Would you like to switch to the accessible version of this site?

Go to accessible site Close modal window

Don't need the accessible version of this site?

Hide the accessibility button Close modal window
Accessibility View Close toolbar
VH

Our Location

(707) 206-0290

Open mobile navigation
  • Home
  • New Patient Center
    • Online Forms
    • Insurance and Payments
  • About Us
    • Meet the Optometrist
  • Eyecare Services
    • Contact Lens Exams
    • Eye and Vision Exams
    • Lasik Eye Surgery
    • Hard to Fit Contacts
    • Computer Vision Treatment
    • Sports Vision
    • Sunglasses
  • Frames
    • Designer Frames
  • Testimonials
  • Contact Us
    • Appointment Request
  • Community Content
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Newsletters >
  • How to Keep Your Eyes Safe From Germs

How to Keep Your Eyes Safe From Germs

  • Created in Newsletters

Woman rubbing her eyes

Protecting Your Eyes from Germs

Germs look for the easiest way into your body, often entering through your eyes and other mucus membranes. Fortunately, taking a few simple steps to protect your eyes may reduce your chance of developing an illness or infection.

Don't Touch Your Face

Like most people, you probably touch your face many times throughout the day without thinking about what you're doing. In fact, medical students who participated in a study at the University of New South Wales touched their faces an average of 23 times per hour. Forty-four percent of those touches involved the nose, mouth, or eyes.

If bacteria or viruses are on your hands, you'll transfer them to your eyes by touching or rubbing. Although your hands may look clean, they actually harbor more germs than you may realize. A typical hand has about 150 different species of bacteria on it, according to a University of Colorado at Boulder study.

Rubbing your eyes can also increase your risk of developing keratoconus, an eye condition that occurs when the normally round cornea becomes thin and cone-shaped. The cornea is the clear tissue covering your iris and pupil. If you develop keratoconus, your vision may become blurred and distorted.

Wash Your Hands

No matter how careful you are about keeping your hands away from your face, you're bound to forget from time to time. You'll be less likely to spread germs to your eyes if you make hand-washing a frequent habit.

Fortunately, soap and warm water will remove the germs that could make you sick. Scrub your hands and nails for at least 20 seconds to get rid of bacteria and viruses. If running water isn't available, hand sanitizer is a good option.

In addition to washing your hands after using the bathroom, wash them:

  • Before and After Preparing Raw Meat, Poultry, or Fish
  • After Working with Soil
  • After Changing a Diaper, Helping Someone Else with Bathroom Needs, or Removing Animal Waste
  • After Taking Out the Trash
  • After You Blow Your Nose or Sneeze
  • After Washing and Bandaging a Wound
  • Before Touching Your Eyes or Using Eye Drops
  • After Taking Care of Someone Who Is Ill

Clean Your Glasses

The outside of your glasses may be coated in germs, particularly if someone sneezes or coughs near you. Handling your glasses, then absentmindedly touching your eyes, will send those germs into your eyes.

Clean your glasses in the morning and evening, or after you've been around someone who has been sneezing or coughing. You don't need expensive eyeglass cleaners to remove bacteria and viruses. Soap and warm water will get rid of the germs.

Avoid Sick People

Keeping your distance from people who sneeze, cough, or mention that they don't feel well will help keep germs away from your face. If possible, stay at least six feet away from people who are ill.

Follow Contact Lens Hygiene Recommendations

Germs and viruses may also find their way into your eyes if you wear contact lenses and don't practice good hygiene. In addition to increasing your risk of illness, poor contact lens hygiene can cause potentially serious eye infections that could temporarily or permanently affect your vision.

If you wear contact lenses, be sure to:

  • Wash your hands before putting in, removing, or handling your lenses.
  • Clean your contact lens case every day, and refill the wells with fresh solution. (Don't just top off the solution already in the wells.)
  • Replace your contact lens case every three months or as soon as it becomes cracked or damaged.
  • Never use saliva to wet/clean your lenses.
  • Follow your eye doctor's cleaning instructions.
  • Keep the cap on solutions to prevent contamination.
  • Don't wear your contact lenses while swimming.
  • Replace your lenses as recommended by your optometrist.

