Dr. Grimes' 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:
- For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
- Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
- Commit to that change for SEVEN days.
Eye "Floss": 20-1-7 Challenge Week #18
We all know flossing our teeth is a good idea, right? Certainly our future 70 year old selves would engrave that in our bathroom mirrors if they could. Every dentist that I know is quite faithful about flossing daily. Interestingly, most eye doctors that I know have a similar but lesser known ritual for their eyes. Not actually eye "floss" as my title teased, but eye LID SCRUBS.
The base of our eyelashes are well suited to collect debris, especially if you fall in the mascara, eyeliner or eyeshadow-wearing cohort. While we dutifully wash our faces and possibly use a makeup removal cloth, most can attest from the smears under their eyelashes in the morning that this is not the most thorough of processes.
"BLEPHARITIS" is the medical name for inflammation of the eyelids. Symptoms include red, itchy eyes, often with some crusting or flaking alongside the inflamed edge. Contact lens wearers often blame their lens for this irritation, only to discover that it is the lash area causing the problem. If you suffer from this issue, then a simple routine of "lid scrubs" may significantly improve your ocular health.
Lid scrub products are sold commercially as wipes, or you can DIY with non-irritating baby shampoo. Simply keep a small bottle in your shower, and when you've finished your normal shower/shampoo routine, squeeze out a drop of baby shampoo on to the tips of your fingers, rub them together, and then gently massage the base of your eyelashes (with eyes closed, obviously) for about ten seconds, then put your face back into the spray of the shower and rinse thoroughly. That's it!
My own eyes have been itchy and mildly irritated for the past few weeks, which I have attributed to the oak pollen that blankets central Texas in the spring, but this is a great time for me to return to the hygiene habit of lid scrubs.
BOTTOM LINE: This week, add lid scrubs to your daily shower routine- all it takes is a small bottle of no-tears baby shampoo and less than a minute of your time
We all know flossing our teeth is a good idea, right? Certainly our future 70 year old selves would engrave that in our bathroom mirrors if they could. Every dentist that I know is quite faithful about flossing daily. Interestingly, most eye doctors that I know have a similar but lesser known ritual for their eyes. Not actually eye "floss" as my title teased, but eye LID SCRUBS.
The base of our eyelashes are well suited to collect debris, especially if you fall in the mascara, eyeliner or eyeshadow-wearing cohort. While we dutifully wash our faces and possibly use a makeup removal cloth, most can attest from the smears under their eyelashes in the morning that this is not the most thorough of processes.
"BLEPHARITIS" is the medical name for inflammation of the eyelids. Symptoms include red, itchy eyes, often with some crusting or flaking alongside the inflamed edge. Contact lens wearers often blame their lens for this irritation, only to discover that it is the lash area causing the problem. If you suffer from this issue, then a simple routine of "lid scrubs" may significantly improve your ocular health.
Lid scrub products are sold commercially as wipes, or you can DIY with non-irritating baby shampoo. Simply keep a small bottle in your shower, and when you've finished your normal shower/shampoo routine, squeeze out a drop of baby shampoo on to the tips of your fingers, rub them together, and then gently massage the base of your eyelashes (with eyes closed, obviously) for about ten seconds, then put your face back into the spray of the shower and rinse thoroughly. That's it!
My own eyes have been itchy and mildly irritated for the past few weeks, which I have attributed to the oak pollen that blankets central Texas in the spring, but this is a great time for me to return to the hygiene habit of lid scrubs.
BOTTOM LINE: This week, add lid scrubs to your daily shower routine- all it takes is a small bottle of no-tears baby shampoo and less than a minute of your time
20-1-7 Challenge Week #2: Veggie Spiralizer
20-1-7 Challenge Week #3: Medication Dispenser
20-1-7 Challenge Week #4: Meditation
20-1-7 Challenge Week #5: WATER
20-1-7 Challenge Week #6: Exercise BOOST
20-1-7 Challenge Week #7: FLOSS
20-1-7 Challenge Week #8: ZZZ
20-1-7 Challenge Week #9: RESIST
20-1-7 Challenge Week #10: No W(h)ining
20-1-7 Challenge Week #11: YOGA
20-1-7 Challenge Week #12: CLUTTER CONTROL
20-1-7 Challenge Week #14: Hide It
20-1-7 Challenge Week #15: Nuke It
20-1-7 Challenge Week #16: Old School Keyboarding
20-1-7 Challenge Week #17: Candy Day Feedback: The candy habit was more ingrained in my routine than I would have thought, so rather than simply giving up my candy "rewards" during a work day, I substituted a new sweet treat- dried fruit (strawberries or bananas).
20-1-7 Challenge Week #15: Nuke It
20-1-7 Challenge Week #16: Old School Keyboarding
20-1-7 Challenge Week #17: Candy Day Feedback: The candy habit was more ingrained in my routine than I would have thought, so rather than simply giving up my candy "rewards" during a work day, I substituted a new sweet treat- dried fruit (strawberries or bananas).
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