Did you know that wearing face masks could impact your eye health?
Some of us are already somewhat prone to eye issues like styes, eyelid infection and chalazia- however recent studies have shown that wearing a face mask regularly may increase your chances of developing these problems.
Why?
Breath Exposure & Mask Abrasion
As anyone who has experienced a foggy pair of glasses could tell you, mask wearing can channel air from your mouth upward towards your eyes. This continued exposure to breath causes an unusual increase in eyelid and eyelash flora, which may lead to bacterial eye issues.
Also, not all face masks achieve an ideal fit and some may rub against your lower eyelid area causing harmful irritation.
Prevention & Relief
To avoid mask-related eye issues and safely manage the amount of potentially troublesome bacteria on your eyelids and lashes, experts highly recommend that we:
- Wear a face mask that fits safely below your eyelid area
- Maintain good eyelid hygiene
Eye care products such as Avenova can definitely help you to maintain good lid hygiene! Avenova contains pure hypochlorous acid (HOCl) to gently cleanse your eyelid area, greatly reducing the severity and reoccurrence of bacterial eye issues such as styes and chalazia. Metro Eye now has Avenova available for purchase without prescription, conveniently both onsite and online here.
Interested in learning more about caring for your eyes and the various eye care products available at Metro Eye? Contact us or schedule an appointment with one of our optometrists, all of your questions will be answered!