Ageing – it is inevitable and something we all have to live with! However, despite 69% of us worrying about the detrimental effect ageing has on our eye health, new research reveals very few of us do anything about it, leaving our eyes at risk of age related eye conditions, such as dry eye.
Research from Bausch + Lomb, the makers of Artelac® surveyed 1,000 adults aged 45-50 and found that:
- Only 10% make a conscious effort to eat the right food to limit the effects of ageing on the eye
- Only 7% use eye drops to help keep eyes hydrated
- Only 23% wear sunglasses to avoid UV sun damage to the eye
- Even fewer 28% make an effort to get 7 hours sleep each night to help avoid eye-ageing
- A huge 53% don’t make any lifestyle changes to limit the effects of eye-ageing
We care for our skin when it’s dry, tired and dehydrated and protect it from the effects of ageing, but often don’t realise eyes also need our attention, both day and night. Otherwise they lose moisture, feel uncomfortable and may even start to itch or burn. It would appear we need to give our eyes some more attention.
Like a day and night cream for the skin, Artelac® Rebalance and Artelac® Nighttime helps to provide long-lasting hydration to dry eyes and soothe irritation and discomfort.
So while we plump, hydrate and replenish skin’s lost moisture we should apply the same logic and care to eyes. Bausch + Lomb, the makers of Artelac®, have applied essential skincare technology to the eyes through the ingredient, Hyaluronic Acid (HA), which has been clinically proven to improve the symptoms of dry eyes.
The research also discovered that whilst most people are aware of age related eye decline, most people associated eye-ageing with deterioration of eye sight. In fact, almost half of those surveyed (49%) thought that getting older means loss of eyesight and 36% thought loss of peripheral vision is caused by age.
Whilst this is true, dry eye, an incredibly common eye-ageing condition was less understood. Worryingly, just 4 out of 10 were aware of dry eye and very few were concerned about it. So, while almost two thirds (64%) are understandably worried about their eyesight deteriorating with age, only 4% were worried about developing dry eye and the problems it may cause.
About Dry Eye
Whilst dry eye is not usually a serious condition, it is incredibly common, especially in people over 60. In fact, it is one of the most common eye conditions in the developed world and if left untreated can lead to further pain and problems. Essentially, dry eye means you aren’t producing tears, or tears are evaporating too quickly, or your oil glands may not work properly. The natural tear film is spread over the eye surface with every blink to provide nutrients to the eye, protect it from drying out, fight off bacteria and maintain vision. When your tear film does not hydrate or lubricate your eyes you may experience symptoms of grittiness, redness and pain in the eye and often blurring of vision.
Although eye-sight is central to everything we do and essential to quality of life as we age, the Artelac® survey also discovered that very few people are taking the necessary steps to help maintain their eye health as they age.
Sun damage and eye-ageing
There is a lot of evidence that too much exposure to the sun, can contribute to age-related conditions like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. However, of those who do take precautions to avoid UV rays from the sun damaging their eyes, only one in 5 (23%) wear sunglasses which are CE marked. A huge 54% merely relying on squinting to avoid the sun, risking exposure to an age range of age related eye conditions.
Nutrition and eye-ageing
We are all aware a good diet helps to keep you healthy, but there is evidence that eating a healthy balanced diet and taking the supplements may help your eyes stay healthy for longer. The type of foods good for eye health include those with omega 3 fatty acids, leafy greens like kale and spinach, which contain like salmon, lutein and zeaxanthin, eggs due to the lutein and vitamin A they contain and also fruits with vitamin C to name a few. However, a huge 81% of those surveyed have never given eye nutrition a second thought.
Whilst we can’t stop ourselves from getting older, we can take precautions to help reduce the affects ageing has on our body, including our eyes! From eating the right foods, to protecting our eyes from the sun and keeping our eyes hydrated, eye care, like skin care, should form part of our daily routine.
Thankfully, for dry eye sufferers, Artelac®, a high performing day and night formula from Bausch + Lomb has been developed. The unique product combats discomfort, visual disruption and gritty irritation, which are all common systems of dry eye.
Artelac® Rebalance, designed for day use, can be used when experiencing recurrent dry, tired or irritated eyes, providing long lasting, sustained hydration and protection during the day.
For night protection, Artelac® Nighttime Gel, should be used just before bed, like any other night cream. Artelac® Nightime Gel contains a unique combination of ingredients, designed to seal in moisture overnight, when the symptoms of dry eye are worse.
Francesca Marchetti, optician and advisor to WINK, an independent eye care panel, comments:
‘The great news is that because Artelac® Rebalance and Artelac® Nighttime Gel are designed for day and night use, the formulation addresses symptoms and triggers associated with dry eyes throughout the day and night. So for those people who have dry eye, don’t suffer in silence. I am a real fan of the product duo and I love the fact, that like my skin, I now have a day and night eye care regime that works and tackles dry eye 24/7.”
Dry Eye – The Facts
As many as 1 in 3 people, will suffer from dry eyes at some time in their lives. Exacerbated by ageing and the increased use of computer screens, smart phones, tablets and other electronic devices; what’s worse, is as screens get smaller, eyes suffer more.
We have all been there, countless hours staring at a screen and eventually our eyes start to burn and feel dry. They may even start to twitch. Eyes will suffer in silence while we soldier on.
Dry eyes can also be due to lifestyle challenges such as long working hours and late nights. If there’s little chance of us giving up technology or transforming our lives, then this issue will continue to affect millions of people on a daily basis.
Artelac® Rebalance and Artelac® Nighttime Gel is available from independent pharmacies. Artelac® Rebalance RRP £6.95; Artelac Nighttime Gel RRP £4.99.
- Question 4, OnePoll omnibus survey of 1,000 adults aged 35 to 65 conducted in April 2016,
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1771021/
- http://www.dryeyesmedical.com/patient-zone/patient-zone-visual-disability-friendly.html
- http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/amd.htm
- http://www.rnib.org.uk/eye-health-looking-after-your-eyes/nutrition-and-eye
- http://www.allaboutvision.com/nutrition/foods.htm
- http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Dry-eye-syndrome/Pages/Introduction.aspx
- http://patient.info/health/dry-eyes-leaflet
- Papakonstantinou E, Roth M, Karakiulakis G. Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin ageing. Dermatoendocrinol. 2012; 4 (3): 253-258. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583886/. (accessed 16 February 2015)
- Hamano T et al, Sodium hyaluronate eye drops enhance tear film stability. Jpn J Opthalmol. 1996 40 (62-65)