Added advice

These tips can be passed onto customers to help them take care of their eyes:

• Get plenty of sleep 
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet with a variety of fruit and vegetables. Opt for oily fish twice a week for essential omega-3 fatty acids
• Drink plenty of water and not too much alcohol
• Protect the eyes from the sun 
• Stay active 
• Quit smoking
• Have regular eyesight check-ups –  it is recommended every two years 
• Take regular screen breaks when working at a computer
• Use a humidifier or a filter if air quality is affecting the eyes
• Wear safety glasses or goggles when doing activities such as DIY or when playing sports 
• Remove any eye makeup properly before going to bed. 

When to refer

In addition to your pharmacy protocol, you should refer a customer to the pharmacist if they have: 

• Persistent dry eye symptoms not helped by OTC products
• Prolonged, unexplained tearing
• Conjunctivitis that persists for longer than two weeks
• Eye pain, especially if it’s accompanied by redness
• Sensitivity to light or are seeing halos around lights
• Sudden changes in vision
• Any eye injury
• A foreign body in the eye that can’t be removed

You should also refer infants and any customers who have diabetes.