Bad Habits That Affect Eye Health– The eyes are the most important sense organ. The vision itself is genetically determined and cannot be changed. The strength of your vision decreases with age, but the reduction in visual function can be avoided or slowed down.
Unconsciously, some people engage in minor routines that negatively affect their eyes. It starts with rubbing the eyes to wearing contact lenses while sleeping. There are many other habits that can disrupt eye health in the long run, What are they? So, what is the right way to maintain eye health? Well, read the following article to the end.
Stop these bad habits to prevent eye problems:
1. Frequently looking at the phone screen:
These days, many people use digital devices like laptops, tablets, or smartphones. However, constantly staring at digital screens is not good for eye health.
Prolonged and continuous screen time can strain the eye muscles, leading to headaches. In addition, the radiation and blue light emitted from digital screens can cause eye fatigue and dryness due to infrequent blinking. The long-term effects can result in retinal damage that could lead to blindness.
To prevent this, follow the 20-20-20 rule when using your phone: take a 20-second break by looking at something 20 feet (about 6 meters) away every 20 minutes. You should also make an effort to blink more often to keep your eyes moist. Consider using screen protectors that filter out blue light from your phone.
2. Reading while lying down, especially in a dark room:
When you read, whether it’s a book or a smartphone, your hand tends to hold the reading material closer to your eyes. Reading while lying down can cause eye muscles to work too hard, leading to eye strain and discomfort. If done continuously and for an extended period, this habit can damage your eyes.
Reading in a dimly lit room forces your pupils to dilate and your eye lenses to thicken and thin. As a result, your eyes become fatigued quickly. The same goes for reading in a room with excessively bright lighting.
3. Touching or rubbing your eyes:
Rubbing your eyes, especially when they feel itchy, is a common bad habit that many people engage in. However, rubbing your eyes too hard can lead to broken blood vessels and inflammation.
Moreover, can you be sure that your hands and fingers are clean before touching your eyes? Dirty hands can introduce disease-causing bacteria into your eyes. In such cases, the eye’s mucous membrane, which acts as a protective barrier, becomes a breeding ground for germs.
If your eyes feel itchy or you have something in them, it’s better to close your eyes and touch the eyelids gently. Don’t forget to wash your hands regularly with soap and water.
4. Sleeping with contact lenses:
Sleeping with contact lenses can deprive your corneas of oxygen. Improper contact lens wear can lead to irritation, infections, and even bacterial growth in the eyes which could result in blindness.
Therefore, remove your contact lenses before going to sleep. If you accidentally fall asleep with them, don’t remove them immediately. Wait for 20-30 minutes and apply contact lens solution before removing them. It’s best to avoid using lenses for a while.
Other habits to avoid when using contact lenses include:
- Use them while showering or swimming.
- Cleaning contact lenses with tap water.
- Not storing contact lenses properly.
- Using contact lenses and their case for more than three months.
5. Not removing eye makeup before bed:
One of the factors that affect eye health is the use of makeup. If you regularly apply eye makeup such as eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara, always remember to remove it before going to bed.
Makeup that remains on your eyes can fall into the glands around your eyes, leading to irritation, infection, acne, or even small bumps around your eyelids. False eyelash adhesive used for eyelash extensions can enter the cornea and cause an infection.
Make sure your eye area is completely free of makeup before you sleep. When removing eye makeup, do so gently, avoiding harsh rubbing. Use makeup removers designed specifically for the eyes.
6. Frequent use of eye drops:
Many people use eye drops when their eyes are red. However, over-the-counter eye drops often contain vasoconstrictor substances. These eye drops work by narrowing blood vessels, which reduces the appearance of redness.
Over-the-counter eye drops contain preservatives and other chemicals that may be harmful to the eyes. Over time, these chemicals can actually cause redness and disrupt your eye health.
Instead of using eye drops, it’s better to consult an eye doctor to get proper treatment for red eyes.
7. Smoking:
There have been many studies that have shown the dangers of smoking. Due to its harmful constituents, smoking can cause a range of health problems, including eye issues. People who smoke are more susceptible to blindness due to cataracts, macular degeneration, and optic nerve damage.
8. Not wearing sunglasses outdoors:
More precisely, sunglasses with UV protection. Although it may sound trivial and is often underestimated, sunglasses can protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet sunlight. UV rays are one of the free radical molecules that can damage eye cells and cause long-term problems such as cataracts, macular degeneration, and pterygium.
9. Skipping regular eye check-ups:
Regular eye check-ups can help identify potential serious eye conditions. For example, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease (diabetic retinopathy), or early macular degeneration.
Start making a habit of getting your eyes checked regularly, at least once every two years. Especially for adults over the age of 40, it is recommended to have an eye examination once a year.
10. Ignoring red eyes and other injuries:
Signs of eye irritation include redness, watery eyes, or a burning sensation. These symptoms may be due to allergies, but you should be concerned if redness is accompanied by pain, excessive sensitivity to light, a foreign body sensation in the eye, and thick white or green discharge.
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms. If not treated promptly, the consequences can become more severe and may even spread to others.
In addition to irritation, other things you should be aware of include injuries that cause blurred vision, difficulty opening your eyes, blood spots on the white part of your eyes, and the inability to move your eyeballs.
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Various steps to maintain eye health:
To keep your eyes healthy and functioning properly, start by avoiding negligence and the above-mentioned habits. In addition, you should also take the following steps to maintain your eye health.
1. Meet their nutritional needs:
A natural way to maintain eye health is to consume a balanced diet. Research has shown that foods high in vitamin A, C, and E, zinc, lutein, selenium, and omega-3 can help reduce the negative effects of age-related vision problems.
Various sources of these nutrients include leafy greens, salmon, tuna, eggs, nuts, and oranges.
2. Avoid long-expired makeup products:
The second step to maintaining eye health is to pay attention to the expiration dates of makeup products. Bacteria can easily grow and thrive in liquid and cream eye makeup products. Therefore, you should discard and replace all beauty products that have expired or have been in use for more than three months.
It’s best not to share makeup with others. Always make sure to remove eye makeup before sleeping to prevent infection and irritation of the eyes. Again, be sure to clean makeup brushes and tools at least once a week.
3. Regular exercise:
Another guideline for maintaining eye health is regular exercise. Research suggests that exercise can reduce the negative effects of vision loss due to high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
These are some unhealthy habits that can increase the negative effects of eye problems. In addition, some natural ways to maintain eye health. By avoiding these routines, your eyes will naturally maintain their health and function. Increase your consumption of balanced, nutritious foods to meet your eye’s nutritional needs. Consult a doctor if you experience signs of infection or irritation in your eyes to prevent it from becoming more chronic.
