What's in your first aid kit? Back when I was little, my parents' kit was filled with bandages, plasters, scissors, gauze, TCP and goodness knows what else! They were prepared for any eventuality. TCP alongside iodine, eye drops and daily doses of cod liver oil are items that would traditionally be packed into a first aid kit but these are starting to disappear from our family bathroom cabinet - I don't think I've ever bought TCP in my adult life!
New research by Vidisan, a natural eye drop to relieve sore and irritated eyes for the whole family, reveals that over a quarter (28%) of Brits no longer own any sort of first aid kit, even if it's just an assortment of products on a bathroom shelf. For those who do have one, only 25% keep eye drops as part of their equipment, despite eye irritation being a common and distressing complaint for both children and parents.
The research, conducted with 1,000 British respondents, shows that most just keep a bandage or plaster (84%) and a painkiller (76%) among their core healthcare products. A third (38.5%) kept a hay fever remedy, antihistamines or cream in their kit but they did forget to include eye drops, which are often needed in addition to antihistamines, especially in summer months.
Scarily, 14% of those with a first aid kit said they usually had a partly-used prescription medicine in it which was past its expiration date.
When asked which items they thought were most important to keep in their first aid kit at all times, two-thirds (66%) said bandages and plasters; 59% said painkillers; 47% said antiseptic cream; and only 23% thought of eye wash and just 7% eye drops.
The lack of presence of eye drops in a first aid kit is surprising given that over a third of men in the research complained of foreign bodies entering their eyes whilst gardening, reporting discomfort (37%). A similar number of women also suffered from this - 30%.
Again, when playing sport, 30% of men said they had recently got something in their eye yet only 58% of them used an eye drop compared to 65% of women.
As well as outdoor hobbies, being on holiday also poses a risk to eye comfort. Nearly half (48%) of those questioned had experienced problems on the beach with the wind blowing sand in their eyes, and 70% of the group admitted to giving up and going home due to the problem. Going swimming can also be a problem. 45% said that they suffered eye irritation after swimming in chlorine filled waters.
For many people this eye irritation can mean burning, swollen, red, sore or even weeping eyes. By being prepared and having an eye drop means that this needn't ruin your whole day. Nowadays there are very effective eye drop solutions especially designed for such occasions.
Vidisan is an eye drop by leading eye care specialists Bausch + Lomb. Not only can it soothe and help relieve irritated eyes but it uniquely contains a special lubricant called Povidone and can be used at any age so it is suitable for the whole family. It is proven to calm irritated eyes from daily causes such as wind, dust, pollution, cold, cigarette smoke, chlorine and pollen. It's a year round solution.
As well as the Povidone, it also contains euphrasia. This combination is formulated to improve the stability of the tear film (the watery layer on the surface of the eye) and give immediate relief from stinging and burning after the first application.
Vidisan is available in a single 10ml dose bottle (£4.50) or 30, 0.6ml doses (£6.99). It can be used by contact lens wearers but the lenses must be removed first, then they can be replaced after 15 minutes. Once opened, the 10ml bottle should be discarded after 6 weeks.
Bausch + Lomb have offered my readers the chance to win some eye drops for their own first aid kit. All you have to do is fill in the Gleam widget below. Good luck! T&C's can be found in the widget.
Vidisan eye drops giveaway
More competitions at ThePrizeFinder
New research by Vidisan, a natural eye drop to relieve sore and irritated eyes for the whole family, reveals that over a quarter (28%) of Brits no longer own any sort of first aid kit, even if it's just an assortment of products on a bathroom shelf. For those who do have one, only 25% keep eye drops as part of their equipment, despite eye irritation being a common and distressing complaint for both children and parents.
The research, conducted with 1,000 British respondents, shows that most just keep a bandage or plaster (84%) and a painkiller (76%) among their core healthcare products. A third (38.5%) kept a hay fever remedy, antihistamines or cream in their kit but they did forget to include eye drops, which are often needed in addition to antihistamines, especially in summer months.
Scarily, 14% of those with a first aid kit said they usually had a partly-used prescription medicine in it which was past its expiration date.
When asked which items they thought were most important to keep in their first aid kit at all times, two-thirds (66%) said bandages and plasters; 59% said painkillers; 47% said antiseptic cream; and only 23% thought of eye wash and just 7% eye drops.
The lack of presence of eye drops in a first aid kit is surprising given that over a third of men in the research complained of foreign bodies entering their eyes whilst gardening, reporting discomfort (37%). A similar number of women also suffered from this - 30%.
Again, when playing sport, 30% of men said they had recently got something in their eye yet only 58% of them used an eye drop compared to 65% of women.
As well as outdoor hobbies, being on holiday also poses a risk to eye comfort. Nearly half (48%) of those questioned had experienced problems on the beach with the wind blowing sand in their eyes, and 70% of the group admitted to giving up and going home due to the problem. Going swimming can also be a problem. 45% said that they suffered eye irritation after swimming in chlorine filled waters.
For many people this eye irritation can mean burning, swollen, red, sore or even weeping eyes. By being prepared and having an eye drop means that this needn't ruin your whole day. Nowadays there are very effective eye drop solutions especially designed for such occasions.
As well as the Povidone, it also contains euphrasia. This combination is formulated to improve the stability of the tear film (the watery layer on the surface of the eye) and give immediate relief from stinging and burning after the first application.
