Late nights, cold weather and cosy nights in with the central heating on can all take their toll on our eye health, with dry eyes often resulting.

Research by eye health experts Scope Ophthalmics, reveals that three out of five people are suffering from multiple symptoms of dry eyes including:

• eye fatigue
• excessive watering
• a feeling of grittiness or blurred vision.

‘Winter is the worst time of year for dry eyes,’ explains Julian Stevens, an eye specialist based at Moorfields Eye Hospital. ‘Eyes can feel gritty and dry, but they can also become watery as dry spots occur on the front of the eye. Have you ever wondered why our eyes start to stream after a cold winter’s walk? This is because the wind can be so drying that our eyes produce watery tears.’

Try a new online Eye Health Test to see if you could be experiencing dry eyes and find out what to do if you are!

10 Top Tips For Protecting Eye Health This Winter By Amy Liddell, Nutritionist & Eye Health Specialist at Scope Ophthalmics

Water: Alcohol can dehydrate the eyes and we may not close our eyes properly when sleeping after a few drinks. A glass of water for every alcoholic drink can prevent dehydration and help to reduce puffy and red eyes the morning after!

Antioxidants: Late nights, poor diet and lack of exercise can cause oxidative stress on the body which has been linked to dry eye. Incorporating a rainbow of fresh fruit and vegetables in to your diet, as well as dark leafy greens like kale, spinach and chard may actually help slow down the process of oxidation and have been shown to reduce the risk of macular degeneration.

Oily fish: Omega 3s, the fatty acids found in oily fish such as sardines, salmon and tuna steak improve eye health and have been shown to relieve dry eye symptoms.  You can purchase Omega 3s at www.ScopeOmegaHealth.co.uk or at www.superfooduk.com (5% discount with the promotion code: HSoul1).

Computers: Blink more often when using computers. When concentrating we don’t blink enough and end up with irritable and dry eyes.

Make-up: Quite often eye shadow or mascara can trigger allergies and dry eyes. Use natural make-up which doesn’t contain harmful chemicals and you should notice a change.  Try natural make-up at LoveLula.>>>

Green tea: Green tea is full of antioxidants which boost the immune system and specifically protect the eyes.

Eye massage: A simple eyelid massage will stimulate the tear glands and help push the oil in your tears around the eye. Placing a warm washcloth over closed eyes and gently massage the upper eyelid against the brow bone for 5 to 10 seconds is not only soothing for eyes but relaxing too.

Potassium: This and other minerals may be too low, so eat more pecans, bananas, raisins, dates, figs and avocados, which are all high in potassium. Adding them to salads or snacking on them throughout the day is a healthy way to boost your intake!

Try these eye drops:

Potters Allerclear Eye Drops, 10 doses, £5.79 from www.superfooduk.com
Vizulize Dry Eye Drops, 10ml, £5.64 from www.superfooduk.com
Use the promotion code: HSoul1 to get 5 per cent discount
Or go to www.ScopeOmegaHealth.co.uk