The quality of your vision is not something that you get to choose. Thanks to the genetic lottery, each of us end up with either flawless 20/20 vision, terrible eyesight that requires coke-bottle glasses, or something in between.
While we cannot control the changes in our eyesight (which is bound to deteriorate as we age, by the way) there are some steps we can do, or rather, not do. Most of us do not realize it, but we have a lot of seemingly harmless habits that could be damaging our eyesight. Whether it is smoking a cigarette or swimming in your contacts, there are quite a few everyday activities that are negatively affecting your vision. Here are 4 things you should stop doing as soon as possible to help keep your eyesight healthy.
6) Stop forgetting to wear your sunglasses.
Long periods of UV exposure can harm the retina which may result in major eye conditions like cataracts and abnormal growths so make sure you get those sunnies out of your bag every time you head outside. If you happen wear contacts, make sure that you choose a brand with UV protection.
5) Stop wearing old contacts lenses.
Although it seems harmless, wearing those one-day contact lenses more than one day will increase your chances of eye infections. Sharing your contacts, sleeping in your contacts, and not switching your contact case are also big no-nos.
4) Stop rubbing your eyes.
It may offer a moment of relief, but rubbing actually spreads dirt and bacteria all over your eyes. Eye rubbing has also been linked to serious corneal disorders like keratoconus, which is what happens when the cornea thins and begins to bulge outside, causing fragile vessels around the eye to break. Instead of rubbing your eye, try blinking rapidly and let the tears wash away the debris. If this does not solve the problem, try using eye drops.
3) Stop wearing contacts in the shower or pool.
Wearing contacts while being in any form of water like in a pool, in the ocean or even in the shower can allow bacteria, or in worst cases something called acanthamoeba into the eye. This type of microorganism thrives in soil or freshwater. Although rare, acanthamoeba can cause serious damage (in extreme cases, blindness) to your vision.
2) Stop using expired eye makeup.
Using expired eye makeup can not only irritate your contacts, it can also give you a nasty skin infection. The American Academy of Ophthalmology advises that makeup should be thrown away after 3 months. One way to know if your makeup is expired is if it gets clumpy. Never add water to clumpy makeup. You will only be giving bacteria a cozier place to stay in.
1) Stop staring at your computer screen/phone all day.
There is an explanation as to why your eyes feel physically tired after staring at your computer screen or phone all day. Every time your eyes are straining to make out those small letters on those tiny blue light-emitting screens, your blink rate actually decreases, which result in decreased tear production. Without lubrication, your eyes may begin to feel tired and dry, causing blurry vision. Fatigued eyesight and unclear vision may last for a few hours and may give you a headache. There is also growing evidence that suggests that extensive screen time may lead to irreversible deterioration of the retina, which may be the reason why nearsightedness rates have been growing worldwide.
