Many daily habits can pose a serious danger to the eyes. We tell you which routine elements adversely affect health, including the risk of complete loss of vision.
What can damage your eyesight
Bathing with lenses
Contact lenses are a modern and comfortable solution to vision problems. However, they are not suitable for swimming: be it a shower, a pool or the sea. Remember that lenses are able to pass and retain moisture, and water contains many different microorganisms that can cause infection and inflammation. Sea salt can also linger on the lens. In addition, lenses can shift or fall out when diving or intensively swimming. If you cannot do without lenses, use daily lenses or replace them soon after water procedures.
Dim lighting
When you were a child, did your parents scold you for reading in poor light? They were right. Semi-darkness is usually associated with a more cozy and intimate atmosphere, but poor lighting is absolutely not suitable for activities that require straining your eyesight – it can noticeably worsen in just a couple of months. Make sure there is good lighting, even if it is daytime outside, but there is not enough light in the room. Working with documents, as well as reading books, in the dark is harmful, no matter how you look at it.
Reading while lying down
The modern pace of life is hardly compatible with measured reading: for many, 15 minutes with a book before bed is a real outlet. However, experts are categorically against reading while lying down: the problem is that this position rarely allows you to maintain the recommended distance from the book to your eyes of 30-40 centimeters. As a result, you may not only feel discomfort, but also experience a decrease in visual acuity if you already have a tendency to myopia.
Touching in the eye area
When you frequently touch the eye area or simply “rub” them, bacteria and dirt from unclean hands get onto the mucous membrane. Excessive and frequent pressure on the eyeball can also lead to serious vision problems, as it is fraught with the development of keratoconus – a disease in which the cornea becomes thinner and takes on a conical shape. Due to the disease, photophobia, double vision, and blurred vision develop.
Continuous work with the screen
Even if you are obliged to watch the monitor closely due to your job duties, do not forget to blink. It is the drying out of the mucous membrane that leads to the fact that vision becomes less clear, and in the long term, the lens can be deformed. According to research, sitting at the computer for a long time without breaks leads to deterioration of the retina. To avoid negative effects, do a basic “warm-up” by shifting your gaze to distant objects.
Saving on sunglasses
The worst thing to forget to put on your glasses on a sunny day is to wear cheap glasses. And it’s not about the cost and appearance of the accessory, but about the level of protection. The cheapest sunglasses are usually nothing more than “image” ones, moreover, manufacturers honestly warn that glasses with a low level of protection do not protect from direct sunlight – in other words, looking at the sun in them is simply dangerous.
Smoking
Researchers associate smoking with an increased risk of developing cataracts before the age of 40. Tobacco smoke is inherently toxic and has a detrimental effect on the nerve tissues of the eye. Harmful substances contained in tobacco products adversely affect the blood vessels of the visual organs, which can lead to problems with the outflow of intraocular fluid. And increased intraocular pressure, in turn, leads to the development of glaucoma. When the blood vessels do not deliver enough oxygen and nutrients to the tissues of the retina and optic nerve, temporary or complete loss of vision may occur.
Sleeping with Makeup
Although mascara may crumble during the day, cosmetics pose minimal risks to vision. But when it comes to night, thoroughly removing eye makeup before going to bed is an absolute must. Particles of the product can get stuck under the eyelid and over time injure the mucous membrane. And if you consider that, according to surveys, the vast majority of women have used expired cosmetics at least once, the risks increase significantly. One study found staphylococcus in 79% of expired mascara samples.