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Ways You're Ruining Your Eyes Every Day

Mar 30, 2022

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Lifestyle

As the months go by, it's become apparent that the pandemic poses more health threats than just the danger of contracting COVID-19. In fact, changes that we've made in order to keep ourselves safe from the virus—working from home, staying indoors, changes in everyday routine—have come with their own challenges. One aspect of your health that you may not be paying enough attention to right now is your vision. From too much screen time to forgetting eye-safe practices when venturing out in public, these are the seven ways you may be ruining your eyes every day during the coronavirus pandemic. 

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The truth is that the power is within your sights—diet, lifestyle choices and good eye hygiene have a lot to do with preserving vision as we age. Here's what top experts say you should focus on.
Transcript
Slide 1Overview
As the months go by, it's become apparent that the pandemic poses more health
threats than just the danger of contracting COVID-19. In fact, changes that we've
made in order to keep ourselves safe from the virus—working from home, staying
indoors, changes in everyday routine—have come with their own challenges. One
aspect of your health that you may not be paying enough attention to right now is
your vision. From too much screen time to forgetting eye-safe practices when
venturing out in public, these are the seven ways you may be ruining your eyes every
day during the coronavirus pandemic.
Staring at your
smartphone
Straining to read the tiny text on your cell phone may be the reason your eyes hurt
day after day — especially if you're doing this for hours on end. It could also lead to
blurred vision, dry eyes, dizziness, and nausea.
Put down your phone every 20 minutes to give your eyes a break. Or, even better,
make the font on your phone bigger so your eyes aren't working over time to read
that tiny Facebook post.
night
The levels of light are changing rapidly, so your eyes have to work hard to process the
changes, which can lead to eyestrain, pain, headaches, dry eye, and redness. Even
worse? It can mess with your sleep schedule, too.
On the flip side, reading in a dim light isn't advised either. Although there isn't a lot of
evidence that says it's bad for your eyesight, it does strain your eyes, which can make
them more tired and red, or lead to pain and discomfort.
Sleeping in
contacts
We get it — it's late and you're tired. But that's no excuse for not taking your
contacts out. Not only does it increase your risk of an infection, but it could lead to
permanent damage. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
nearly one million Americans visit the eye doctor each year with infections related
to wearing contacts.
eyes
As tempting as it may be, it's a big no-no. Rubbing them too hard can break the
blood vessels under the eyelids. So to soothe irritated eyes, try a cold compress
instead.
Overusing
eyedrops
While they temporarily alleviate dry eyes, using them too often could actually
irritate your eyes over time.The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
warns that nonprescription eyedrops don't actually improve the health of your eye,
they just make your eyes appear less red. They recommend using eyedrops for only a
short period of time.
You're not
taking breaks
when working
from home
And all that working from home can lead to excessive exposure to blue light as well.
But if you're not taking breaks from your computer (and phone breaks don't count!),
you can also develop a condition called computer vision syndrome, according to Lone
Star Vision. And while this problem isn't as serious as the possible life-long
complications from too much blue light, it will continue to bother you and worsen
unless the original cause is removed.
You're using too
while indoors
You may want to blast the A/C while you're staying indoors, but make sure you
don't keep it on too much. Air conditioning reduces the relative humidity in a
room, which often contributes to what is known as "dry eye disease."And
according to the American Optometric Association, advanced cases of dry eyes
disease can actually lead to impaired vision by causing damage to the front surface
of the eye.
Not eating a
well-balanced
diet
Yes — diet and nutrition matter. In fact, some fruits and vegetables are crucial for
optimum eye health, especially ones with vitamins C and E, zinc, and omega-3 fatty
acids. The AAO suggests adding citrus fruits, vegetables oils, nuts, whole grains, leafy
greens, and fish to your meals as much as possible.
Not using safety
goggles
According to the AAO, almost 45% of eye injuries happen at home. And the most
