12 Common Misconceptions About Eye Health
Maintaining good vision throughout your
entire life is possible if you make sure to take proper care of your
eyes. This includes protecting them from damage, avoiding habits that
harm your eyes, and staying healthy overall. Still, when it comes to the
right way to maintain one’s eyesight, things can sometimes get
confusing. For example, many people think that squinting or watching TV
from a close distance is harmful, and also that rubbing your eyes and
overwashing them is fine.
All four of those examples are common
misconceptions about eye health - misconceptions that we will clarify in
this article. So, if you want to educate yourself about eye health and
12 popular myths about eyes, continue reading.
1. Rubbing your eyes isn’t harmful as long as it doesn’t hurt
If you have the habit of rubbing your eyes
when they get tired, or you rub your eyes a lot due to allergies and
think it's fine as long as your eyes aren't particularly red or painful
afterward, consider this:
Rubbing your eyes frequently can cause thinning of the cornea, which, in
turn, may lead to a condition called keratoconus, a common cause of
vision loss. The cornea in people suffering from this condition becomes
distorted and bulges out in a cone-like shape, which is what causes
early symptoms like blurry and double vision, light sensitivity, and
nearsightedness.
2. Reading in dim light will affect your eyesight
Many people think that reading in a dimly lit room can worsen your
vision, but there is no evidence of that. Doctors assure that the only
symptom of reading under poor light conditions is eye fatigue. With age,
we do tend to require more light in order to read because our retinas
become weaker, but those are age-related changes and not something
brought about by a darker than usual reading environment.
3. Carrots are the best food to eat for good eyesight
Beta carotene is the component in carrots that helps maintain good
eyesight because it's converted into vitamin A in our body, which is
crucial for eyesight. Interestingly, beta carotene is also the chemical
that makes carrots orange. However, carrots are by far not the only
vegetable that contains a lot of this very useful antioxidant: spinach,
kale, red, orange, and yellow peppers, and even sweet potatoes also
contain plenty of beta carotene.
What's more, any other food high in vitamin A, even animal-derived foods
like cheese, milk, egg yolks, and liver will have the same benefits for
your eyesight, too.
4. Rinsing eyes with water is the best way to relieve dry and itchy eyes
If you're suffering from dry and itchy eyes, be it due to allergies, eye
strain, or any other reason, it's important not to resort to rinsing
your eyes with water to soothe the uncomfortable symptoms. This is
because tap water is full of bacteria and other potentially harmful
microorganisms that are typically killed by your digestive juices when
you ingest the water.
Unfortunately, your eyes aren't equipped to deal with these germs, so
you're risking to introduce an eye infection by rinsing your eyes with
lots of water all the time. Instead, doctors recommend artificial tears,
which are eye drops specifically manufactured to lubricate dry eyes.
5. Reading a book from up close is easier on the eyes
Bringing a book, laptop, or smartphone closer to see better and read
easier is a dire mistake. In fact, this kind of near work increases
nearsightedness (myopia), especially in kids. Myopia, in turn, is a
known risk factor for many other eye conditions, such as retinal
detachment, glaucoma, and cataracts. So, instead of bringing that book
or device closer, do the opposite and keep them as far away from your
eyes as possible.
6. Putting on eye makeup is safe for your eyes
Eye makeup, such as mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow are all
manufactured with eye safety in mind, but even the best makeup product
should be washed off at the end of the day. The main issue with eye
makeup is that, no matter how much you try, it's bound to get into your
eyes eventually.
Sometimes, makeup residue can build up in your eyes and clog up the
meibomian glands in your eyes, which are tiny oil glands that moisturize
the eye and present redness and dryness. So, always wash off your eye
makeup as soon as possible and have eye makeup free days from time to
time.
7. Laser surgery can get rid of all eye problems
Laser eye surgery is a very popular and
effective way to correct one's eyesight, but few people don't know that
not everyone is eligible for this procedure. Lasik surgery can correct
conditions like myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness),
and astigmatism, but patients suffering from keratoconus, cataract,
glaucoma, and macular degeneration aren't suitable for the surgery.
8. Any dark glasses will protect eyesight from UV damage
UV exposure is just as dangerous, if not
more, to your eyes than it is to your skin. The Sun's rays affect the
macula, the cornea, and the lens, and sun damage can result in:
Macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of vision loss
Cataract
Pterygium, a growth on the eye that may block vision
Skin cancer around the eyes
Photokeratitis, a painful corneal sunburn that causes temporary
vision loss.
Contrary to popular belief, not all sunglasses with dark lenses can
protect you from UV damage, as it is a special coating that shields your
eyes from damage, and not the darkened lenses per se. Even many clear
glasses contain a UV filter, while many sunglasses don't. The safest way
to protect your eyes is to purchase certified UV glasses, as they are
clinically tested and will surely work.
9. Eye exams are not necessary if you have
no complaints
eye health
Vision loss is by far not the only diagnosable condition your eye doctor
is trained to spot. During a comprehensive eye exam, a doctor will
check your overall eye health. As it is with most conditions, early
diagnosis is often the key to fast recovery. Apart from that, eyes are
sometimes the first organ to show signs of serious health conditions,
such as hypertension and diabetes. So, it's best to sign up for a yearly
check.
10. Wearing glasses or contacts with the wrong prescription is not a big
deal
Have you ever worn another person's eyeglasses and, all of a sudden,
your head started to ache or you started to feel dizzy? Well, guess
what? The same feelings, although maybe less intense ones, can happen if
you wear the wrong glasses or contact lenses. The main symptoms of
wearing the wrong prescription glasses or contacts are increased eye
strain, headaches, dizziness, and nausea.
11. Frequent squinting affects your vision
Now, this one is just not true. While
frequent squinting to see better can be a symptom of farsightedness or
other eye condition, the habit itself doesn't affect your vision in any
way. In fact, the worst thing squinting could possibly give you is
crow's feet - those small wrinkles around your eyes.
12. Watching TV from up close hurts your vision
Watching a lot of TV, even from up close,
is not considered harmful for your eyesight and cannot cause permanent
eye damage. Like computer work, prolonged TV screen time can dry out
your cornea if you forget to blink and causes eye strain, so get in the
habit of taking short breaks from time to time when you're looking at
any kind of screen.