avoid the glare of the TV or the computer screen; keep at least a five foot distance from the tube.

8.) Shades (and a baseball cap, if worn properly) are not only for "porma" --- they protect your eyes from the harmful UV rays.