6 common habits that may harm your eyesight

Your vision is more than just your eyesight, it’s just that Part of your overall health.

Eye health is never something to take for granted – especially with American Academy of Ophthalmology Expect a significant rise in vision problems over the next 30 years. Besides genetic or age-related changes in vision, it may be your daily habits that are harming your eye health. We’ve rounded up the most common bad eye habits and preventative measures you can take to avoid them.

For more see What foods to add to your diet And the things you should do Every day to support your eye health. He remembers, Regular vision checks They are still essential to keeping your eyes looking their best.

1. Use expired cosmetics

It’s easy to forget that your favorite makeup products have a shelf life, especially when you use them every day. Use Expired mascara and eyeliner can put your eyes at risk of infection. A good rule of thumb when determining when it’s time to ditch a product is to research the product Post-opening period. This seal will tell you how much time remains after the product has been opened before it needs to be replaced. For example, usually Mascara can last about three months.

It is also important to store your cosmetics properly. Improper storage can affect the longevity of the product and can lead to bacterial or mold growth, putting you at risk of infection.

2. Reuse contact lenses

If you think you’re saving money by recycling your contacts, it could end up costing you more in the long run. As someone who used to do this and, as a result, ended up getting multiple eye infections, I can attest that this is a Usually contact lenses are worth discontinuing. When I switched to daily contact lenses and alternating glasses, I dramatically reduced my chances of developing eye infections and kept my eyes healthy.

Changing to dailies is worthwhile: one study found that people who wear dailies Reusable contact lenses are about four times more likely to develop Acanthamoeba keratitisIt is a rare eye infection that can increase the risk of vision loss or blindness, compared to people who use daily contact lenses.

Other habits you should stop using your contact lenses Include sleeping, bathing or swimming with them. “Sleeping with contact lenses and failing to clean the lenses properly can significantly increase the risk of developing a corneal ulcer caused by a bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infection,” warns Dr. Mackenzie Soward, a board-certified ophthalmologist. As if that weren’t enough, vision loss resulting from contact lens-related complications can be severe and permanent.

Read more: Best places to buy contacts online

3. Not wearing sunglasses

You know that your The skin needs sunscreen to protect it from harmful ultraviolet raysAnd believe it or not, your eyes need to be protected too. Soward recommends wearing proper UV protection when outdoors or in the car, even if it’s overcast. “That’s because harmful UVA and UVB rays in the atmosphere can increase the risk of macular degeneration, cataracts, eyelid skin cancer, and other eye diseases,” she explains. To protect your eyes, Soward recommends choosing sunglasses with 100% UV protection every time you go out.

“Cumulative UV exposure and damage only increases the incidence of macular degeneration and cataracts, Pterygium “And skin cancer,” she explains. These conditions may be permanent or require surgical treatment to correct. People who work in professions that require more outdoor work, such as construction or landscaping, are at greater risk of developing some conditions associated with UV damage, so they should be more aware of protecting themselves.

Read more: Best prescription sunglasses

4. Not wearing protective glasses

You should also wear safety glasses when playing sports or doing work that poses a risk of eye injury. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “estimates that about 2,000 people each day experience work-related eye injuries, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology estimates that there are 30,000 sports-related eye injuries each year in the United States,” Soward said. Many of these injuries are preventable and usually involve foreign objects getting stuck in the eye, such as dust, wood, metal, or plant debris. Other injuries you can sustain due to a lack of eye protection include blunt or direct trauma from a fall or from larger objects such as objects hitting the face.

5. Smoking

In addition to the known Multiple health risks of smoking It can cause this, and it can also harm your eyes. Cigarette smoking doubles Risk of macular degenerationWhich may lead to loss of vision in a part of your eye known as the macula. Smoking also damages the retina and increases the chances of developing cataracts, which cloud the lenses of the eye and can also lead to vision loss. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, smokers are on the verge of… Three times more likely to develop cataracts They are up to four times more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration than non-smokers. So, if you are a smoker, it would be in your best interest to kick the habit.

6. Spending a lot of time in front of screens

We can all admit that we limit our time on our smartphones, laptops and tablets. Spending fewer hours with these items would also benefit our eyesight. Digital eye strain or Computer vision syndrome is a condition that occurs when you stare at a computer Or phone screen for a long time. It can cause dry eyes, blurry vision, headaches, back pain and other symptoms of discomfort.

Soward recommends taking frequent breaks from screens to allow your eyes to relax and adjust to a pair of prescription lenses designed specifically for computer use. “It’s important to see an eye care professional regularly to make sure you’re wearing the right eyeglass correction and (to screen for) eye conditions that may not have any symptoms,” she said.