Vidisan is available in a single 10ml dose bottle (£4.50) or 30, 0.6ml doses (£6.99). It can be used by contact lens wearers but the lenses must be removed first, then they can be replaced after 15 minutes. Once opened, the 10ml bottle should be discarded after 6 weeks.
Bausch + Lomb have offered my readers the chance to win some eye drops for their own first aid kit. All you have to do is fill in the Gleam widget below. Good luck! T&C's can be found in the widget.
Vidisan eye drops giveaway
More competitions at ThePrizeFinder
Yes, as I suffer from dry eyes so use eye drops daily.
ReplyDeleteVery useful as missing from our first aid kit
ReplyDeleteI do - I am surprised as I thought more people would!
ReplyDeleteAshleigh
Never thought about eye drops for the first aid kit - will be getting some
ReplyDeleteNo I don't keep eye drops in my first aid kit. The number is higher than I thought.
ReplyDeleteNo I don't, I am surprised maybe we should get some
ReplyDeleteIve always kept an eye wash in our first aid kit (but it does need replacing).
ReplyDeleteNo. Need to update First Aid equipment. Yes surprised at statistics, as believe it may be first time I have seen such statistics (regarding this topic). Yet several family members have had foreign body / substance in eye :- accidents. Though several years apart. Our eyesight is a valuable thing that we want to protect.
ReplyDeleteRachel Craig
I'm surprised not everyone keeps eye drops , we always try to keep some in, for allergies in the summer its a godsend x
ReplyDeleteWe keep them in the kitchen cupboard
ReplyDeleteClaire D
I haven't even thought about having eye drops in my first aid kit until I read your fab blog post, but I'm going to buy some today...you could say you really opened my eyes with what you've written ;)
ReplyDeletei have them in my bathroom cabnet x
ReplyDeletei keep my eye drops in the bathroom
ReplyDeleteThese statistics really have surprised me, I have kept eye drops in the past but not recently.
ReplyDeleteKirsty Fox
I don't keep them , I think I should though , guess it's not something we think about usually .
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a first aid kit. We do keep painkillers and antihistamine to hand, but not eye drops. We should though.
ReplyDeleteI don't, and they don't surprise me at all!! nothing surprises me, come to think of it lol!!
ReplyDeleteno I have no eye drops in my first aid kit .
ReplyDeleteI don't currently keep eyedrops in my medicine cabinet and the statistics do surprise me x
ReplyDeleteNo, we've never kept eye drops. I think we should from now on.
ReplyDeleteNo I do not have eye drops in my first aid kit -and the article has surprised me
ReplyDeleteI have eye drops but I've never thought of them as part of my first aid kit. I'm surprised by the stats too
ReplyDeleteYes we always keep eye drops in the house & have always had a well stocked first aid kit, actually went through it last weekend & threw away any out of date things.
ReplyDeleteI don't, but reading this makes me think I will in future!
ReplyDeleteI don't have a first aid kit but I do have some eye drops as I wear contact lenses and they can irritate
ReplyDeleteI don't keep drops in, but will be doing now x
ReplyDeleteI dont keep eye drops in my first aid kit, If needed I usualy go and buy x
ReplyDeleteNo I don't but probably should.
ReplyDeleteI don't keep. And yes, it did surprise me.
ReplyDeleteWe didn't have them in the First Aid Kit until last year when we really could have done with them and something that could have been a "minor annoyance" turned into a more urgent hospital A & E visit instead (everything was OK after a few days - but could have easily been avoided). Learnt our lesson.
ReplyDeletei don't keep eye drops in my first aid kit :/
ReplyDeleteI don't keep them in my first aid kit, but can see from those statistics that I should!
ReplyDeleteI've never thought of having eye drops in my first aid kit - and those stats are really interesting - I love comparing what I do with statistics :)
ReplyDeleteThis is just something that never entered my mind to keep....until last week when my toddler was crying that something was making his eye scratchy and he couldn't stop rubbing it, saying he couldn't see. A very scary experience for us both.
ReplyDeleteI don't, but the statistics did surprise me and I may well start now!
ReplyDeleteNo, never even considered it. Very surprising article. (@PeanutHog)
ReplyDeleteI dont keep eye drops but will now
ReplyDeleteNo and yes
ReplyDeleteSurprising results. I do like to have eye drops in as my eyes can be quite uncomfortable at times.
ReplyDeleteI do but have run out at the mo
ReplyDeleteI don't currently but believe I will start carrying them now x
ReplyDeleteYes I do, ever since I needed them during a work incident and the box there had them in.
ReplyDeleteI always have to use eye drops as I don't produce enough tears but it is too costly so it would be great to win these, thanks for the chance x
ReplyDeleteHad never thought of putting eye drops in our first aid kit and I am surprised by the statistics
ReplyDeleteI don't keep them and was surprised
ReplyDeletenot eye drops but have sachets of eye wash
ReplyDeleteI've never kept eye drops in the first aid kit. It has really surprised me.
ReplyDeleteNo I don't keep eye drops in my first aid kit.
ReplyDeletei dont but should do
ReplyDeleteNo. But I will get some now I have read this!
ReplyDeleteI don't keep though I will now. Never considered it but am surprised to read your blog
ReplyDeleteDO NOT HAVE
ReplyDeleteI dont have eye drops in my first aid kit - and yes I was surpised :)
ReplyDeleteWe keep them in the kitchen cupboard x
ReplyDeleteI don't (because of the normally short shelf life). I buy them when I need them.
ReplyDeleteHave needed eye drops since having laser correction treatment
ReplyDelete