We don’t get to decide the vision we are born with. But maintaining and preventing it is totally in your power.
Did you know that many eye problems could be prevented if we stop doing what hurts our eyes and start doing what makes them happy? You may not know it but your lifestyle and daily habits have a role to play in your poor eye health.
If you want to take steps towards better eye health, stop doing these 7 things that have a long-lasting effect on your vision.
Not using sunglasses
If you think that sunglasses are only to make you look cool, think again. There are so many benefits of shades other than adding to your looks.
First things first, sunglasses protect your eyes from UV light. If you know anything about vision damage from UV light, you may want to invest in a good pair of sunglasses. Secondly, they will shield your eyes from bright light giving you a comfortable vision.
Even if you wear prescription glasses make sure they have Anti-UV filters on the lenses so that your eyes are UV protected all the time.
Spending too much screen time
There’s a reason why your eyes feel tired after a long gaming session or working on your computer for a big presentation.
It’s not only UV light that’s damaging to your eyes. There’s something called blue light which is equally harmful to your vision.
Natural blue light is present in sunlight which is good for your cognitive functions. However, dealing with the artificial blue light all day emitting from your digital devices is catastrophic for your eyes.
Screen time could lead to digital eye strain which will involve feeling uncomfortable visual symptoms such as blurry vision and eye pain. If you have to look at screens for work or entertainment, make sure you use eyeglasses with blue lenses.
These lenses are not actually blue but have a blue light coating on the top which protects you from harmful screen time effects.
Using too many bloodshot eye drops
After putting your eyes through a lot all day, you will get red bloodshot eyes. And chances are that you will use redness-relieving eye drops to get your eyes to return to their normal condition.
However, too much use of these drops may reduce oxygen supply to the cornea. So, if you are using these drops repetitively, you are making the situation worse, not better.
Postponing the eye test
We all know how crucial regular eye exams are to our ocular health. But still, we choose to skip that important appointment with our eye doctor.
Eye tests are important as they can detect even the slightest changes in your eyesight. If your eye doctor finds a problem in your eye, you will be recommended to use single vision glasses or varifocal lenses based on your eye condition.
Rubbing your eyes
This is the most common bad habit that we all have. We do it whether our eyes feel tired or something gets in them. But, rubbing your eyes aggressively can disrupt the thin tear film on the cornea and may even lead to corneal thinning in severe cases.
This habit is more common in kids than adults. Tell your kids to not rub their eyes or suggest them washing their eyes whenever they feel like something has entered them.
Using contacts frequently and for too long
You may not know this but contact lenses could do more bad than good. If you wear them frequently or for too long, you may develop a dry eye problem.
As contact lenses use the moisture in your eye, the longer you use them, the more likely you would develop dry eyes. So, make sure you take little breaks and switch to eyeglasses if you experience issues with your eyesight.
If you have an eye infection, then you must avoid contact. Take your prescription and get new glasses for yourself. Based on where you buy your glasses from and your prescription, you might get same-day glasses delivery.
Eating unhealthy foods
What you eat has the potential of affecting your eye health. If you eat unhealthy foods, it will reflect in your vision. If you eat foods that support your vision, it will strengthen your eyes from within and keep you away from vision-threatening disorders.
Make sure you include more fruits, green leafy vegetables, nuts and fish in your diet. And drink a lot of water to keep your body hydrated. It is believed that dehydration also leads to dry eyes.
Author: I’m Jaylin: Guest post service planner of Leelija and full time blogger. Favorite things include my camera, traveling, caring my fitness, food and my fashion. Email id: [email protected]