Regular eye examinations will help you keep your eyes healthy. Contact our office if you're ready to make an appointment for your next exam.

Sources:

American Academy of Ophthalmology: How to Take Care of Contact Lenses, 3/18/20

International Journal of Ophthalmology: The Correlation Between Keratoconus and Eye Rubbing: A Review, 2019

University of Colorado at Boulder: Women Have More Diverse Hand Bacteria Than Men, According to CU-Boulder Study, 11/3/08

All About Vision: Eye Germs and Viruses: Keeping Hands, Glasses and Contacts Clean, 8/20

American Academy of Ophthalmology: Eye Infections: Be Careful Now or Regret It Later, 6/24/20

Cleveland Clinic: Common Cold

PubMed: American Journal of Infection Control: Face Touching: A Frequent Habit That Has Implications for Hand Hygiene, 2/15

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Frequent Questions About Hand Hygiene

  • Common Eye Conditions
    • Age-Related
    • Eye Lids
    • Cognitive and Acquired
    • Vision Impairment
    • Injury & Irritation
    • Changes in Appearance
  • Contact Lenses
  • Eye Diseases
  • Eyeglasses
    • Eyeglass Lenses
  • Eye Symptoms
  • How the Eyes Work
    • Basic Visual Skills
  • Pediatric Vision
  • Protecting Your Eyes
  • Visual Rehabilitation
  • Vision Problems
  • What is Vision Therapy
  • Vision Therapy Programs
  • We Can Help With
    • Cataracts
    • Corneal Disorders
      • Disorders
    • Glaucoma
    • Refractive Disorders
    • Adult Strabismus
    • Retinal Disorders
  • Newsletters
    • Amazing, Interesting Eyes
    • Medical Perspectives
    • Kid's Vision
    • Conditions That Affect Vision
    • Tips for Healthy Eyes
    • Contacts
    • Glasses & Frames

Contact Us

We look forward to hearing from you.

Hours of Operation

Our Regular Schedule

Rohnert Park Office

Monday:

11:00 am-4:00 pm

Tuesday:

10:00 am-7:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-7:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Locations

Find us on the map

    No testimonials found. Please add

Featured Articles

  • Vision Loss and Mental Health

    Feeling depressed after vision loss? ...

    Read More
  • Treatment Options for Presbyopia

    Over 40 and finding it hard to see close-up? One of these presbyopia treatment options could improve your vision. ...

    Read More
  • Summertime Allergies and Your Eyes

    Do you know how to treat your summertime eye allergy symptoms? ...

    Read More
  • Signs You May Have Macular Degeneration

    Could changes in your central vision be caused by macular degeneration? ...

    Read More
  • Glaucoma and You: The Importance of Eye Exams

    Want to avoid vision loss due to glaucoma? Schedule a visit with the eye doctor. ...

    Read More
  • Important Healthy Eye Habits for Kids

    Want to keep your kids' eyes as healthy as possible? Try these tips. ...

    Read More
  • Healthy Vision Month

    Get ready for Healthy Vision Month by upgrading your vision habits. ...

    Read More
  • Presbyopia eye drops

    Would you like to stop squinting when you look at close objects? A new kind of eyedrops can improve presbyopia, an age-related vision problem. ...

    Read More
  • Dry Eye

    Sometimes your eyes don’t make enough tears or the tears evaporate too fast because they don’t have the right amount of compounds in them. This is called dry eye. Up to 5% of Americans complain of some form of dry eye. Individuals who wear contact lenses or have undergone LASIK or other types of ...

    Read More
  • Subconjunctival Hemorrhage

    Similar to a bruise under the skin, a subconjunctival hemorrhage happens when a small blood vessel located between the sclera (white portion of an eye) and the conjunctiva (lining on the surface of an eye) breaks and covers the sclera with blood. Unlike broken blood vessels located under the skin which ...

    Read More

Newsletter Signup

Sign up for more articles!

  • Copyright © 2022 MH Sub I, LLC dba iMatrix.
  • Admin Log In
  • Site Map