common risks are being exposed to chemicals in cleaning products (household
products cause 125,000 injuries each year), hot grease and oil splatters during
cooking, home improvement projects involving nails, mowing the lawn, and using
hot styling tools near the eyes. So yes, you may look silly wearing those safety
goggles, but it's a really good idea when working on a home improvement project.
Misusing eye
makeup
Anything you put near your eye is a potential risk. And yes, this includes your
mascara, eyeliner, eye shadow, and eye creams. So make sure to apply makeup far
away from your lash line so you don't block the oil glands of your lids — a buildup
here can cause infections. Also, throw away your eye makeup after three months.
Bacteria loves to grow in dark, damp places, so your mascara could be a breeding
ground to some nasty infections.
Sleep deprivation can lead to a number of problems, including weight gain,
depression, and decreased immune function. Moreover, a lack of sleep is also hurting
your eyes (some symptoms include twitching, dry eyes, blurry vision, and pain). Be
sure to get a minimum of seven hours a night and remember, put down that
smartphone before bed.
sunglasses)
Excessive squinting can lead to eyestrain, which can then lead to pain. Thankfully
there's a simple solution: Wear your glasses!
And when you're outside, use those stylish sunnies hiding at the bottom of your bag.
They help block harmful UV rays that could hurt your eyes over time.
Not visiting
the eye
doctor
regularly
Not only can your doctor detect serious eye issues (think glaucoma) that don't have
symptoms, but they can also see signs of other illnesses (such as diabetes and high
blood pressure) just by peaking into your eye.
You're
Stressing Out
If you're constantly tearing your hair out, your eyes will pay for it. "Unmanaged
chronic mental stress takes a physical toll on the body and can be problematic for the
ocular system.
Chronic stress that cause surges of the stress hormone cortisol can negatively impact
the nervous system. When the nervous system isn't functioning properly, it can affect
our brain and eyes, resulting in problems with vision.
You're
Smoking
Smoke getting in your eyes might have inspired a pretty ballad, but in reality, there's
nothing romantic about it. "Smoking creates oxidative stress on tissues throughout
the body. In the eyes, the areas most prone to this are the macula an area in the center
of the retina and the lens.
You Have
Untreated
Myopia
Nearsightedness may seem like a harmless consequence of aging, but if it goes
untreated, it can cause irreversible vision impairment and blindness. Genetics can
raise your risk, along with lifestyle factors like doing too much near work (reading,
writing or screen time) and spending a limited time outdoors.
You Have Poor
Hygiene
Keeping your hands and eyes clean is the easiest thing you can do to maintain eye
health. "Poor hygiene can increase your risk of eye health issues like infection,
You're Not
Exercising
Your eyes benefit from exercise just as much as the rest of your body. High blood
pressure and diabetes can be caused by a sedentary lifestyle. Both can contribute to
vision problems. Regular exercise not only helps to prevent these diseases, but also
reduces your chances of developing glaucoma. Much like our brain, our eyes need
oxygen to maintain an optimal level of performance.
You're Drinking
Too Much
Turns out the expression "blind drunk" isn't just a turn of phrase. Heavy drinking
can have adverse effects on your eyesight by aggravating and intensifying symptoms
of dry eye.These symptoms may include stinging or burning sensations in your
eyes, sensitivity to light, redness, discomfort when wearing contact lenses and eye
fatigue.
Water
It's important to keep the eyes hydrated.The surface of the eye is the first surface that
light hits before it makes it to the back of the eye, providing vision. When the surface
isn't hydrated, it can cause someone's vision to be very blurry temporarily. Over time,
a poorly hydrated surface can form cracks and actually lead to minor scar tissue
development, which can cause more permanent blurred vision.
You're Not
Night
For those who wear it, not removing makeup opens the eyes to risk. Bacteria and
parasites can grow in the areas along the eyelids and eyelashes. These organisms then
secrete toxins which can fall into the eye and contribute to irritation, redness, and
itching. Over time, they can cause permanent damage to the structures that secrete
tear components (the meibomian glands) leading to chronic dry eye.
Conclusion
The truth is that the power is within your sights—diet, lifestyle choices and good
eye hygiene have a lot to do with preserving vision as we age. Here's what top
experts say you should focus on.